Celtic Star Thanks Club For International Green Light

Alistair Johnston has thanked Celtic for allowing him to link up with Canada as he continues his recovery ahead of the World Cup.

The right-back has been sidelined since October after hamstring surgery and is still waiting for his return to action. He is back doing light work on the training pitch, though, and the signs are encouraging.

Despite not being fit to play, Johnston was cleared to join the Canada squad for their latest camp. It gives him a chance to reconnect with the group ahead of a major summer on home soil.

There was a preference from Martin O’Neill for the defender to remain in Glasgow and continue his rehab, but Canada were keen to have him involved. The 27-year-old has a strong presence within the squad, and his coaches wanted him around the group.

Canada faces Iceland and Tunisia over the international break, and while Johnston will not feature, the trip carries weight for him at this stage of his recovery.

Speaking while away with the squad, Johnston was clear about how much it meant to be back involved and how Celtic handled the situation. (TCW):

“It’s really nice to be back. I missed September, October and November camps and the thought of missing March too was one I just didn’t really want to entertain. Celtic were great with me.

“They knew where I was at – they knew I play a pretty big leadership role in this group and they knew how important it was for me to be here leading into a home World Cup.

“Celtic gave the first team the week off, so they said there would be nothing better than for me to come out here and get the full training with the national team rather than training on my own in Scotland.

“So it worked out well. It’s been nice to reconnect with everyone.”

The physical side is still a work in progress, but being back in that environment should help sharpen him mentally as well.

Celtic will be keeping a close eye on his progress. Getting Johnston back for the title run-in would be a boost, especially given the current issues at the back.

Julian Araujo is also out just now, leaving a gap at right-back. The Mexican hinted at a return with a recent social media post, but there is no clear timeframe yet.

For Johnston, this is another step forward. Not on the pitch yet, but closer than he has been in months.