You always know you’re going to get good answers when Celtic defender Alistair Johnston takes to the mic and no one was left disappointed by the Canadian in today’s media conference.
The right-back spent 20 minutes of his day fielding questions from the press and fan media, delving into various subjects and giving a detailed answer to almost every query.
His own form came up across the session, which has been stellar by most judgements. Johnston is happy with how he is playing but also admitted it has been an adjustment period during which he has relied on help from his teammates – especially Greg Taylor and Anthony Ralston.
Johnston credited both for helping him get to grips with the tactical instructions of the manager and coaches at Lennoxtown – a further sign that unity within the Celtic group is satisfyingly strong.
The defender said [Celtic FC]: “I think I’ve grown into the role. It’s taken me a bit of time to really understand exactly what the coaching staff want out of me, especially in this system as a full-back, it’s a little bit different. You are inverting and you are doing some different things from what a typical full-back does.
“I’m still learning that and I’ve been lucky enough to have guys like Tony Ralston and Greg Taylor who have really showed me the ropes in what’s to be expected of that position, which has been really nice and beneficial for me.
“At the same time, I know what I can bring and I know there’s still another level for me to bring so I’m really excited to continue to grow as a player in this team. Once I get a full pre-season under my belt leading into next year, I hope I can bring it up another level altogether so it’s kind of exciting for me because I’m still young and I’ve still got a lot to learn and a lot to grow.
“I’m a player that wants to learn, I want to see what level I can reach. That’s exciting for myself and overall it’s been a great start. I can’t complain even if some of my performances haven’t been at the level that I know I can be at and want to be at, I can’t look back on it with a sad face at all.
“I’ve been really happy and I think that the whole Celtic supporters have been really welcoming to me which has made that transition much easier.”
Encouraging words from the defender here. He clearly sees season two as the one he can make an impact that is the truest representation of his ability. Considering he has already made himself a favourite with fans, that’s something to look forward to.
Johnston could be just getting started at Celtic.
In other news, Ange Postecoglou’s honest verdict of Celtic vs Rangers derby “mistakes” amidst referee scrutiny.
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