The pre match ritual that has been a part of the Celtic make up since the Tony Mowbray era has been temporarily banned due to the spotlight continually shining on the club since the COVID Dubai debacle. The Huddle is synonymous with Celtic’s recent history. The roar from the crowd when the players join together, the passion from the captain when he gives his final instructions to his players. On those massive European nights, The Huddle and the crowds reaction to it makes the hairs stand up on the back of your neck!
Stand in Captain, Calum McGregor has revealed as part of the COVID protocols at the club the physio, Tim Williamson, advised that The Huddle should be removed from the pre match preparations as a temporary measure, “Our Covid guy, the physio and Tim Williamson asked us to do that. We just try to show and do the right things as much as possible.
“For the Livingston match I will just take the directive from the club again. I will see what we can do and then take it from there. It’s their decision.”
McGregor admitted it doesn’t feel right not to do the Huddle as it’s been part of the club’s culture since Tony Mowbray brought it in almost 30 years ago.
He said: “It was strange but I just tried to keep it short. It loses a bit of its appeal when you aren’t that close together.
“I tried to do most of the talking before the game and then it’s about the football when we get on the pitch.
“But the Huddle is symbolic in terms of Celtic so we want to keep that going, even we can’t do it properly. We will just take it on a game by game basis.”