Celtic’s Alistair Johnston has insisted that despite all the glitz and the glamour, this summer’s World Cup is still just football…
Johnston is over in his homeland at present, awaiting the tournament kicking-off in earnest, where he and his countrymen will face-off against Bosnia-Herzegovina in Toronto this Friday. Canada are unlikely to win the Wold Cup but the World cup betting, there’s plenty of optimism that they could perhaps go as far as the quarter finals.
After that opening match in Toronto, the Canadians will travel to Vancouver, to take on Qatar on 18 June, whilst Switzerland lie in wait for their final group game, which will be played on 24 June, in the same city.
It will be a great opportunity for the Celtic right-back and his national team to play in front of a big home support, having tasted the tournament once before over in the Middle East in 2022, just before signing for the Hoops.
A veteran of the game now at the ripe old age of 27, Alistair Johnston simply reckons that football is just football, even in light of the magnitude of the World Cup.
Speaking ahead of the big one commencing in his home country, USA and Mexico, he said: “You’re looking across at these world class players and it’s hard not to get caught up in the moment there. But as soon as they blew that whistle and we got those jitters out of the way, you just remember that you are playing football.”
Even though AJ and his team will have the proud moment of playing in front of friends and family for Canada, he insists that they have a job to do, which is no different to any other time in professional football.
“No matter how bright the lights are, how many people are watching, at the end of the day, as soon as the ref blows the whistle it’s still just football,”the Celtic right-back said, as reported by Toronto Star.
“It’s still 11 men on the other side, the ball’s still the same size, the pitch is still the same size,” Johnston added.
Alistair Johnston and his compatriots will no doubt be looking at their World Cup group and thinking they have an excellent chance to reach the knockouts.
Switzerland are old heads at these tournaments and will definitely provide nous and experience en-route to the knockouts. For the Canadians, it will be all about ensuring they get the job done against the Middle Eastern state and Wales’ conquerors Bosnia. Roared on by their home crowds in Toronto and Vancouver that is certainly possible.
Best of luck to AJ and all the Celtic stars playing in the greatest show on Earth including Kieran Tierney and Anthony Ralston who will be representing Scotland.
And don’t forget about Daizen Maeda who is likely to be a tournament star with Japan plus Celtic’s player of the year Benjamin Nygren who will compete for Sweden against his Celtic teammate Sebastian Tounekti who will wear his Tunisia shirt with great pride.
So too will Auston Trusty for Canada’s co-hosts the USA, while not forgetting Yang Hyun-jun who will represent South Korea, a country that usually does very well at the World Cup.
For Scotland the task is to get out of the group stages for the first time ever in the country’s first appearance this century.
The last time Scotland performed at the World Cup was in France 1998 so the Tartan Army, travelling to the United States in large numbers, will be hoping that this is their opportunity to make World Cup history for Scotland.
1 Comment
Would like to think that our current players, at this world cup, will be available for our A C Milan pre season friendly, just before the start of our SPFL campaign?
Just how many of the 8, is another matter, with such a disruptive pre season in store for ourselves?
Would hope it’s still 6 at least, especially with doubts surrounding the futures of Maeda and Nygren at present. Could be less than 6 if any of our players have a prolonged world cup, as a rest period for themselves, will possibly be applied?
And of course, a world cup can generate extra interest in our players, that we could possibly do without, especially with such a rebuilding squad process expected to take place imo?
Enough complications involved already, without adding any more to it?
MoN, will be fully aware of the situation, we are facing regarding world cup player involvement. But still will bring it’s own problems, if we have intentions of signing players, who could well be on world cup duties at present?
That alone, covers over a thousand players.
So with a world cup in operation, expecting a slower than usual transfer window overall.
Which is going to get more frustrating, if we occur players leaving, and time delays involved in getting replacements into our club?
So hopefully to reduce the noise around the situation, there are potentially a few targets in the making, who aren’t involved within world cup commitments, and be readily available, for a fuller pre season for ourselves imo?