Mikey Johnston

Almost 3 assists and a goal..

No bad..

When he's fit and confident he's a real threat and asset to have..

 

It's also a cultural thing too, some of the kids I've worked with look like they'll be decent players but when they realise the work and effort they need to put in they cant/won't commit to it. If you look at VVD (at celtic) and CCV both young players built like tanks and athletic, then you look at the youth team, bar Lawal the rest look tiny in comparison. To make it to the top you really need an elite frame of mind from an early stage of your life, that means fitness, nutrition and practice every day. Which apart from being a hard thing to commit to, is very costly as well.

When I was a kid I'd be playing football every night of the week at the football pitches until it was pitch black, if not there I'd be in the garden punting a ball against a wall and diving to the left and right, to improve my reflexes. Played for the school midweek, trained with my club two nights a week, played for them on the Saturday afternoon, on a Sunday I'd play football with the RAF football team. 13 years old and keeping clean sheets against grown men playing for professional teams. You say that to kids these days and they'll not even want to train twice a week, they'll happily train once a week then play 5s one day, then they expect to walk into a game on a Saturday in the youth league. You see the result of this in the SFPL, the celtic players vs the rest of the league, we train harder, were more professional, the work ethic is much higher. That's the highest standard you get to in our league. When you read about 8 Aberdeen players going on the lash after being humped at home by Celtic on the first game of the season you realise why the standard of footballs pish.

But I very much agree with you the youth system in this country is chronic, its sad to see. My local team have over 300 kids on their books, never seen any of them make it up the ladder. It's a case of 300 kids paying £5 a week to play football, then for the club to skim the money into the club/own pockets. I can imagine it will be the same all over the country.

 

Playing well in decent league and now an international player. Great what a loan can do for a player. Someone will surely take him for a fee if Ange doesn’t fancy him sticking around. Id personally like to see him get another chance now he’s fit and his confidence will be better than ever before.

 

If only he were a natural right winger. We already got Jota, Maeda and Haksa who are natural left wingers, just like Mikey.

 

I think this is his main issue. His club grown status means he could possibly be a squad player but he won't get much, if any game time. Probably best for him to leave.

 

Said it a few weeks ago, but get him back and let him have one final crack at it. No harm whatsoever in it. It absolutely is his final chance to prove himself though in my opinion. He looked a very good player when he first broke through, lost his way and confidence was shot to pieces in the end.

 

Same as Tony Ralston, that guy should never have been given another chance.

 

You could be right you could be wrong. The gaffer will decide if it's worth giving him a crack at it though, you don't decide on a hunch. I'd have thought those of us with half a brain would have learned that by now.

 

“* off” - Neil Lennon.

But no seriously, no harm in the manager having a look at him pre season.

 

wether he can make it with us or not he's going to be necessary next season just for the homegrown player rule if players like Welsh, Forrest, McCarthy and Turnbull leave.

 

Can he, I only see him as a right winger?

 

He didn't go out on loan to the 6th best league in Europe and hold his own as Mickey has though did he? The idea that a player can prove he can do well playing in a far better league than our own and then not be good enough to be given a chance here is absurd. 2 things stood in Mikeys way before - injuries and his confidence being shot to bits by knuckle draggers in our support hounding him for every misplaced pass.

He's just played a full season without injury and his confidence is sky high, of course he deserves another shot. If I were him though I would be looking elsewhere for his own sake.

 

No thanks. Johnson has had more chances than I have had hot dinners.

 

Absence makes the heart grow fonder. The worlds oldest wonder kid he's proven time and time again he can't be relied on. Punt

 

Part in bold, is very old fashioned, most of the most skilful and best players to ever play the game have been small built bar Ronaldo (Portugal) who is tall and Athletic.

I think kids in this age have so many other distractions like online gaming, wrapped in cotton wool regarding not having as much structure, also a lot of it goes back to social situation and money.

As we have moved on over the years people have better living conditions in general, people in the 80/90 light myself other others would have thought of working hard to make it and it’s all changed due to multiple factors like I’ve said.

Young kids can’t be arsed cause it’s too much hard work, unlike other kids in less fortunate counties who are putting in the work.

Remember not so long ago Celtic * off Andy Robertson for saying he was too small.

 

If he is off the back of a good loan spell there is absolutely no harm in giving him another crack. Take him on the pre season tour and see if he can impress and force his way into Anges plans.

His issue is, and always has been fitness and final product. There is no doubting he has talent.

It wouldnt surprise me to see him sold and go on to do well. His problem is that competition is so high now.

 

I dont fully agree with this. The attitude has definitely changed since years ago.
Its rare now that you find an old school no nonsense defender or a tall target man.

The emphasis is now leaning towards technical ability.

I agree with the reserve league though. Its good that we have B teams playing competitive games but there should be a reserve league.