16 Feb 2024 18:09:34
I fail to see Abada's issue doing what he is paid to do. Most fair minded people, including many Israelis, agree what is happening to the people of Palestine is wrong. You only have to look at the number of casualties on both sides to see who is the aggressor. Celtic FC and the fans have treated Abada very well, he has a duty to repay that and if he wants to leave in the summer then so be it. We are in a title fight and he should be focusing his energies on what happens when he crosses the white line. Most Israeli's are continuing to work and live their lives close to normal. Abada should be blanking what happens on the pitch like several other Israelis have in the past, Bitton, Elhamed, Kayal etc.
16 Feb 2024 19:22:46
I could understand if the Celtic fans were booing him etc.
But our fans gave him a massive cheer when he came back.
The Celtic fans have been patient because of his long layoff and we’ve tried to encourage him to get back to good form.
Now Abada wants to make it all about him.
He can seek more attention with the Celtic B team.
16 Feb 2024 19:26:26
He's in a hard position. Don't think celtic are looked at very well in Israel. He might be getting pressured to not play for us . He's young it can't be easy. OK for us to say aw just play, but he might never play for national team again etc.
16 Feb 2024 19:42:26
Really you don’t see his issue. When he looks out and sees people waving Palestinian flags no matter if knows people don’t hate him personally he must feel something. I’m not saying what is right or wrong or what people should support or not. But some people are not mentally strong.
{Ed007's Note - Celtic fans were flying Palestinian flags long before Abada was here - and will long after he's gone - and it didn't bother him when he signed his new bumper contract a few months ago, a contract he is still being fully paid on while he basically refuses to do the job he is being paid for.
We've seen the support for Palestine all over social media from clubs across the globe, has it affected any other player the way it has Abada, look at Ukrainian and Russian players, any them pulled a sickie that we know of?
Basically we're going down the road of people being offended with flags, not so long ago and even now some people in Scotland are offended by the Irish flag, it wasn't only 2 years or so ago there was uproar over Celtic fans and pubs flying the Japanese flag.
And for the record, it's the actual "war" that is affecting Abada, there is no mention of anything the Club or support has done.
Who knows, maybe he is actually torn over what his country is doing and he is struggling to justify to himself and his beliefs what Israel are doing, maybe the Celtic support has opened his eyes......
16 Feb 2024 19:46:55
Abada didn’t all of a sudden not want to play for Celtic anymore.
Celtic should’ve sent him out on loan in the January window if they knew how he felt.
Now we’re going to have this constant weekly drama that we don’t need, only a couple of months before the end of the season.
16 Feb 2024 20:18:27
His lack of performance this season will surely mean his international games will be very few and far between.
16 Feb 2024 21:31:25
I have my own views on Israel having worked there unlike anywhere else I’ve worked. Me I’ve seen all sorts of flags being waved and maybe jeez probably on a few marches back in the day when at Uni long time ago. Pulling a sickie I guess you’re a bit like me but mental health/ well being is the rage these days. We are Celtic fans and football is our passion and we don’t understand when someone doesn’t want to play for our team. This is his job like we all have and the pressure he may be feeling is perhaps something we don’t understand.
{Ed007's Note - I'm not putting down anyone with mental health problems, Sean as I've been quite open with my own struggles on that front, but let's look at it realistically from a back in the day perspective my dad always said to me - money doesn't make you happy but it makes the misery more bearable.
If Abada doesn't want to play for Celtic, grow a pair, come out and say it say and why you don't and then say you don't want to earn another dime of the Club, as you agree, it's his job and he's basically refusing to do it and hasn't given a reasonable reason, at least publicly, why.
See if him doing his job meant the difference between eating or heating his house would he be pulling the same stunt?}
16 Feb 2024 23:03:07
Luis Diaz in my opion situation was much worse as it was his father but a thot he dealt with it with dignity and true professionalism. am not saying Abada doesn’t have anyone personally dealing with the trauma but as many say this is his job, is he going to leave football altogether because no matter if he goes to Spain, Italy ext it’s still going on. if it’s the Celtic suppoerters then good bye.
17 Feb 2024 06:24:04
The Gaza issue is such a big issue I don’t see football players being exempt from opinion, I wander if perhaps within the team there’s been views aired in conversation, I don’t see a player being affected that much by what’s in the stands especially as none of it is against Abada himself or against Israel for that matter, you’ve got to think like every workplace conversations take place and this issue can’t have been missed and I think we prob have some intelligent players who will have a specific view on things, maybe that’s where Abada, s disconnect feelings are arising from,
17 Feb 2024 03:31:49
I'm not saying you're wrong about the situation Ed but when it comes to a someone's personal wellbeing, there should be a reasonable expectation of privacy. I get football players are in the public eye but he's a company employee at the end of the day. There's no obligation for him to go public with his issues and it seems the club are content to deal with the matter behind closed doors.
{Ed007's Note - The Club need to grow a backbone over the whole situation as well - especially when the Israeli national manager branded the fans antisemitic - and they're hardly dealing with it behind closed doors when Rodgers was openly talking about it yesterday.}
17 Feb 2024 10:43:10
At the end of the day Abada is an employee and if he has told the club he is unfit for work then the club have a duty of care towards him. There is proper procedures that must be followed.
{Ed007's Note - Yes but what is his reason and is it reasonable?
17 Feb 2024 03:18:24
Ed fair comments and don’t disagree with anything you have said at all. Your very last sentence is one I’ve used many a time. I for one like many would love to see him back in top form win the league then he can go where he wants.
I would also love players to have a backbone and when they go say why they left.
Love the intelligent/ witty/ comments / discussions/ football facts and most of all genuine love for our team on this forum and the podcast.
{Ed007's Note - Cheers, Sean ?
17 Feb 2024 13:01:42
Whatever our views on the Israel/ Palestine situation, Abada is a professional footballer and as such, should, with support from the club, be 100% committed to Celtic. If he's not committed, get rid. Pete's sake, think of all the anti Catholic bile our players have endured over the generations, not just from Rangers supporters I hasten to add and our players have not wavered in their commitment to Celtic. Step up Abada.
{Ed007's Note - The thing for me is though mate, the Club and the support have backed Abada and this nonsense that the "war" is affecting his ability to play football just doesn't wash with me.
James Forrest wrote a good article about the situation you can read HERE.
17 Feb 2024 13:08:12
The worse thing about the Abada saga this year is that Celtic could be left with a player who has no value . Players value is in the hands of those who could be interested in signing him . He got a standing reception he got from full stadium, when he returned from injury and I don’t think he’s likely to have many receptions better than that anywhere because although Heads of State seem to support Israel, ordinary citizens are strong in support of Palestinians throughout the Western World.
17 Feb 2024 14:25:04
The club's response to the antisemitic accusations was absolutely pathetic. Like I said, there has to be an element of it playing out publicly because that's the nature of football but the specifics are being kept in house is what I mean.