Mikey Johnston

"Beautiful arrogance about him"

 

Brendans words.

 

I'd rather see him getting a chance before Hayes. Having him and Morgan is great for the future Just hope they can both get some game time

 

Really hope we see more of him in the first team in the coming months.

 

BRENDAN Rodgers revealed that Mikey Johnston is very much in his plans this season and he will look to continue the development of the young Celtic winger following a promising pre-season.

The 19-year-old midfielder scored during Celtic’s pre-season friendly 4-1 win over Standard Liège at Paradise last Saturday, and that goal came after a successful pre-season with the team in Austria in which he scored the opener in the closed doors 2-1 win against BW Linz.

Johnston missed the end of last season due to injury but he returned to action in June with the Scotland Under-21 team and played in the Toulon Tournament where he netted a spectacular individual goal against England before going on to be named in the Team of the Tournament.

That game-time ensured he was able to join Celtic for pre-season in Austria and Brendan Rodgers admitted he was pleased with how the teenager coped.

“Every day in training he gets a chance to show his qualities,” said Brendan Rodgers. “There’s no doubt he was unfortunate last year to be out for a period with an injury but he looks strong.

"He’s done well in pre-season and it’s a continuation of his development. He’s working very well in training. He still has a lot to do in terms of maturation but his game quality really excites us all.

“He is very much staying here. He’ll be staying at Celtic for this point in time. He’s a very exciting young talent at 19 years of age. His best position is off the left-hand side but I think you saw the other day in the game where he played off the right that he was very comfortable.

“He’s learning the other side of the game in terms of that tactical idea of pressing and how to work and how to recover. There’s no doubt he’s a special talent going forward and in the one-on-one situation he’s the type of player that supporters love.

“At this moment in time he’s very much in my plans. We need to develop him and get him some games.”

And the Celtic manager said that the promise Johnston has shown is a credit to the good work the Celtic Academy has done over the years.

“It’s a great credit to the people working in the Academy,” he said. “Chris McCart does a wonderful job leading the Academy. Once you find these players, the ethos is to develop them and look after them. The Academy is a place to learn by definition. All the young players come in to learn.

“They won’t all make it to the first-team but if we can get a percentage of them through and have a core of them in the squad then hopefully we can develop them. If they’re not quite for Celtic, then we have an obligation to football to develop them.

“There’s a lot of good work that goes on in the Academy, a lot of coaching that goes on in the dark winter nights to develop and coach these players.”

http://www.celticfc.net/news/14615

 

Whats the plan for him position wise?

He's usually played on the left which puts him behind Sinclair and Morgan. Now that Morgans had surgery he's backup just now.

He had however replaced Forrest against Aleshkert so he may be the PR7 replacement.

With Tierney playing wingback. Is he better playing on the right then? With backup and competition for Forrest and being inverted to cut inside.

After hearing he was applauded by Bayern Munich fans in the youth league. Would like to see him get a good run of games this season.

So long as he fairs better than the last M. Johnston we had.

 

Aye it helps if you read the previous post.

Answered my own question as well if Morgan’s out he’ll play left as backup to Sinclair in the 4 2 3 1 system.

With the formation we’re playing now and Tierney playing WB he’ll prob be backup to Forrest then for game time and backup.

I’ll think it through next time

 

During games we stick with the back three, he might come on for a striker and play off the left or given a bit of a free role.

Doesn't look suited to playing the right or left side the way KT/Forrest do, totally different skill set.

 

Aye that's what I'm saying, you need much more than that to play right side in the 3-4-1-2 the way Forrest does. Forrest is a lot more powerful in his running and tactically mature.

Forrest and KT are playing right/left wing with the ball and right/left wing back without it - That's not Johnstons game.

 

I've seen Johnston playing excellently in the 10 as well..

 

We've shown we can adapt depending on who's playing.

If Brendan thinks he's first 11 material, he'll shape the team accordingly. Don't need to worry about shoehorning him into our current main formation.

 

About a year older than when McGeady broke into the first team, and from what I’ve saw this boy is just as talented.

 

Hope he chooses to play for Ireland.

 

Did well today but a season loan would do him good I feel, needs to be playing regularly..

 

Good wee player but agree with Paul and anton he needs to go on loan for at least a few months to a decent football playing side