Pat Bonner shares what he worryingly noticed about Mikey Johnston during Celtic’s defeat to Hearts

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Mikey Johnston is getting chance after chance to prove himself at Celtic, but he just isn’t answering the call.

At the age of 24, you want Mikey Johnston to be in a situation where he is either a locked-in first-team player.

And if he isn’t, then there is someone far better than him starting. Neither scenario is happening.

Even with Daizen Maeda’s recent injury, the Republic of Ireland star still hasn’t been able to take his chance and that was proven during Celtic’s defeat to Hearts. 

With the team 2-0 down, Brendan Rodgers hooked off three players at the break, including Mikey Johnston and Pat Bonner noticed his ‘confidence going down and down’, as he told BBC Radio Scotland (16/12/23). 

What’s even worrying for the winger is that Pat Bonner was predicting his substitution before it happened and then it came true.

Mikey Johnston struggles again for Celtic

“I am looking at Mikey Johnston there,” said Bonner. “His confidence is going down and down and down.

“He’s not able to get a grip of Cochrane. He has got to move inside a little bit more, for me. That doesn’t suit him, that position and I think there will be a change coming up for Daizen Maeda.”

Will Mikey Johnston leave in January?

There was a lot of anger aimed towards the Celtic board during and after the defeat to Hearts.

Many are questioning why that money in the bank hasn’t been spent. It remains to be seen if that happens, and you better hope it does.

But there are a number of players who just simply aren’t good enough and Johnston is one of them – there is a reason why Brendan Rodgers criticised him after the win over Hibs.

He can’t argue about not being handed chances, because those have been provided to him and he only has one assist to call for it.