Alistair Johnston

[DeRo_Is_King]

Starts for Celtic vs St. Mirren. 

[dyslexic nam]

Just banged one in apparently.  

[VinceA]

This image will grace my dreams and haunt my nightmares

[DeRo_Is_King]

7 minutes ago, dyslexic nam said:

Just banged one in apparently.  

Great back-post header off a free kick:

https://twitter.com/MichaelMcCahi10/status/1632372322769199106?s=20

Edited March 5, 2023 by DeRo_Is_King

[PegCityCam]

 

[VinceA]

From some angles and from Celtics own Twitter they're saying it's an own goal.

[DeRo_Is_King]

3 minutes ago, VinceA said:

From some angles and from Celtics own Twitter they're saying it's an own goal.

It came off the defender last, but without Johnston being there to head downward, I don't think there would have been a goal. 

[Snowcrash]

Taking nothing away from what Johnston is doing at Celtic but he's got to move to a better league to go up against better players because St. Mirren is a mid-table team and it's like a training session.  

[maccaliam]

9 hours ago, VinceA said:

From some angles and from Celtics own Twitter they're saying it's an own goal.

From those replays it looked like it was on target before hitting the defender (to me anyway), so should be johnston’s goal. 

Edited March 5, 2023 by maccaliam

[QBCS]

On 3/5/2023 at 8:47 AM, DeRo_Is_King said:

It came off the defender last, but without Johnston being there to head downward, I don't think there would have been a goal. 

Does anyone know the definition that defines it being a goal or own goal? Like what is the defining factor?

[Unnamed Trialist]

Funny the discussion about the goal, in many countries that would have been called back for a foul on the defender, he forced him down with a forearm on the neck.

It was only an own goal because he owned him that way.

[InglewoodJack]

On 3/5/2023 at 9:01 AM, Snowcrash said:

Taking nothing away from what Johnston is doing at Celtic but he's got to move to a better league to go up against better players because St. Mirren is a mid-table team and it's like a training session.  

I think Celtic is the perfect club for him because it puts him on a lot of other teams radars, and if all else fails, he has the tools to become a Celtic lifer. 
 

the Celtic board is already saying he clears Juranovic who both played for the third place team at the WC and is now playing at one of the best teams in the Bundesliga. I think AJ stays at Celtic for at least all of next season, but he’s going to have a lot more suitors than he currently has, and I am positive other clubs have already stated calling about him.

 

again, every time I see a new picture of him, he looks even more jacked. Something funny about me imagining AJ grinding in the weight room, but clearly he’s eating his wheaties- in two years he might have the same physique as Davies at this rate. 

[frmr]

39 minutes ago, QBCS said:

Does anyone know the definition that defines it being a goal or own goal? Like what is the defining factor?

It depends where the ball is heading before the defending player touches it. If the ball is  already heading on-target and a defender redirects it past the keeper, it’s a goal, even if it would have been heading straight for the keeper for example. If the trajectory of the ball is off-target before the defender’s touch and the defender sends it on target then it is an own goal. If there’s not a conclusive angle then I think they just make an educated guess.

[dyslexic nam]

59 minutes ago, InglewoodJack said:

 

again, every time I see a new picture of him, he looks even more jacked. Something funny about me imagining AJ grinding in the weight room, but clearly he’s eating his wheaties- in two years he might have the same physique as Davies at this rate. 

It is such a simple thing for an athlete to elevate his performances by becoming stronger.  I remember Goretzka emerging from the COVID looking like he went to Hulk camp.   And we have seen something similar with Davies.  For me it is crazy that guys making this kind of ridiculous money would not do that sort of thing to make sure they are maximizing their abilities within the 10ish year playing window that they have to earn a lifetime supply of income.     AJ is doing it right - seize the goddamn opportunity and be the best you can be.   

Edited March 6, 2023 by dyslexic nam

[jonovision]

Athletes should no doubt be doing what they can to improve themselves physically, though a jacked physique is not always what one needs to play soccer. 

[InglewoodJack]

34 minutes ago, dyslexic nam said:

It is such a simple thing for an athlete to elevate his performances by becoming stronger.  I remember Goretzka emerging from the COVID looking like he went to Hulk camp.   And we have seen something similar with Davies.  For me it is crazy that guys making this kind of ridiculous money would not do that sort of thing to make sure they are maximizing their abilities within the 10ish year playing window that they have to earn a lifetime supply of income.     AJ is doing it right - seize the goddamn opportunity and be the best you can be.   

I've had a chance to talk to a few former pros- mostly CFL and NHL, but one thing I've heard a lot is that for so many guys, pro sports really just is a 9-5 paycheck, and for others, it's a 24/7 job, and all of the preparation that comes with that time of workload. I think if a pro athlete pointed out who invests into growth and who's just picking up a check, it would be painfully obvious to any of us who cares about what they do and who doesn't.

I mean, look at Atiba- I don't know how he trains, but he's 40 - certainly doesn't look it- and still playing for Besiktas. Then you have Mario Balotelli who was world class, and now at 32, he's in Swtizerland, he finished off his 20s in Serie B, and he's been sliding down the club strength later for the better part of the last 6-7 years. At his current age, Atiba hadn't even hit his prime yet.

Look at Lebron- he spends $3M on health every year, and he's 38 and one of the best athletes on earth and could probably play 48 minutes in a playoff game if he wanted to. You look at that 2003 NBA draft class, and everyone else is long since retired, and you read some names there, and you think those are guys who are like 5 years older than Lebron, but no- they just didn't invest in health as much as he did, and now he's a 38 year old making $45M, and you're a 38 year old who can't even play at the Y.

I think it doesn't help that AJ is very pale and has a boxy physique, so he has the veiny bulldog thing going on, but I think the strength you need to be a professional athlete, especially one going up to a more challenging league is very underrated. I think there's probably a point where his coaches would tell him to lay off and work on cardio more, but he'd have to put on like 25 pounds for that, and also, you lean out during the season, and bulk during the offseason. For his sake, Alistair's season just started.

Edited March 6, 2023 by InglewoodJack

[dyslexic nam]

11 minutes ago, jonovision said:

Athletes should no doubt be doing what they can to improve themselves physically, though a jacked physique is not always what one needs to play soccer. 

I agree that you don’t want to bulk up (I think that is, or at least has been, one issue with Akinola) but the guys I referenced all seem to have put on a specific kind of muscle.   Goretzka, Davies and AJ all look ripped without putting on a lot of extra bulk. Their physiques don’t deviate from what I would consider to be “footy friendly” - they just took it to its logical conclusion of maximizing strength within that phenotype.  Lewa did it too - which makes me suspect Bayern invests a lot of resources to make sure their players are in peak physical condition (or they just impose very high expectations on their players).   

[Unnamed Trialist]

Good points from @dyslexic nam and others, with only this: avoid anything that could hurt your health in the long term, like after you retire. I say this because of so many pro athletes dying incredibly young, it is really worrying. It makes you think there are stress factors along with pharmacological contributions that end up cutting lives short. 

In football there is a limit to strength, and lots of footballers are incredibly strong but lithe and lean. Depends what you can do, your body type, and if your dedication is balanced (ie flexibilty, skills, tactical work). Don't be gung-ho about some things and lazy about others. I'm not talking about Johnston, I think he does work on everything.

I was watching a 5th tier team here the other week and one of their leading attackers on the right always had to turn in because he couldn't do a basic cross with his right, he was 100% lefty. Really guy, not even a chip cross, a push? And his team is leading their division and promote directly to 4th tier. That sort of player is not spending any time solving a simple problem, however sculpted his physique might be.

[Snowcrash]

1 hour ago, dyslexic nam said:

It is such a simple thing for an athlete to elevate his performances by becoming stronger.  I remember Goretzka emerging from the COVID looking like he went to Hulk camp.   And we have seen something similar with Davies.  For me it is crazy that guys making this kind of ridiculous money would not do that sort of thing to make sure they are maximizing their abilities within the 10ish year playing window that they have to earn a lifetime supply of income.     AJ is doing it right - seize the goddamn opportunity and be the best you can be.   

I think during the pandemic lockdown, FA's were doing virtually no anti-doping testing so for a lot of players, it was probably like Gold's Gym peak Arnold and Franco.

Edited March 6, 2023 by Snowcrash

[jonovision]

24 minutes ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

I was watching a 5th tier team here the other week and one of their leading attackers on the right always had to turn in because he couldn't do a basic cross with his right, he was 100% lefty. Really guy, not even a chip cross, a push? And his team is leading their division and promote directly to 4th tier. That sort of player is not spending any time solving a simple problem, however sculpted his physique might be.

Dang, Marco Bustos is playing 5th tier Spain now?

[Unnamed Trialist]

51 minutes ago, jonovision said:

Dang, Marco Bustos is playing 5th tier Spain now?

I think he's a bit better, to be fair.

It also made me think that most good CPL players could handle the level. Depending on the position. It is not that high quality, there is a lot of rudimentary play and only a few players stand out, or maybe I just saw a poor match (I watched the leader lose their first game at home).

[InglewoodJack]

1 hour ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

 

In football there is a limit to strength, and lots of footballers are incredibly strong but lithe and lean. Depends what you can do, your body type, and if your dedication is balanced (ie flexibilty, skills, tactical work). Don't be gung-ho about some things and lazy about others. I'm not talking about Johnston, I think he does work on everything.

I was watching a 5th tier team here the other week and one of their leading attackers on the right always had to turn in because he couldn't do a basic cross with his right, he was 100% lefty. Really guy, not even a chip cross, a push? And his team is leading their division and promote directly to 4th tier. That sort of player is not spending any time solving a simple problem, however sculpted his physique might be.

I think most professional athletes turn pro either because they have some natural talent, or because they work harder than anyone. That player you watched was probably the best kid on his U6 team with the meanest left foot his coaches have ever seen from a child, but if that's all you do, then you get to a level where everyone is better than you and you're left with a few skills that aren't even that elite at that point, and a whole lot of holes in your game.

AJ seems to be the opposite to me- a guy who through sheer willpower and effort forced his way into becoming a professional soccer player by just outworking everyone else. In fact, AJ got his start playing for Lakeshore SC in Montreal. My friend has been involved with their club since he was a child, he knows everyone involved in West Island soccer, coached Pantemis, coached against Kone a few years back, namedropped some guys who made IMFC academy or made a sorta career in PLSQ, and yet when I told him that Alistair played for that organization as a child, he didn't believe me, looked it up, and sure enough, the years lined up, and he would've likely been volunteering for the youngest kids at that time, but he wasn't a player who stood out much, and now he's a force of nature.

[PiedPilko]

10 minutes ago, InglewoodJack said:

I think most professional athletes turn pro either because they have some natural talent, or because they work harder than anyone. That player you watched was probably the best kid on his U6 team with the meanest left foot his coaches have ever seen from a child, but if that's all you do, then you get to a level where everyone is better than you and you're left with a few skills that aren't even that elite at that point, and a whole lot of holes in your game.

AJ seems to be the opposite to me- a guy who through sheer willpower and effort forced his way into becoming a professional soccer player by just outworking everyone else. In fact, AJ got his start playing for Lakeshore SC in Montreal. My friend has been involved with their club since he was a child, he knows everyone involved in West Island soccer, coached Pantemis, coached against Kone a few years back, namedropped some guys who made IMFC academy or made a sorta career in PLSQ, and yet when I told him that Alistair played for that organization as a child, he didn't believe me, looked it up, and sure enough, the years lined up, and he would've likely been volunteering for the youngest kids at that time, but he wasn't a player who stood out much, and now he's a force of nature.

Tbf, he moved around a lot. He wasn't there for long

[InglewoodJack]

10 minutes ago, PiedPilko said:

Tbf, he moved around a lot. He wasn't there for long

Oh for sure, he was a young child when he left. I think a lot of pros have already distinguished themselves at that age, but others just consistently got better and better, and that kid who no one could point out at 6 is the kid who then gets a D1 scholarship at 18, gets an MLS deal at 21 (?), and then becomes a Celtic player after.

[Unnamed Trialist]

7 minutes ago, InglewoodJack said:

Oh for sure, he was a young child when he left. I think a lot of pros have already distinguished themselves at that age, but others just consistently got better and better, and that kid who no one could point out at 6 is the kid who then gets a D1 scholarship at 18, gets an MLS deal at 21 (?), and then becomes a Celtic player after.

6 is very early. Even 12. At 15 it should be clearer. 

With that incredibly positive mentality he has, that intelligence and optimism, watch out for his kid brother, those are things you get from a good supportive family and he may have it too. Apart from the physical genetics.