Alistair Johnston

[Watchmen]

1 hour ago, PegCityCam said:

Starting today vs Motherwell. Also, I was intrigued by the number of Japanese players on Celtic and wanted to know if there was a specific reason why. Found this article breaking it down:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/steveprice/2023/01/21/how-celtic-and-scotland-can-help-asian-players-reach-the-premier-league/?sh=247571a1e068

Here's another one, from last year.

https://theathletic.com/3044141/2022/01/06/very-soon-in-glasgow-history-will-change-how-celtic-are-targeting-japanese-audience-after-four-signings/

Basically: They found Japan to be an undervalued market of talent and then have also have worked hard to build Celtic as a club for the Japanese audience to follow.  It's working well for everyone.

[PegCityCam]

Lots of press out there on Johnston this week:

https://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/23470513.rise-celtic-star-alistair-johnston-charted-former-coaches/

https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/celtic/alistair-johnston-lifts-lid-on-celtic-blast-off-as-rangers-

displays-earn-right-back-upgrade-status-4109304

Also featured on the matchday programme with an interview and a beauty poster:

 

[baulderdash77]

Alistair is so popular amongst Celtic fans; but after Celtic get their 100 point season, there will be player sales coming.  Celtic are in the business of winning trophies and selling players for profit.

If Celtic is selling, he could be a player they sell on.  He’s 24 so now a prime age sale player.

Having got him for the bargain of £3 million, a quick sale for £10 million could be in order.  There’s a big market for star RB’s in that £10 million range and I wouldn’t be shocked to see him in the EPL next year.  

[clamlinguine]

8 minutes ago, baulderdash77 said:

Alistair is so popular amongst Celtic fans; but after Celtic get their 100 point season, there will be player sales coming.  Celtic are in the business of winning trophies and selling players for profit.

If Celtic is selling, he could be a player they sell on.  He’s 24 so now a prime age sale player.

Having got him for the bargain of £3 million, a quick sale for £10 million could be in order.  There’s a big market for star RB’s in that £10 million range and I wouldn’t be shocked to see him in the EPL next year.  

Would they really sell a nice scottish boy like that? I'd think they'd want to keep him forever? lol...ish

[JamboAl]

57 minutes ago, baulderdash77 said:

Alistair is so popular amongst Celtic fans; but after Celtic get their 100 point season, there will be player sales coming.  Celtic are in the business of winning trophies and selling players for profit.

If Celtic is selling, he could be a player they sell on.  He’s 24 so now a prime age sale player.

Having got him for the bargain of £3 million, a quick sale for £10 million could be in order.  There’s a big market for star RB’s in that £10 million range and I wouldn’t be shocked to see him in the EPL next year.  

It would have to be an offer that Celtic find too high to refuse for them to sell him.  Is that going to happen in the close season?  My guess is no.  Think if they were going to sell anyone for big money, it would be one of their Japanese stars who would be worth way more than Johnston at this time.

[maccaliam]

57 minutes ago, clamlinguine said:

Would they really sell a nice scottish boy like that? I'd think they'd want to keep him forever? lol...ish

Maybe I’ve misread something, but if you’re referring to Johnston, he isn’t Scottish. His mum is from Northern Ireland. 
 

I agree with JamboAl. I don’t think AJ will be sold unless a much bigger offer comes in. His contract has so long to run that Celtic can keep AJ around for another year or two to help them keep winning domestic honours (and hopefully finding some European success too), and then sell him on for a good fee. 

[clamlinguine]

2 minutes ago, maccaliam said:

Maybe I’ve misread something, but if you’re referring to Johnston, he isn’t Scottish. His mum is from Northern Ireland. 
 

I agree with JamboAl. I don’t think AJ will be sold unless a much bigger offer comes in. His contract has so long to run that Celtic can keep AJ around for another year or two to help them keep winning domestic honours (and hopefully finding some European success too), and then sell him on for a good fee. 

Well, there's gotta be some Scottish in there somewhere. 

[Watchmen]

3 hours ago, baulderdash77 said:

Alistair is so popular amongst Celtic fans; but after Celtic get their 100 point season, there will be player sales coming.  Celtic are in the business of winning trophies and selling players for profit.

If Celtic is selling, he could be a player they sell on.  He’s 24 so now a prime age sale player.

Having got him for the bargain of £3 million, a quick sale for £10 million could be in order.  There’s a big market for star RB’s in that £10 million range and I wouldn’t be shocked to see him in the EPL next year.  

I would be. Think he'll spend at least all of next year there, enjoying defending the title and playing in the Champions League. He won't get that from a mid-tier EPL side.

[VinceA]

It could happen but realistically I don't see Johnston moving on after just half a season.

I think clubs will want to see how he adapts to European football before any bigger teams come in for him.

[RJB]

2 hours ago, maccaliam said:

Maybe I’ve misread something, but if you’re referring to Johnston, he isn’t Scottish. His mum is from Northern Ireland. 
 

I agree with JamboAl. I don’t think AJ will be sold unless a much bigger offer comes in. His contract has so long to run that Celtic can keep AJ around for another year or two to help them keep winning domestic honours (and hopefully finding some European success too), and then sell him on for a good fee. 

He needs to complete one full season at least. Even if they keep him for two more full seasons, he'll still be only 26 and certainly still appealing for other clubs. 

[InglewoodJack]

There’s no way they sell him on after 6 months and there’s no way a premier league pays what he’s worth after just 6 months of European soccer. I think if he sustains his level for another entire season, maybe summer ‘24 is when he makes his move, but a part of me thinks he’s in it for the long haul. Play his prime for Celtic, and then at 27 or 28 he’s transferred in January for a team trying to make champions league like Union Berlin and Juranovic.

[WestHamCanadianinOxford]

1 hour ago, InglewoodJack said:

There’s no way they sell him on after 6 months and there’s no way a premier league pays what he’s worth after just 6 months of European soccer. I think if he sustains his level for another entire season, maybe summer ‘24 is when he makes his move, but a part of me thinks he’s in it for the long haul. Play his prime for Celtic, and then at 27 or 28 he’s transferred in January for a team trying to make champions league like Union Berlin and Juranovic.

I would like him to move but that's personal.  

Somewhere up the thread, I believe I said that most teams from better leagues will at least want to see him against the different competition that will come in the Champions League group stage.  (Assuming of course they don't lose the rest of their games and finish 2nd).

[narduch]

His manager is being linked to Chelsea 

[InglewoodJack]

Don’t do it Ange…

[Acid-Tone]

On 4/23/2023 at 9:07 AM, InglewoodJack said:

There’s no way they sell him on after 6 months and there’s no way a premier league pays what he’s worth after just 6 months of European soccer. I think if he sustains his level for another entire season, maybe summer ‘24 is when he makes his move, but a part of me thinks he’s in it for the long haul. Play his prime for Celtic, and then at 27 or 28 he’s transferred in January for a team trying to make champions league like Union Berlin and Juranovic.

???

There's a recent high-profile precedent of that very situation happening....

Enzo Fernandez to Chelsea

[InglewoodJack]

4 minutes ago, Acid-Tone said:

???

There's a recent high-profile precedent of that very situation happening....

Enzo Fernandez to Chelsea

Not sure if this is sarcastic or not, but Fernandez and AJ’s situations couldn’t be more different. 

Edited April 24, 2023 by InglewoodJack

[Acid-Tone]

On 4/23/2023 at 9:07 AM, InglewoodJack said:

There’s no way they sell him on after 6 months and there’s no way a premier league pays what he’s worth after just 6 months of European soccer.

I never said their situations were the same.

Enzo Fernandez moved from Argentinian club River Plate to Benfica in July 2022, he played something like 16 league games and another 10 in Champions League, and then 6 months later Chelsea paid 120 million Euro's for him. 

I think that qualifies as "what he's worth"

 

Unless you are saying Enzo was worth more than 120 million dollars your statement was wrong.

[InglewoodJack]

44 minutes ago, Acid-Tone said:

I never said their situations were the same.

Enzo Fernandez moved from Argentinian club River Plate to Benfica in July 2022, he played something like 16 league games and another 10 in Champions League, and then 6 months later Chelsea paid 120 million Euro's for him. 

I think that qualifies as "what he's worth"

 

Unless you are saying Enzo was worth more than 120 million dollars your statement was wrong.

But where is the similarity here, other than the fact that EF left Benfica quickly? River Plate is a better club than CF Montreal. Benfica is a better club than Celtic. EF players for Argentina who won the world cup, AJ played for the 31nd best team at the world cup and is most remembered for having the lowest Sofascore rating for any LB at the WC (unjustified but w/e). EF is two years younger than AJ. Premier League teams, especially Chelsea have a track record of paying astronomical fees for the wunderkid du jour.

Sure, if Alistair Johnston was 20, was the best LB in Scotland and had himself a bit of World Cup glory, we'd be talking about much higher fees that Celtic couldn't turn down, but that isn't the case. Celtic is also a competitive team in their own right, so how valuable to them is a player who is likely the best LB in the league, immediate fan favourite, already has several highlights against Rangers, could very well be captain down the line- he's the type of guy that helps Celtic win championships. Their replacement of Juranovic with AJ was a stroke of genius, and the move only worked because they struck gold- they're smarter than to think that they can repeat the same thing in 6 months.

[Greatest Cockney Rip Off]

50 minutes ago, InglewoodJack said:

River Plate is a better club than CF Montreal.

Are they? And I’m not talking about Montreal this season after loosing their coach and gutting their team.

I’ve heard Tim Vickery mention how poor club football has become in Argentina and how much he is impressed by MLS scouts who are scooping up the best players not heading to Europe as well as players before they go to Europe. He often talks about the synergies of the proposals for a joint CONMEBOL / CONCACAF club completion. CONNEBOL has the history and credibility while Mexico / MLS has the money and are now taking the players.

Who is a better club is not an answer we will ever truly know but I feel we are at a stage where you can’t definitively say that River Plate was better than Montreal last season.  

[InglewoodJack]

10 minutes ago, Greatest Cockney Rip Off said:

Are they? And I’m not talking about Montreal this season after loosing their coach and gutting their team.

I’ve heard Tim Vickery mention how poor club football has become in Argentina and how much he is impressed by MLS scouts who are scooping up the best players not heading to Europe as well as players before they go to Europe. He often talks about the synergies of the proposals for a joint CONMEBOL / CONCACAF club completion. CONNEBOL has the history and credibility while Mexico / MLS has the money and are now taking the players.

Who is a better club is not an answer we will ever truly know but I feel we are at a stage where you can’t definitively say that River Plate was better than Montreal last season.  

I'll admit I just said that based on Argentina > MLS, so I have no clue how accurate it still is, but regardless, RP won their league two years ago, finished third last year, currently in first, have been in the top 5 over the last 5 years, that's more than Montreal has done in MLS if we compare the two. I think it's hard to compare the big south american leagues to other leagues just because they're almost entirely domestic players and they kinda act outside of the global transfer market unless they're selling young players or acquiring old players coming home. Even if Montreal is as good as River Plate- and I don't think they are, based on how successful RP has been and how unsucessful we have been, my point was more so that Benfica is a stronger club than Celtic, and they have a longer history of flipping players for crazy fees.

[MauditYvon]

^Agree. And big part of the equation is Argentina >>>>> Canada in national teams.

I don’t see him moving next year, and I don’t want too. He’s already booked from June 15 2023 to July 14 2024 : Nations League + Gold Cup, Champion’s League, Copa America. He wants to start in all of these so yeah better stay at Celtic. 

Edited April 25, 2023 by MauditYvon

[Joe1973]

Ouff. Alistair subbed off injury

went straight to dressing room with help. Couldn't walk on his own.

[dyslexic nam]

Anyone know why he was subbed out in the 54th minute against Rangers?  Seems odd given the way he has been playing so hoping it isn’t an injury.  

[VinceA]

Just now, dyslexic nam said:

Anyone know why he was subbed out in the 54th minute against Rangers?  Seems odd given the way he has been playing so hoping it isn’t an injury.  

The replies in the tweet mostly consist of "fuck" so now I'm worried

[Weng]

BBC says he collided knees with Borisic🙁