CELTIC MANAGER BRENDAN Rodgers has urged Mikey Johnston to produce more of an impact in a frank assessment of the Irish international’s progress.
The winger has received more game time this season after a loan spell in Portugal and was handed his first League start for the Scottish giants since December 2021 on Wednesday against Hibernian.
Rodgers doesn’t want Johnston to rest on his laurels, though, demanding the 24-year-old to make a long-awaited breakthrough.
“Mikey needs to do more, that’s the reality,” Rodgers told the BBC after the 4-1 victory.
“He has big talent. He comes into the game but if you are going to start the game, we need more impact from him but that is something we can hopefully see over the course of time.
“He’s not young. He’s 24. At some point, you need to grab the bull by the horns and be aggressive.
“It can be easier coming off the bench, it doesn’t feel like pressure. You can come in and show your qualities.
“If any player wants to be starting here, you have to have that personality to come in and play.
“But he’s been really good in training and earned the start. Hopefully, if he does get more starts, he can show more of his qualities.”
🗣️'Mikey needs to do more. He's not young, he's 24. At some point he has to grab the bull by the horns'
— BBC Sport Scotland (@BBCSportScot) December 6, 2023
Brendan Rodgers says winger Mikey Johnston needs to show more when starting for Celtic ⤵️#BBCFootball pic.twitter.com/NAkvEE1mTn
The Glasgow-born attacker broke into the Irish set-up this year, playing eight times and scoring in two games against Gibraltar.