Alistair Johnston

Good to have him back. I'm expecting a much better season from him - he was very decent in the Copa America.

 

Aye. Expecting much more..

He'll be confident as * after glowing praise for his Copa America performances..

He didn't look entirely fit at times last season..

If he can get back to his first season form then we're laughing..

 

Thought from around February onwards he really kicked on for us last season and looked alot more like the player he was under ange.

 

I think he's going to have a tremendous season and we will.be wondering how we held onto him.

He has every unteachable quality. The rest will follow.

 

Future captain if he is happy to stay.

 

So true. His mentality and attitude are first class and he gets and clearly appreciates what Celtic as a club is all about and what it means to play for us. Hoping he stays with us for the long term as he has all the makings of becoming a really great player for us.

 

Incredible achievement to be among those names for a country like his

 

Love this guy, his attitude and application will be infectious amongst his team-mates. He's a great asset for us.

 

Alistair Johnston insists Celtic are to ready to make a Champions League racket and not become the accidental tourists of campaigns past.

The Canadian is relishing the prospect of Uefa’s new group stage format which will see the Hoops play eight different teams home and away in one big league table. It’s a freshening up of the competition which Johnston hopes will also trigger better fortunes for a side which managed just one group stage win last season to follow a trend of disappointments on the continent in recent years

As the champions get ready for a Parkhead Premiership flag day this afternoon, the 25-year-old is adamant Celtic become a big noise against Europe’s elite by raising the bar and claiming the scalps of . He said: “This is a really big year for us in terms of taking that next step, not only domestically, but in Europe as well. It’s going to be an unbelievable opportunity with this new set up with the Champions League being a minimum of eight group stage matches, if you want to call it a group stage. It’s going to give us multiple opportunities to play at the biggest stage in club football and show that we belong,


Wins over Manchester City and Chelsea during pre-season saw that we can compete in the friendly games. I think that’s opened the eyes of some people. If we can keep that form going and continue to build on that, we really can make some noise in Europe.”

Johnston is convinced the enlarged group format will benefit Brendan Rodgers’s side and believes a more lethal approach is required to ensure they don’t become also-rans once again.


He said: “The Champions League holds massive allure for all players coming to Celtic. The idea of playing for every trophy within Scotland is a massive attraction too But in the Champions League, we’re actually going out there to compete in the biggest club competition in the world.

It’s not about making up the numbers, it’s about showing our fans that we do belong on that stage. So often, I felt last year we were in games but then at the last moment, we let something slip away or just didn’t capitalise. Again, we want to make the next step and be the team that punishes opponents. This extended format will make it different. It’s going to be a bit of a feeling out process for everyone with the extra games

Once we run the numbers and all the variables, we’ll probably see exactly what kind of points and totals are going to be needed to potentially get out of the group phase, if you want to call it that. It will be exciting for us and for all the fans. It’s a bigger tournament, eight matches minimum and it gives you an extra opportunity to play under the lights at Celtic Park, which is one of the most special experiences you can have in all of sport.

One familiar face who will be part of Celtic’s plans is Portuguese midfielder Paulo Bernardo after sealing a permanent move from Benfica on a five-year-deal and it’s music to Johnston’s ears.

He said: “Paulo is a great guy. Super chilled. Portuguese to a tee in that sense. We’re excited to have him back again because he’s a quality player. Last season, he scored some pretty big goals in some pretty big matches. I can remember the one at home at Celtic Park against Rangers. Also in the cup final he set up Ads’ winner.

.
He was a bit of an unsung hero at Hampden that day because his shot was too hot to handle and we won from it. Paulo came up big for us in a lot of big moments. He’s still a young player and he’s got plenty of growth still in his game. We’re excited that he’s going to

 

Cant fault him defensively but I feel he should be offering much more attacking wise in SPL.

 

Thought he was good again.

 

One of our better players yesterday, so solid defensively. Good energy getting forward to support the attack/link up play decent.

 

Alistair Johnston insists the Celtic squad are chilled out about the prospect of a Brendan Rodgers staging a late shopping spree – because the Hoops squad is already strong enough for the scrap for silverware in Scotland.

The Parkhead side have made a swashbuckling start to the season with two wins out of two and six goals scored without conceding in resounding victories against Kilmarnock and Hibs. Rodgers’ side have roared out of the blocks but the boss is determined to bolster his group with new arrivals with the transfer deadline clock ticking.


Celtic have snapped up keepers Kasper Schmeichel and Viljami Sinisalo, with midfielder Paulo Bernardo’s loan move made permanent in a £3.7m deal from Benfica. The Adam Idah saga is expected to be sorted this week but Rodgers has spoken about his need for quality additions to be ready for the crack at the Champions League. Johnston insisted any new faces will we welcomed into the camp – but he’s convinced the Hoops already have the firepower to kick on from last season’s Double triumph.

The Canada star said: “It’s a tough one because I believe in everyone in that locker room right now. I think that we have a really strong squad, but at the same time you know what the gaffer wants to bring in. I think he’s been pretty vocal about that, and anyone that can come in and help push this team is going to be welcomed as well with open arms.


There are plenty of players we saw last year who came in and helped push us on. At the same time, I don’t think any of us are too stressed about that. We’ve got a pretty strong squad right now, and I think the results show that.

“It’s a very similar 11 to what we were rolling out last year that went and did a Double. If we can just build on our performances, which I think we can, with an extra year under our belt, I think we’ll be in a really good place no matter who comes in.


Celtic have come back from a bang in pre-season and Johnston admitted the side could not have made a better start to the defence of their title. Rodgers’ men clobbered Kilmarnock on Flag Day and hammered Hibs in a first half blitz on Sunday


The full back admitted Celts would have even more goals in their account from the two walkovers and vowed the best is yet to come from the champs. Johnston said: “It’s still early, but at the same time it’s exactly what you want to start off the season with.

“We still feel like there’s definite levels – on Sunday we could have pushed on and scored more goals and everything, but at the same time you’re going to look at it that we came away to Easter Road, (secured a) 2-0 win, and didn’t concede a shot on target.

“That’s a pretty solid three points and a pretty solid performance. So yeah, I think the team is in a very confident place coming off that pre-season.

Everyone got a lot of good minutes in their legs and I think we can really tell that we’re kicking on under the manager. It’s his second season here and we are in a positive place. We’re excited for what these next couple of months can bring in terms of the league and the Champions League football. It’s a great opportunity for us and we need to be firing on all cylinders. It’s a good start for us


Johnston has started the opening two games for Hoops despite finishing last season on July 14 – with Canada’s charge to the Copa America semi-finals. The 25-year-old said: “It’s not their first time having players go away for international duty and coming back, so they’ve done a good job so far already of managing me and making sure that not only am I physically ready, but mentally as wel


I think that they’re going to pace me and manage pretty well throughout, especially these first couple of months. It’s not like we don’t have another right back. We’ve got Tony Ralston, who is more than capable of being one of the best fullbacks in this league. So we’re in a really good position in that way.”

 

He's a cracking player, would love to see him here for years to come.

There was a game last year when the team got the boo's at full time after drawing and AJ was gobsmacked, said something to a teammate along the lines 'oh my *, we drew and they are booing'.

I think something clicked for him then and he's realised the standards and expectations here and he's trying his damnest to live up to them.

 

It was the Ross County game at home. We won 1-0 but the performance was terrible. His reaction was but we've won kinda thing

 

ah my mistake, aye that was the one.