Ange Postecoglou has discussed his Celtic selection tonight, with Mikey Johnston stealing the headlines ahead of the Hibernian game tonight.
The Celtic manager has brought Johnston in after some impressive cameo performances. He was electric late on against Ferencvaros, and against St Johnstone, he was unlucky not to score.
Postecoglou was keen to impress his central message to the Celtic squad: everyone has an opportunity. That includes Johnston, who’ll be starting on the left of a front three with Jota and Kyogo.
The Celtic manager said [BBC Sportsound, 19.09]
“I guess with Mikey [Johnston] and with Anthony [Ralston] to a certain extent… when a new manager comes in, they all start with a clean slate. I’m not really looking at what’s happened in the past, all I can do is look at them as they are now, and how they’re training.
“Mikey is someone who, right from the outset, I thought had the attributes to do well in our team. It’s been a matter of getting his body right. We’ve taken our time with him, and he’s worked awfully hard. He gets an opportunity tonight.
“As I keep saying to all our players, all I do is open the door for them. And it’s up to them to take that opportunity.”
Mikey Johnston surely desperate to impress Celtic manager against Hibs
A popular choice, for sure. But it’s been far from easy for Mikey Johnston in his young career.
Since his breakthrough in 17-18, Johnston has only made 63 appearances for Celtic before tonight. In that time, he’s contributed directly to 20 goals [Transfermarkt], and tends to impress when he’s in the Green and White.
In 20-21, he only managed 212 minutes of action. A versatile threat and amongst our most technically talented players, it’s sad to think about how far along he could be without injuries.
Tonight, then, is an opportunity.
Ange Postecoglou is clearly a fan. And Mikey Johnston represents yet another option for Celtic to have up front. It’s a far cry from the summer, or even last season, when we were threadbare on the wings, and hugely reliant on magic from Odsonne Edouard.
As for his first-half performance? Johnston was showing his typical bombast, taking on Paul McGinn and linking up well with Kyogo and McGregor to very nearly set up Celtic’s third on 26 minutes.
Amongst the rest of the Celtic attack, he was relentlessly going at Hibernian, and it made for quite the treat of a first half.
A decision absolutely vindicated, thus far.
Read more: Green Brigade issue strong response to demands of Celtic fans for Hibs clash
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