Alistair Johnston’s road back from injury was one of the biggest stories inside Celtic’s dressing room last season.
The Canadian defender missed a large part of the campaign after suffering a hamstring injury before later suffering another setback during his recovery. It left Johnston facing months on the sidelines while Celtic battled through a difficult season.
By the end of the campaign, however, he had fought his way back into the squad. His return gave Celtic another experienced option at right-back as Martin O’Neill guided the team to the Premiership title and Scottish Cup.
The Republic of Ireland defender knows Johnston well from their time together at Celtic and believes his teammate could now make a major impact for Canada at the World Cup.
Scales has seen Johnston’s recovery up close throughout the season.
He said: (Daily Record), “We were all there for him when he was out. When you have an injury, and I think he obviously came back and re-injured himself, that’s got to be the worst.
“So, you know, we were all there for him. He’s a positive guy himself, but we all helped him through.
“AJ could have a big summer, definitely. Canada are one of the home nations, and they’ve got a good side.
“I haven’t watched too much of them, but from what I’ve heard from him, they’re coached well and they’re hard to play against.
“I’ll be interested in seeing how they do, and interesting playing against them.”
Johnston’s influence at Celtic goes beyond what he does on the pitch. Throughout his recovery, teammates regularly spoke about his attitude around Lennoxtown and his determination to get back playing.
That made the setbacks even harder to take. A return to training was followed by another injury problem, forcing him to start again at a stage when he thought the finish line was in sight.
Now the focus shifts to Canada.
The tournament carries extra weight for Johnston, with Canada hosting alongside the United States and Mexico. After spending much of the season working his way back to fitness, he now has the chance to play a leading role on one of the biggest stages in football.
If he can stay fit, Celtic supporters know exactly what he can bring. Energy, consistency and the ability to handle big occasions have become regular features of his game since arriving in Glasgow.
