Mikey Johnston M West Brom b.1999

[Razors left peg]

A coach that put his arm around him and put some trust in him, playing to his strengths.

That’s a goal of the month contender right there.

My point really Stu is that some lads don't want to give Idah any credit for doing well in a supposedly worse league. I agree with you that the manager or the environment makes a big difference and it's great to see both Idah and Johnston making the most of the change.

[yurt]

That goal was proper quality. WBA have a real decent chance to arrive into the playoffs in good form and do a job on the others.

It's so great to see a loan move like this work above and beyond what you thought was realistic from the outset.

Wasn't cut out to be an SPL winner but a realistic path to being a premier league footballer in 6 months.

[Olé Olé]

A coach that put his arm around him and put some trust in him, playing to his strengths.

That’s a goal of the month contender right there.
I don't like to make sweeping statements about fans' views but there were a lot of noisy Celtic fans screaming blue murder over them signing the third choice striker of Norwich. Not sure on WBA fans, but they may not have been too impressed with a Celtic reserve coming down from the SPL.

I think it is fair to say that the Championship is a better league than the SPL. But around the edges of that argument one would have to be consider the suitability of the players to the leagues, as well as the factor you mention re managers - it does seem Johnston couldn't click with Rodgers whereas Rodgers seems to love bigging up Idah.

Idah is probably stronger and faster than almost every centre half in the SPL but probably not the Championship. His goals last weekend show that he can use his pace to run off them and finish and his strength to get in between them and up for a headed finish.

Have only seen his goals but reasonable to say Johnston has a license to thrill at WBA? And he definitely has more space given how SPL teams would double their winger and full back up on him.

So, it does feel like the environments are suiting each player and I do think that both lads will develop another bit with minutes and success. Idah particularly. If he can sustain this he has a prolonged reference point and a foundation for his career that he doesn't really have thanks to injury and form (potentially driven by confidence) and rotation (all individually and collectively contributing).

On Johnston, it is a little more indicting on Rodgers. I couldn't see Luis Palma doing a stroke at Championship level....

[liamoo11]

I don't like to make sweeping statements about fans' views but there were a lot of noisy Celtic fans screaming blue murder over them signing the third choice striker of Norwich. Not sure on WBA fans, but they may not have been too impressed with a Celtic reserve coming down from the SPL.

I think it is fair to say that the Championship is a better league than the SPL. But around the edges of that argument one would have to be consider the suitability of the players to the leagues, as well as the factor you mention re managers - it does seem Johnston couldn't click with Rodgers whereas Rodgers seems to love bigging up Idah.

Idah is probably stronger and faster than almost every centre half in the SPL but probably not the Championship. His goals last weekend show that he can use his pace to run off them and finish and his strength to get in between them and up for a headed finish.

Have only seen his goals but reasonable to say Johnston has a license to thrill at WBA? And he definitely has more space given how SPL teams would double their winger and full back up on him.

So, it does feel like the environments are suiting each player and I do think that both lads will develop another bit with minutes and success. Idah particularly. If he can sustain this he has a prolonged reference point and a foundation for his career that he doesn't really have thanks to injury and form (potentially driven by confidence) and rotation (all individually and collectively contributing).

On Johnston, it is a little more indicting on Rodgers. I couldn't see Luis Palma doing a stroke at Championship level....



I think Johnson is alot more than a hug the touchline winger and when I've watched him at West Bromley.they seem.to encourage him to drift into central areas and play as a 10 and he has that creativity and technique to do that. When I see celtic the wingers seem to stay wide which I think limits johnson

[Eirambler]

The problem with Johnston is and always has been that whenever he puts a run like this together he invariably gets injured and loses all momentum. Hopefully this time is different but I'm not jumping on the bandwagon just yet with him.

[Stuttgart88]

I think Johnson is alot more than a hug the touchline winger and when I've watched him at West Bromley.they seem.to encourage him to drift into central areas and play as a 10 and he has that creativity and technique to do that. When I see celtic the wingers seem to stay wide which I think limits johnsonAnd for Ireland he's had license to roam too, and that's why he's looked good for us. I listen to a lot of Celtic's games on the radio and Pat Bonner said before Christmas that Rodgers wasn't getting the best out of him by sending him out to hug the touchline. I love a winger coming inside (Yang seemed to do it against Dundee for example) or even carrying the ball in the middle of the pitch. I will carry with me forever the sight of Aidan McGeady carrying the ball progessively through the middle in the build up to Brady's goal in Lille.

[JR89]

Mikey Johnston only scores screamers

1765474608587636846

[Razors left peg]

Dropping down a few levels is really helping his game ;)

[JR89]

Hopefully West Brom have a buy clause in the deal already. Make it easy to sign him permanently in the summer. Currently fifth in the table and 7 points ahead of Norwich who are just outside of the playoffs.

[seanfhear]

Celtic fans will be losing it with Brendan Rodgers if this keeps going on !!

[Olé Olé]

Mikey Johnston only scores screamers

1765474608587636846

I can't even see how he made contact with the ball. It seems like he barely got the chance to straighten up before a defender was on him so he got an absolute rocket away with his instep???

Fair play to Kenny..

[pineapple stu]

Dropping down a few levels is really helping his game ;)
He wasn't exactly tearing up the Portuguese league last year either in fairness

I'm liking the this season Mikey Johnston though

[seanfhear]

Shirley ~ Opposing Championship managers are going to start trying to put a stop to this Magic Johnston run.

[texidub]

Remember seeing his dinky run in the France game... was the first time I'd seen him in action... brilliant... a type of player we haven't had in ages.

Ferguson, Smozdics, Ogbene, Johnston... they could cause mischief against any side.

[ifk101]

Yeah, looks great when he gets to dribble and put teams on the back foot. Evidently capable now of scoring exceptional goals. Question marks however over his ability/ willingness to defend when needs be. But a good attacking option to have in our squad nonetheless.

[JR89]

Remember seeing his dinky run in the France game... was the first time I'd seen him in action... brilliant... a type of player we haven't had in ages.

Ferguson, Smozdics, Ogbene, Johnston... they could cause mischief against any side.

All we need now is to find two midfielders that can sit in front of the back four and two fullbacks for that back four.

[ltfc_2004]

Definitely seems the kind of player we need against lower level teams that sit back and defend. Not the worst option.

[Olé Olé]

Has just put West Brom level. Spare a thought for Brendan Rodgers and his white knuckles every time Johnston plays these days.

[JR89]

Turned it off at half time as the game was boring and the ****er scores twice in the second half.

[Razors left peg]

Turned it off at half time as the game was boring and the ****er scores twice in the second half.

And gets assist

[JR89]

Six goals in nine games for Johnston.

[Eirambler]

Interestingly the same number as Idah had scored in the first six months of the Championship season before swapping divisions with him.

Saw a Celtic fan on Twitter saying that Johnston's form proves that Celtic would walk the Championship seemingly without any consideration of how Idah's move from third pick at Norwich to star man at Celtic might impinge on that argument somewhat.

[pineapple stu]

1766819710966911163
Still running straight at people. Great to see!

[Olé Olé]

Love the fact that the defender so clearly showed him the outside and told him have at it. So he did. So he did.

[Trequartista20]

A truly exciting player to watch.

All credit to Mr Kenny for bringing him aboard.

[Eirambler]

Given that Ogbene would likely have come through anyway, bringing Johnston in may end up being the main (only?) positive of Kenny's time in charge.

[elatedscum]

Given that Ogbene would likely have come through anyway, bringing Johnston in may end up being the main (only?) positive of Kenny's time in charge.

Genuinely think if Ogbene doesn’t get chased by Kenny and called up when he did, he wouldn’t be a premier league player now. He grew with the performances against Portugal, Belgium, France etc.

He also gave Luton the belief that he was Premier League player

[Olé Olé]

Genuinely think if Ogbene doesn’t get chased by Kenny and called up when he did, he wouldn’t be a premier league player now. He grew with the performances against Portugal, Belgium, France etc.

He also gave Luton the belief that he was Premier League player


Yeah, if you took club and international in isolation then I think Kenny called Ogbene up too early in his club arc. However, his development looked to be supercharged by the international exposure and I think that sees his club arc climbing at a faster trajectory than it would or could have had he not been called up. I have to argue that Kenny showed serious conviction there. He also threw him in against Hungary in a fairly toxic environment which could have backfired but Kenny must have trusted the character and rightly so.

I'm not saying Kenny was a great or good manager - I am saying that he showed serious judgement and conviction over Ogbene and Johnston in a way that he didn't always show during his tenure.

[JR89]

Given that Ogbene would likely have come through anyway, bringing Johnston in may end up being the main (only?) positive of Kenny's time in charge.

I don't know. Ogbene didn't make much noise about wanting to play for Ireland. Kenny wanted to sign Ogbene before he left Limerick. I'd say Kenny reached out to Ogbene about Ireland.

[Eirambler]

Ogbene has been honest in saying that Nigeria were his first choice. But would he even get a Nigeria call up now, playing down at the bottom of the Premier League? Would agree Kenny sped the process along for him alright. He wasn't up to the job as manager but he did seem to have an eye for a winger to be fair to him.

[John83]

Turned it off at half time as the game was boring and the ****er scores twice in the second half.
You generally need a lot of patience to see Irish players score. ;)

[Olé Olé]

Ogbene has been honest in saying that Nigeria were his first choice. But would he even get a Nigeria call up now, playing down at the bottom of the Premier League? Would agree Kenny sped the process along for him alright. He wasn't up to the job as manager but he did seem to have an eye for a winger to be fair to him.
Yes, he would get a Nigeria call up now. They have Osho of Luton in there and Championship players.

[pineapple stu]

Opens the scoring for WBA today away against Stoke. Can't wait to see it :p

[SkStu]

7 in 13 now

[tetsujin1979]

Championship player of the month for March
https://www.efl.com/news/2024/april/12/sky-bet-championship-manager---player-of-the-month--march-winners/

[Diggs246]

Championship player of the month for March
https://www.efl.com/news/2024/april/12/sky-bet-championship-manager---player-of-the-month--march-winners/

Kieran Mckenna manager of the month too

[Demesne Lad]

Returning to Celtic after his loan to WBA, where he scored 7 goals in 20 appearances.(www.birminghamworld.uk, 22 May)

[Razors left peg]

The price for Idah seems to be about 6 million for Celtic to buy him, would WBA pay that to get Johnston?

[JR89]

Since relegation they've mostly shopped amongst free agents and loans. Spending big only once (€8m) which has burnt them as Dike has spent most his time at West Brom in the treatment room. After him their next big money season was Jayson Molumby (€1m).

Johnston made a big impact at West Brom though scoring 7 league goals to end as joint third goal scorer playing half a season. Their top goal scorer only scored 11 league goals. 0
Probably kicking themselves that they didn't get a buy clause in the transfer. You'd imagine Celtic wouldn't have insisted in much back in January.

[JR89]

Another thing to consider is Corberan mightn't be the WBA manager next season. With Kompany looking like he might be off think Corberan should be someone Burnley considers.

[Eirambler]

With his efforts in the last few months, if West Brom don't buy him I'd say other Championship teams will be interested. Could just go to Norwich in a straight swap for Idah I suppose, or with Celtic giving a million or two plus Johnston to sign Idah.

[pineapple stu]

Scored one and missed a penalty as Celtic beat DC United 4-0 last night. Only played the second half (usual story of lots of halftime subs)

Is he staying at Celtic this season? Bit disappointing if so after his performances for WBA last season

[pineapple stu]

Scored the fourth against Chelsea in their final pre-season match. Hopefully on course to make more of an impact at Celtic this season than he had in previous seasons

[mark12345]

Scored the fourth against Chelsea in their final pre-season match. Hopefully on course to make more of an impact at Celtic this season than he had in previous seasons

Johnson impressed in the little bit I saw of him. Have to say also that Celtic have been very impressive with their new brand of direct football and more precise passing this off season.

[Demesne Lad]

Surplus to Rodgers' requirements and likely to be signed by Burnley; medical arranged.

www.celtsarehere.com

[Trequartista20]

Fee agreed with Sheffield Utd.

https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/sport/football/sheffield-united-agree-ps25m-deal-to-sign-celtic-winger-despite-rival-interest-from-burnley-4757711

[JR89]

Hopefully Burnley have genuine interest because that would probably be a better suited move for the lad.

[Trequartista20]

Returns to WBA on a 4-year contract.

https://www.wba.co.uk/news/mikey-johnston-returns-hawthorns-permanent-deal

[Jolly Red Giant]

Returns to WBA on a 4-year contract.

https://www.wba.co.uk/news/mikey-johnston-returns-hawthorns-permanent-deal
Good for him - hope he has as good a season as he had last year

[Stuttgart88]

Better move for him than the others suggested I think.