Brendan Rodgers appreciates the sensible approach taken by the Canada national team coach Jesse Marsch in protecting Alistair Johnston last weekend…
Marsch quickly substituting the Celtic right back early in the match against the United States, after Johnston felt a tightness in his hamstring.
Johnston returned to Lennoxtown this week and was spotted training yesterday ahead of today’s match against Hearts. The Celtic manager will now make the decision whether he is going to risk Johnston today, especially as Slovan Bratislava are next up on Wednesday night at Celtic Park in the opening match of the Champions League.
Rodgers addressed Alistair Johnston’s fitness situation yesterday afternoon at Lennoxtown and, reading between the lines, he could be next to taken a cautious approach with Alistair Johnston’s fitness.
“It was just as a precaution really”
The Celtic manager said: “Ali (Johnston) and Jesse (Marsch) were sensible in terms of how he felt in the game and took him off and sent him back.
“It was just as a precaution really. He felt a little tight but he felt a similar niggle going into the Rangers game as well. We need to protect him. He has travelled and gone away and felt a little bit of tightness in the game but they managed him well. So, we brought him back and he’s trained well.”
Will Alistair Johnston start against Hearts or will Anthony Ralston, who started for Scotland against Poland and Portugal during the international break, be given the nod. We’ll know pretty soon…
