‘To be honest’… Celtic winger says ‘frustrating’ circumstances led to his departure

Celtic winger Mikey Johnston joined West Bromwich Albion on deadline day for the remainder of the campaign and has already made an impact at the Hawthorns Stadium.

Earlier this week, the Republic of Ireland international netted on his first start for the Baggies with a smart finish inside the area, which contributed to an eventual 2-0 victory over Birmingham City in the Sky Bet Championship.

Despite his trickery, Johnston has been a hard player to quantify in a Celtic jersey over the years, with concerns over his end product and fitness issues taking their toll on his confidence.

Brendan Rodgers has previously spoken about the Lennoxtown product needing to add physical bravery and ‘robustness’ to his game in order to become a first-team regular at the Bhoys.

Nevertheless, thriving away from the pressure his parent club operates under isn’t bad at all for Johnston at this stage of his career.

Turning 25 this year, time is of the essence for the attacker if he is keen on trying to salvage a squad position at the Scottish Premiership holders, though some will argue that this particular ship has already sailed.

Mikey Johnston reveals honest reasons behind Celtic departure

Before departing to spend the remainder of the campaign south of the border, Johnston featured as a bit-part player, registering two goals and two assists from 12 appearances in all competitions

The Irishman has now revealed that it was ‘important’ to leave Parkhead in January after enduring a frustrating time trying to work his way into Rodgers’ plans.

Johnston stated [BBC Sport]: “The Championship is a great place for someone’s career. I wasn’t getting the minutes I wanted at Celtic – I was playing, but it was sporadic.

“Sometimes I’d play well and score and then wouldn’t play the next game – it was frustrating. It was important for me to get out of Celtic, to be honest, and when West Brom came up, it’s a great opportunity.”

Mikey Johnston’s comments on leaving Celtic are intriguing

In truth, it would be hard to make a definitive case for Johnston to be a starter at Celtic due to his inconsistent nature that has defined his time involved in the senior set-up.

Conversely, most people would acknowledge that he is someone who could have match-winning attributes if he were to iron out one or two deficiencies in his game.

His comments make for intriguing reading; however, he needs to look after his own interests as a footballer to continue progressing.

Either way, there is potential for the 24-year-old to get some valuable game-time under his belt in the West Midlands before returning in the summer.

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