Stefan Johansen has been talking up his time with Celtic as he revealed the current Hoops player he still keeps in contact with.
Johansen was a popular figure at Celtic Park between 2014 and 2016 after being signed by Neil Lennon when he was at Stromsgodset. Johansen would go on to play 114 games for the club as he secured 5 trophies with the club.
Since then, he’s been carving out a successful career for himself down in England. He’s already tasted Premier League action after his time with Fulham, but currently operates in the Championship with QPR.
The Norwegian international started his career with the Hoops’ Europa Conference League rivals Bodo/Glimt, and as he previewed tomorrow’s game, he couldn’t talk highly enough about his time at Parkhead.
As quoted by the Scottish Sun, Johansen said: “Bodo means a lot to me, but Celtic was also a very big part of my career. My family loved it in Glasgow. We had a great few years there, won a lot of trophies and had some great memories.
“I developed a lot as a player and a person. I always felt very appreciated at Celtic. I made friends for life. Nir Bitton is one of them and it’s great to see him still doing so well. He is a top player.
“So it’s a hard one for me to choose between the clubs for this game. I just hope it’s a very good game again. Celtic are on a roll. They are a good team, and they got a real buzz from beating Rangers.”
Stefan Johansen – a player who left Celtic Park far too soon
Johansen is a player who could’ve really went on to have become an iconic club figure if he decided to stay for longer. Failing to agree on a new contract was a worrying sign at the time. Brendan Rodgers wanted him in Glasgow too, so it makes it even more frustrating as Stefan could’ve really kicked on to new heights.
Not that he was underperforming during his 2 and a half years in Glasgow. Far from it in fact. Johansen was Scottish football’s Player of the Year back in 2015. He wowed the Celtic supporters with his energetic displays and he was a constant goal threat under Lennon before then improving further with Ronny Deila.
Nowadays, he’s grafting away as he looks to book an EPL with return with QPR. As well and as lucrative as his career has been since leaving Celtic, you can’t help but feel there was a missed opportunity here.
Even now, Johansen is only 31 years of age. He could’ve been a key part of the Invincibles season if he’d have decided to stick around. But in the end, it was his decision to leave.
Regardless, it’s good to see he still holds such close affection for the club. It’s clear he remembers who gave him his big opportunity to thrive in the UK. That he still keeps in touch with Nir Bitton also shows he’s managed to have some positive relationships from his time here too.
It’ll be interesting to see if we ever see him back at Celtic Park in the future in any capacity, even as a supporter. But whenever you think of Johansen, it’s difficult not to see a lost opportunity.
In other news, The one thing about Celtic everyone at Bodo/Glimt has been blown away by
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