Liel Abada's Celtic situation shows younger fans are 'prisoners' of their mobile phones as ex director issues warning

Liel Abada has Brian Dempsey’s sympathy while being caught up in a game of political football at Celtic Park.

The Israel international is under overwhelming pressure from his homeland while playing for a club with a body of fans who wave the
Palestinian flag at home and away matches. Abada’s time in Scottish football is unlikely to extend beyond this season while his contribution to the rest of a championship poised on a knife-edge might be nonexistent.

Brendan Rodgers left the player out of Saturday's league game against Kilmarnock and last weekend’s Scottish Cup tie with St Mirren because Abada wasn’t in the “right frame of mind” to play. The previous midweek saw Abada run up the tunnel at the end of Celtic’s league win over Hibs rather than join in the post-match celebrations with the fans. Dempsey said: “Abada’s situation is a manifestation of the generational and societal differences within the Celtic support.

“You have a group of supporters who say they don’t go to matches to be involved in politics – and they’re entitled to hold that opinion. Then you have the younger element who say, ‘We’ll wave any flag we like, anywhere we choose.’

“They are driven by social media, the prisoners of their mobile phones. It is the age in which we live.

“What they have to remember is that Celtic’s season, and those beyond, will be in the hands of the players. And the fans want the best players Celtic can get in the transfer market.

“But now it seems one of Celtic’s best players doesn’t feel part of the club any more.”