It is often the case that you can tell what the state of a football club is by looking at a single player on its books. Manchester Utd, a couple of years back, had no more potent symbol of where they were at than a late 30’s Cristiano Ronaldo hovering about the place, a player past his prime at a club desperate to claw back some semblance of its own past glories.
For the Ibrox club it is the sight of Scott Wright still starting games when he would barely get into a bad Aberdeen or Hibs team at the moment. Successive transfer window failures have resulted in a player who two summers ago had both feet out the door and was just waiting on it closing for the last time behind him still routinely getting into the side.
At Celtic, we are going to know how our summer went if Mikey Johnston plays a minute of competitive football for us after the window shuts. If he can still get into our squad then our squad is nowhere near good enough on the left side or up top, and that means that someone at our club has been severely derelict in his or her duty to bring in the right quality.
Someone this morning drew my attention to an article about the “enigma” of Mikey Johnston; I enjoyed the piece, but I don’t think there is any enigma here.
It’s all very simple, I’m sorry to say; Mikey Johnston is just not consistent. He is never going to be the player we once hoped he’d be. We will never cease being irritated watching him play, and we will never get out of him the things that we need in order to have full confidence in him.
People have been assuring me for years that there is a talent there. I didn’t need that assurance and I don’t need it now. The talent is there alright, and it’s obvious that it is, but the boss himself has said it repeatedly; talent isn’t enough.
There is a mental element. You need to be able to make the right decisions on the ball and off it. You need to be strong enough to soldier on after you make a mistake. There is a physical element. You need to be robust enough to ride a challenge, to shield the ball and not be pushed off it too easily. There is a psychological element.
You have to be able to perform under pressure.
Let’s be honest, we’re not dealing with a young kid still wet behind the ears here. Mikey Johnston is 25 years old now, his best development days might already be behind him.
He has played more than 90 times for Celtic, and anyone who thinks that there’s more to see, or that there’s going to, suddenly, emerge the complete player has been hanging onto that idea way too long already. All our hopes for him are forlorn. The miracle won’t happen.
He scored a goal last night, but as the article I mentioned a moment ago points out he also missed a spot-kick and flubbed his lines more than once.
James Forrest also came on, and he was everything that Johnston was not.
He scored one, got an assist and barely misplaced a pass. He can do it week in week out, against big teams, on the big stage, when it matters. He’s proved it. That’s why he has more goals for Celtic than Mikey Johnston has made appearances.
Mikey remains one of the most frustrating players at the club, and I think a lot of it is the frustration we feel at ourselves for continuing to believe that this time, this chance, is the one where the real player emerges.
We’ve seen the real player and the Mikey Johnston we have now is as good as it gets, for all the flaws, for all the imperfections, for all the missing pieces … and it’s not enough. It’s never going to be enough.
The best thing we can do is cut this guy loose, and if for no other reason than some accountancy type from the back room who couldn’t spot a football player if his life depended on it might conclude that whilst he’s still around it’s one less player the manager needs.
I don’t know how much hope I have for what’s left of this window, because it’s been shocking so far and apart from some speculation, much of it weeks old, including whatever incomprehensible game we are playing over Adam Idah, there’s no real news to offer us reasons for optimism.
I can see this being another disaster, not a damp squib, not a disappointment but a disaster … and if Mikey Johnston is competing for a place when it’s done that’s how you’ll know how bad it has been.
He is the symbol of where this club is at right now, and if he’s still one of our options I won’t blame him for that, I’ll blame the people who keep us at the level where he seems like one. This will all be down to them.
Totally agree. He has one major flaw and that is he fails to look up and see where his teammates are as well as the goals. There doesn’t seem to be a coach at Celtic aware of this or else cannot make him do it. He would be a great player if he just focused on this.
I remember hearing about his great assist playing for Ireland which turned out to be a shot which rebounded to a teammate.
In one incident he beat three defenders and shot straight ten feet wide as he had no idea where the goals where.
If he is still at here after the window closes they should pap him off to Aberdeen who seem to make a habit of improving Celtic players.
I believe Johnston still has another year on his contract and he’s entitled to see it out, really pisses me off when us self proclaimed best fans in the world are still slaughtering a player who never got the support from the fans that possibly players with less ability and did’nt care two hoots for the club received and surprisingly James you are guilty of it also.
Believe you me MJ, Yang and the ilk will be the squad depth we rely on this year. One striker, one leftback, twenty six useless wingers and Bernardo replacing O’Reilly. A couple of loans, a cheap project and fingers crossed for Holm and Kuhn.
I don’t understand why BR played him this morning, I’m sure he’s already made his mind up about him, so why not try a youngster! He plays with a hint of arrogance but doesn’t have the goals or assists to back it up. He missed a sitter (great save i grant you, but still a sitter), taps in a simple goal, then misses a penalty!! His stock down south has never been higher, so grab the £2m-£3m for him and move on.
Total agreement. Can’t stand Lawell low ball bids for players that we miss out on, but he rejects low ball bids for Johnston and loan bid for McCarthy. I simply want both them off the wage ball that’s how desperate the situation is for me. A bloated over paid squad and not a single major signing. It’s 21st July ffs
Yeah as The Rangers go backwards we seem to be more than happy to do the same. I don’t see much happening between now and the end of the transfer window. We are only focusing on Bernardo and Idah deals now. Sad situation but it is what it is. Poor window which, let’s be honest, not really going to change. Feel really sorry for the gaffer. But as long as we are a step ahead of them then that’s all that matters to the board. Really sad situation.
A far bigger failure would still having mccarthy on the payroll at least Johnson is fit and can play.A total disaster paying McCarthy all these years for nothing.
Makes you wonder. Makes no sense whatsoever. He isn’t married to Desmond’s daughter/granddaughter by any chance?
We don’t KNOW if MJ will be here after August. We don’t KNOW it will have been a disastrous transer window.
Please, James, enough already. We get it. You already have enough reference points to say “I told you so” if what you predict becomes a reality. But you are becoming a bit of a harbinger of doom.
I don’t know why you think Celtic being quiet in the transfer market thus far is so atrocious anyway. Yer mate on the podcast said it to you. If we stand still we are still the strongest team in Scotland.
I absolutely accept that you’re here to ask questions, difficult or awkward ones if necessary, and you do it well. No offence is intented.
Very common saying in many walks of life. To stand still is to go backwards. We have to show some ambition. Currently the only positive I see from this window is bringing the young GK in with KS. Have the senior player come in so that the new signing has no pressure & can feature in domestic cup games & the odd league game to find his feet.
Everything else so far has just been mis reported rumours or poor negotiating.
I watched the game this morning and as soon as Mikey Johnston came on I was glad it was only a friendly and that we were already two goals up. I agree that if Johnston is there at the end of August and no other ‘better’ striker I will not be buying any Champions League tickets. No point! HH
I think at one time when Scotland was a more backward country than it is now (it’s still backward in pockets but not as much as it was at one time) that Celtic were more ‘hated’ then ‘Rangers’ as they were known as then were…
But social media has changed things forever and certainly not in favour of Sevco…
Folks can make their own minds up now rather than use the pathological lying Scummy Scottish Football Media for their information on things going on the streets out there…
They are due in Birmingham soon and I cannot see that going by without trouble of sorts…
West Midlands Police Constabulary will not stand there and do nothing the way Police Scotland Edinburgh Division did yesterday when they allegedly misbehaved !
Fuck – That above post was meant to be for The Murrayfield article James…
I wonder do you have the technology to move it across…
Slainte – Fae Clachnacuddin and The Hoops !
It’s just not worked out for Mikey Johnston at Parkhead I’m afraid…
Strange that he lit up The EFL Championship – a league far far superior and far more competitive and unforgiving than The SPFL Premier Division will ever be…
But sadly I just don’t think it’s gonna work out for him at Celtic FC !
Couldn’t agree with you more. King Peter had his boy removed and wants revenge. He should never have been allowed back after the Covid season.
If you think it’s bad just now wait for the upcoming signings, apparently we have made an offer for Shankland.
I hope they have Mark for two reasons. Firstly, it will stop “them” getting him, if indeed there were any danger, and secondly he will score as we need a poacher. I have actually heard people say he scores goals but he is slow. WTF
Hopefully he only played due to lack of options and not because he’s in the plans. He’ll probably feature in the next 2 games. This window will feel like a disaster until it isn’t.
James McCarthy – say no more.
Mikey Johnstone… The Jesse Lingaard of Celtic.
I was surprised to read he is already 25…
But indeed, now it’s time to go. I think he just can’t handle the pressure at Celtic. Because he looked really good at WBA.
I totally agree with everything said and more after watching his efforts on the pitch against dc GET RID.