Boli Bolingoli says he's closed the chapter on his time at Celtic where he received fierce criticism during the Covid pandemic.
The Belgian returned to his homeland with Mechelen after his Hoops spell had gone awry. He made headlines in August 2020 for the wrong reasons when he went on a trip to Spain during the Covid pandemic and failed to quarantine after returning. The Parkhead club weren't informed where had been and he played the next game against Kilmarnock.
Then-manager Neil Lennon and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon were among the critics but Bolingoli says errors can happen. He told the Daily Record: "I received criticism from Neil Lennon and also from Nicola Sturgeon for what happened. That was a mistake, just as everyone can make mistakes. Celtic eventually turned the page on that chapter and so have I. I wanted to improve further in Scotland. I played a strong first season at Celtic and we won the league.
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"But in football, there are highs and lows. I suffered a knee injury that delayed my development a bit and then came the incident.
"My priority was a transfer to a club where I could play. Whether it was in Belgium or elsewhere, it didn't matter. Coming to Mechelen was purely because it was the best sporting choice for me.
"I wanted to play more matches again. I wasn't fit enough when I came to Mechelen, but for now it's going well. I feel better. I have more and more confidence on the pitch. I am very happy to be here."
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