Alistair Johnston

Cup final he was both sides of it, first half poor and second half one of the real positives and reasons we got it over the line IMO.

I largely agree previous seasons, especially against them and I don’t like players getting it in the neck overly, like the guys you’ve mentioned there, but AJ prior to this season I can think of him not getting close enough to Kent him scoring, losing Tavernier at the back post for him to score a header, Matondo’s goal the 3-3 completely missed a clearance then stood far too narrow instead of RB leaving Yang to take the derry mostly, gave away a penalty against Silva (a contentious one, so his defending for it went ignored but penalty or not it was poor). I really like AJ but I’m not overboard on him like some.

This season though, particularly early season I can’t label any real poor performances there, he’s been immense and exactly what I was hoping he could kick on to be.

That game Sunday I was * screaming for Ralston by 60 minutes at the latest. We’ve discussed Ralston before, and on this site anyway are probably his biggest fans, I happily admit he’s a player I really like and might gloss over things that I don’t in others due to it but he’s underutilised at times. And you just need to watch his performance for Scotland the last two games to see that

 

Big CCV didn't look too pleased regardless of AJ trying to calm him down.

 

CCV needs to be more aggressive and angry. As a team, we are too nice/soft.

 

Alistair Johnston admits he’s facing a mammoth 18 months for club and country in the build up to next summer’s World Cup.

The Canada star is counting down the days until the major finals hits home soil in North America in 2026



Johnston is determined to play a leading role for Celtic in Scotland and for his country on the international stage with the mega motivation of the World Cup being held in Canada, the USA and Mexico.



The full- back came out on top against Hoops teammate Cameron Carter-Vickers US team in the CONCACAF Nations League third place play-off earlier this week but both are likely to be part of next year’s major party as hosts.

And Johnston said: “Every single match now is massive when you know that our country obviously is going to be participating in the World Cup. It seems like a long way away, but realistically it is less than a year and a half to go.


"So all of these matches matter. And we want to make sure that we're heading into that in the highest of highs with all the momentum behind us as a nation. So it's an important time for us.


Johnston has emerged as one of the biggest characters in the Canada dressing room – and he’s taken on a similar role with Celts. He said: “You start to just kind of go on the natural progression where you come in, you're the young guy, you're just really happy to be there, you're taking it all in and all of a sudden you get some more caps in your belt and before you know it you're looking and you're like, oh, this is a new player, how old is he? Oh, he was born in 2007. You're like, okay, wait, I'm old now. And you realise that people are now looking up to you. I've got 53 caps for example



“Jesse Marsh (Canada boss) has really empowered a couple of us guys and it's something that I've really enjoyed and I think that I've brought that back to Celtic as well – trying to help Callum McGregor and the other older guys in any way possible.


“It's an unbelievable time to be given that opportunity and that kind of license to take a bigger role because we're going into a home World Cup.

“I'm lucky enough that my career even aligns with that. It's a really exciting time to be a Canadian footballer, I’m just kind of living the dream


Canada boss Jesse Marsch hinted last week Johnston might be thinking about making the jump from Celtic. But the defender insisted his game is improving from being at Parkhead – especially with the Champions League challenge.

He said: “You're playing against the best teams in the world and then also it goes hand-in-hand with the national team.


You're getting that experience, playing the Champions League, playing against Kingsley Coleman, Leroy Sane, Serge Gnabry, some of the best wingers that have graced a football pitch over the past decade.

“As a full-back, getting those experiences, seeing what those players are like and testing yourself to see, all right, how do I match up against these top, top players?


What can I improve on and do I belong at this level? I think that's something that I've definitely learned from these past experiences and I think it's helping not only my career here at Celtic but also the national team level where I feel really comfortable.

“We played Argentina twice last summer. I was playing the same pitches as Messi. You can see what that level is, that top, top level. It does, as a competitor, push you on and inspire you to want to play at the highest level in every single moment.

“And that's luckily what we get here at Celtic, especially in the Champions League and national team, in those big major tournaments. It's been really cool to see my own growth."

 

Sounds like he is very happy which is great to hear as he is such a key player for us. Nice to see Canada turn the US over in their own back yard as well. That had to have meant a bit extra these days to the Canadians.

 

Been too soft for as long as i can remember, we play the game way too honestly imo. We are well disciplined but at times you need to use the dark arts ot the game and not one of them do it.

Not one booking against the huns says it all, say what you want about BF but it was clear as day he had them using every trick in the book.