Just another weekend in Dubai with Sean Sweeney

If Carlsberg did weekends they should contact Sean Sweeney.

How would a lads weekend in Dubai, reuniting with an old pal, playing for Celtic, beating Liverpool, Manchester United and Chelsea, being a team-mate to some of your idols, sharing a pitch with Baresi and di Canio and coming home with a winners medal and memories to bore your best mates with for years to come sound?

Twenty years on from being linked with Celtic as an emerging centre-half at Clydebank Sweeney finally got to realise his dream at the first Emirates 7's event in Dubai.

Four days that will live with him forever.

Those that have played for Celtic are members of a very exclusive and elusive group but although Sweeney's relationship with the club had never developed beyond that of supporter he was welcomed into the huddle from the moment he arrived at Glasgow Airport for the lunchtime flight to Dubai.

"I have to say that I'm really grateful to all the players who welcomed me straight away and who couldn't have done any more for me," Sweeney admitted.

"I've been a mate of Derek (Whyte) since we were teenagers but the other players were fantastic with me. I've met or played against most of them at some stage but it's still a bit daunting to be amongst them knowing that I was to spend a few days as a Celtic player.

"I know Gerry Britton quite well from playing at Livingston at the same time but I was slightly apprehensive about mixing with the players but everyone was really welcoming to me. They made the trip for me.

"The only awkwardness was in my mind, I've got a season-ticket and go with my son every other week, in my mind I was wondering 'is this going to be awkward?' because I really shouldn't be there.

"It should be a former player but all that was quickly put to ease although before the first game I was very nervous, it was a different sort of nerves to when I was playing but it was still nervy playing for Celtic.

"The lads were all very professional, they went about things seriously and weren't there for a jolly, obviously they enjoyed themselves but they take pride in themselves and the club and that was very obvious."

It could have been an outrageous wind up from Whyte to his old mate but when Sweeney got wind of the opportunity he wasn't going to let it pass him by.

"A few players had pulled out of the trip a couple of weeks ago when Derek first mentioned the event to me, Sweeney added. "He asked if I fancied it and if I was fit, I wasn't going to turn that chance down.

"I've not been involved in football for a few years but I play fives regularly, I got my head down and stepped things up so that I would be ready.

"Nothing could really prepare me for the first match though, it was in at the deep end against AC Milan, di Canio and all, and before we knew where we were it was 3-0 to Milan at half-time.

"The Milan dressing room was next to ours, they were buzzing about and were in the same hotel as us.

"Di Canio was a hero for me then I saw him with Barsei walking past I really took notice.

"I tried to blank out the names when I was playing but I couldn't do that with di Canio, he was amazing running riot in every game.

"He's as fit as a fiddle, he's top class and was scoring great goals in every game.

"When I got out on the park I was fine, I got stronger with each game and it was only eight minutes each way, once I got started I really enjoyed it."

In typical Celtic style the team bounced back from losing the opener to Milan to go on to beat Chelsea and Manchester United 3-0 to end day one in good spirits.

Saturday morning kicked-off the knock out stage of the competition with Celtic beating the UAE World Cup 90 side then Liverpool to reach the final and another date with di Canio and Milan again.

"The biggest memory for me was winning the tournament closely followed by standing in the tunnel going out for my first game," Sweeney added.

"The final was beyond belief, I thought we'd end up with a medal or something for our efforts. After losing the first game 3-0 I'd have settled for that but to win the competition was beyond belief. That made the weekend.

"It brought out the kid in me. The support that we had from the Dubai Hoops was great and I've came home with a lifetime of memories.

"I've been emailing friends and sending pictures to lots of folk. It's something that I'll remember for ever and I hope my mates can put up with me talking about it for a while yet!

Coming Soon: Part 2, Almost a Celt under Lou Macari
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