Rangers fans have raised an eyebrow over the involvement of Celtic defender Shane Duffy in the club’s 1-1 draw with Hibs – and they aren’t the only ones.
Irish international Duffy played the full 90 minutes against Hibs at Celtic Park despite the fact Celtic assistant manager John Kennedy had previously claimed the player would be ineligible.
A dejected Duffy handed Hibs their equaliser when his poor clearance fell to Kevin Nisbet. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
This came after Duffy had broken the Celtic Park bubble to leave the club’s disastrous Dubai training camp to travel back to Europe for family reasons.
“Shane had a couple of personal things that he had to leave Dubai for, so we sent him back on that basis,” said Kennedy [Glasgow Times].
“Following protocols, he’ll miss the weekend’s game because he’s left the bubble.
“He’s been through one round of tests, he’ll go through a second round before then returning to the bubble, which is normal protocol. Nothing unusual.
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“From then on Shane will be in our thoughts in terms of games, but we just had to give him some time to sort some things out.”
Former Rangers striker Kris Boyd would then raise the eyebrows further as he took out his mobile phone live on Sky Sports’ coverage of the match and read out Kennedy’s quotes.
can always count on oor Boydy👏🏻 pic.twitter.com/TfC6TRtuez
— Rachel Ashe (@rachelerinashe) January 11, 2021
Celtic manager for the day, Gavin Strachan, would claim that Duffy was available to play because he returned a negative test.
“He comes back in on the back of a negative test,” said Strachan [Glasgow Times].
“He’s back and ready to go.”
That’s not enough for a lot of Rangers fans who both raised the question over Duffy’s involvement and who praised Boyd for calling out a lack of clarity from the Parkhead club:
Shane Duffy flew back from Dubai on a commercial flight by himself, not within a bubble, but is playing tonight instead of isolating. How does that work?
— Dan (@danthegersman) January 11, 2021
Duffy at Dubai airport. Definitely out the bubble I’d say @ScottishFA pic.twitter.com/NiuqnTEko4
— Heart & Hand Podcast (@ibroxrocks) January 11, 2021
So Duffy leaves Dubai 2 days early and exits Covid FC’s bubble, meaning he needs to isolate
Yet Duffy starts against Hibs tonight
— 🏴ClubSeedPotatoOffical🇬🇧 (@Club12Official) January 11, 2021
Boyd just brought up Kennedy’s Duffy comments live on sky
Oooooooffttttttttttttt
— Mr M (@MBS1872) January 11, 2021
WOW – Kennedy admits Duffy left the clubs bubble which makes sense as he travelled on a full plane of passengers back to the UK and he should be isolating away from Celtic players. Yet he is starting tonight. This is mental https://t.co/HElmbvwQ13
— Jas Boyd (@Jas72Boyd) January 11, 2021
Kris Boyd, reading out the Sellik statement that Duffy cant play, but he is!
I think I'm going to pee m'self…
— #NoDealNicola 🇬🇧🏴🇺🇸 (@No_Bikers) January 11, 2021
"shane duffy I'm not quite sure what he is doing there!"
Boyd! 😂😂😂
— Craig🇬🇧🇳🇱 (@C1872) January 11, 2021
Kris boyd reading out what Celtic had said about Duffy 👏👏 baffled too know how he can be playing 🤷🏻♂️🤯
— G smith (@gglfc123) January 11, 2021
Kris Boyd has just taken his phone out his pocket and read out Kennedy’s comments on Duffy word for word – ahahahahahahahahahahaha hahahahaha we’ve peaked here!!!
— Jen Jen (@Doddsie16) January 11, 2021
Kris Boyd whipping the phone out to read John Kennedy's statement about Duffy supposedly not being available almost ended me 😂😂😂
— John Smyth (@jsmyth91) January 11, 2021
Boyd now calling them out about Duffy playing, oh boy keep it coming 🤣🤣
— Lenny Johnson (@Lenjohnhun) January 11, 2021
Kris Boyd reading out Celtics statement about Duffy 🤣🤣
— Mrs Amanda McNeish (@keiramc74) January 11, 2021
Kris Boyd is bang on. How is big Shane Duffy at the back even playing 🤦🏻♂️
— Wayne Fawcett (@waynefawcett) January 11, 2021
Kris Boyd comedy gold again, “I don’t know what Shane Duffy is doing there”.
— Curtis🇨🇭 (@1872Curt) January 11, 2021
Duffy, 28, would eventually play an influential role in Celtic conceding a late equaliser to the Easter Road side as his weak clearance found Nisbet who lashed home for Hibs.
Rangers fans have had plenty to say about the circumstances surrounding Celtic’s draw with Hibs and also railed against the decision not to retest Celtic players pre-match.