Mikey Johnston gives a brutally honest Celtic future assessment, admitting that ‘ultimately it’s up to me.’

Mikey Johnston in brutally honest Celtic future verdict as forgotten winger concedes ‘ultimately it is up to me’

The Hoops big name knows there is a January clear out on the way at Parkhead and he’s desperate to avoid it.

Mikey Johnston knows the clock is ticking however he is no longer prepared to let go of his dream of cracking it at Celtic.

The Hoops winger’s early conceivable was once halted purchase a series of harm woes and he spent last season away from the club on loan in Portugal. Boss Brendan Rodgers was a bit section of his explosion into he side at some stage in his first spell in cost and he introduced the 24-year-old in from the bloodless against Hibs final month.

Johnston has been put returned on ice in recent weeks and there used to be a chilling warning from the manager about the need for fringe guys to step up as there should be various gamers heading out the door in January. The attacker – who is with the Ireland squad ahead of tomorrow’s clash with Holland – has taken on board the recommendation and have vowed to bust a gut to shield his Celtic repute – and attain his ambition of acting in the Champions League. He said. “It’s no longer came about yet. Hopefully it does. A large dream of mine would have been to play in the Champions League for Celtic.

“It’s kind of what I desired to do as a boy so optimistically it occurs however if it doesn’t it’s not the end of the world. No participant is going to be pleased when they’re not playing. Ultimately it is up to me and I need to strive and force my way into that team. I have till January to do that and I will try and supply it the whole lot to do that but we just have to see what happens.

“I’ve no longer spoken to the supervisor a good deal in the closing type of month, we have had chats right here and there. It’s difficult decisions for the manager to make and finally it’s up to me.”

Johnston relishes international responsibility but he knows his probabilities of being concerned with Ireland get hit by way of his lack of recreation time with Celtic. The first goal feeds the second – and that’s given him introduced incentive to force his way in to Rodgers’s side.

The door is open for the wide man with Liel Abada and Daizen Maeda both facing prolonged spells on the sidelines. But it’s up to him to kick it down.

Johnston said: “I prefer to be worried in Ireland camps. I choose to be enjoying for Ireland. Realistically, if I’m not taking part in I won’t be getting picked except I go out and do sincerely well. It makes it a lot harder.

“I’m genuinely going to have to force my way into the (Celtic) group or see what happens. I’m now not positive what’s going to take place in January, but I do favor to play.

“I’m now not going to say some thing horrific about Celtic and I would for it to take place at Celtic. I would love to play. But I’m 24 now as well and I choose to play every game.

“I hope I get some recreation time here. It does assist when the manager (Stephen Kenny) has shown belief in me. He has given me a lot of confidence to go out and play the way I desire to and i favor to do that again.

“Obviously if I can make an influence at international level then I should be capable to do that at membership level. As you say, it’s a big stage and if I can exhibit that then all the better.”

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers controls the ball during the cinch Premiership match at Celtic Park, Glasgow. Picture date: Sunday November 12, 2023. PA Photo. See PA story SOCCER Celtic. Photo credit should read: Andrew Milligan/PA Wire. RESTRICTIONS: Use subject to restrictions. Editorial use only, no commercial use without prior consent from rights holder

Celtic supervisor Brendan Rodgers controls the ball all through the cinch Premiership fit at Celtic Park, Glasgow. Picture date: Sunday November 12, 2023. PA Photo. See PA story SOCCER Celtic. Photo credit score should read: Andrew Milligan/PA Wire. RESTRICTIONS: Use challenge to restrictions. Editorial use only, no business use except prior consent from rights holder.

Johnston is out to make up for lost time. It appears like solely the day before today he was once Scottish football’s subsequent large thing. There was a tug of struggle for his services between Republic of Ireland and Scotland and he seemed destined to be a massive megastar for the Hoops.

But it’s been a period of frustration alternatively with sparkling starts observed through crushing disappointments. When Ange Postecoglou arrived there was once any other new dawn – however he broke down in pre-season and it wrecked his campaign.

By the time he bought fit, lifestyles had moved on and he used to be shipped out to Vitoria Guimaraes, the place he loved a productive time. Rodgers’ return has given him a glimmer of hope – but Johnston admitted at 24 he feels his career has yet to get going.

Mercifully he feels entirely match once more and he said: “I’d like to have completed a lot extra at this stage of my career, obviously. I had 18 months at one stage of quite horrific accidents but I seem to have overcome that now and I’m playing. I would like to have accomplished a lot more.

“Obviously what occurs on the pitch influences your lifestyles hugely and every footballer will inform you that. It’s difficult to be glad when you’re now not doing what you love.”

“It comes hand in hand. People expected me to do more and I expected greater of myself however there has been a lot of factors into why I haven’t carried out that, injuries likely been the fundamental one.

“I didn’t have too plenty believe in my physique at one stage, I was afraid to get injured and there was once stuff happening however I appear to have overcome that. I’m assured again.”

Johnston is hoping to get his chance towards the Dutch and possibly his membership boss will observe as well.

It doesn’t help Ireland are in the bizarre position the place they would be higher off dropping to Holland the following day as their only route to the Euros is in the Nations League play-offs and the Dutch would give up up in there with them if they get pipped to second spot by using Greece.

But Johnston said: “It’s hard and the effects have now not gone our way these days but we’re trying to finish it robust at least and get advantageous results. I suppose we have proven that we can compete.”

Roy Keane calls his time at Celtic “embarrassing.”

Roy Keane has spoken out about his brief tenure at Celtic, calling it as a “embarrassing” period in his career during which he believes he should have resigned rather than continuing to play.

After a public spat with Sir Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford, Keane joined Celtic in 2005. However, his stay at Parkhead was hampered by physical issues and a lack of form. He only made 10 appearances for Celtic before retiring due to medical advice.

When asked about his time at Celtic, Keane said that he was not at his best during this time. He mentioned recurring hip issues, the need for medications during training, and recurrent hamstring injuries as important factors impeding his success. Furthermore, the commute to Glasgow contributed to his difficulties.

[Football Scotland] he said

“I was on my way to work.” I called Gordon because I still had a year left on my contract. I went to see a hip expert, who told me that the longer you play, the worse the injury becomes… he was talking about after I retire, about quality of life.

“I asked Gordon Strachan what I should do. I went up there and kind of humiliated myself since I wasn’t really performing the job.

“I’d said I was finished but was losing sleep before I called him; as soon as I put the phone down, my career was over.”

“There was no hesitation, no relief, but something lifted off of me.” It beats you up when you’ve suffered injuries.”

This candid remark from Keane sheds light on the difficulties that professional athletes confront, particularly when dealing with injuries and making the decision to retire. His time at Celtic is a painful chapter in the career of one of football’s most legendary figures, despite being brief and, by his own admission, not up to his standards.