MIKEY JOHNSTON was one of two half-time substitutions that Neil Lennon made on Saturday – the other player coming on was Odsonne Edouard – and like the Frenchman, the Scottish teenager also had a chance to break the deadlock and win the match for Celtic. When he found space in the box and opened his body for the shot it looked like he’d find the top corner but on a frustrating afternoon or Lennon and the 58,500 Celtic supporters at the game, his effort failed to find the target.
“The game was really frustrating. But it’s not too negative from our point of view because the league is still in our hands. So we can’t be too down about it,” Johnston said to the media afterwards.
“A lot of teams do the same thing against us, sitting in, but we need to be able to break teams down and score goals.
“It’s the same sort of pressure a lot of boys in the dressing room have dealt with most years, so it’s familiar for a lot of them.
“The league is still open but it’s in our hands, as long as we play well and don’t take anything for granted.
“Everyone is motivated to win the title, it’s huge for us.”
Johnston also spoke about the one on one chats that Lenny has been having with each player and how his conversation with the new manager went.
“The gaffer just told me to go out and do my stuff, beat the full-back and try and get us a goal.
“He has spoken to me since he came back into Celtic about giving me confidence.
“I didn’t really know him when he was here before. I played at youth level, but I was only 13 or 14 so didn’t work under him at all,” Johnston said.
And Mikey also stated that he took the departure of the former management team in his stride.
“I wasn’t too down,” he said.
“The old gaffer liked me and gave me opportunities, which I was really grateful for.
“But managers moving on is a part of football, and it’s just something we have to deal with.
“I’m still young. I’m just working hard and trying to bide my time. Hopefully I will get the opportunities.”
Asked about his physique, Johnston reckons that being slight of build can be an advantage on occasions in a game.
“I’ve always been slightly built. That’s a part of my game. I don’t think it holds me back.
“It’s something I can take in my stride and use to bring out the best in me.”
