Canadian international boss John Herdman has stated his hopes that Alistair Johnston’s move to Celtic will open the door for more Canadian players.
Canada as an international football team has been on the rise for several years now, with players such as Alphonso Davies turning out for European giants Bayern Munich.
They also reached the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, which was their first in around 36 years, with their first and last involvement at the tournament coming in 1986.
Although players like Davies and Jonathan David (who plays for Lille) have now been performing on a huge stage for several years, there are still members of the squad who could be considered underrated.
Ange Postecoglou made the move to sign one of Canada’s more unknown internationals, bringing defender Alistair Johnston to Celtic Park.
And Canadian boss John Herdman is hopeful that Johnston’s move is only the beginning of more of his squad getting a move to Europe.
The Englishman believes there is plenty of talent amongst his ranks and is delighted to see his right-back make the move to a Champions League side.
He said [Daily Record]: “I would now expect other players, after Alistair Johnston got his move, to attract the attention of European clubs. When arriving in Qatar, several of our players were unknown. I think a lot of them have built credibility.
“Collectively, we performed well together, but there were definitely some good individual performances during the tournament. I feel we have a chance now to push more players into the top divisions, and Alastair’s move is a big step for Canada.
“We continue to push players into these environments, where they gain Champions League and Europa League experience, which is a great thing for us. We have played on the world stage, and looking back, I know there are some things we did really well throughout this tournament.
“And then there are other facets. You look at those little moments and what you keep learning is the thin margins, the real thin margins at that level.”
Herdman hopeful that Johnston’s Parkhead move can help kick-start more Canadian players on the big stage.
Of course, any international boss would love to have as many quality options playing on the biggest club stages in order to keep their standards improving.
Herdman is no different, and after doing a brilliant job with Canada, he is hoping that Johnston’s move to Parkhead can help kick-start a new era for the majority of his squad.
Already we are seeing more players from that squad being linked with moves to Europe and the UK, with Johnston’s former club and international teammate Ismael Kone reportedly closing in on a move to Watford.
Thankfully, before the exodus of more Canadian players in Europe begins, Ange Postecoglou was once again ahead of the curve in bringing the defender to the club.
With clubs from across Europe believed to be interested in the 24-year-old, the Celtic boss and his recruitment team were quick to react after their hard work.
I am sure it is something that both Johnston and Postecoglou won’t mind being at the forefront of, with more attention and interest arising in Canadian talent.
Celtic’s 2nd January signing could prove to be one of several important transfer outliers which helped boost his country’s ambitions and quality down the line.
In other news, Players’ representatives confirm inevitable interest amidst Celtic link; 2 sides ruled out.
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