Alistair Johnston has opened up on his mid=season shift from the MLS to the SPFL.
Replacing Josip Juranovic looked like a massive challenge for Ange Postecoglou and his recruitment team but in a rare venture into North America they came up trumps.
Johnston has the advantage of knowing the language but Scottish football tends to be a different sort of beast to life elsewhere, especially when you are pitched into a Glasgow Derby for your debut.
The Canadian internationalist thrived on the pressure and tension of that trip to Ibrox, settling almost instantly and appearing to relish the passion of a fixture that can overwhelm some newcomers to Glasgow.
After the World Cup in Qatar Johnston joined Celtic at a winter training camp in Qatar, watched a couple of domestic fixtures then plunged in at the deep end as fully prepared as possible.
Reflecting on his first few months at Celtic he told the Daily Record:
As well as people in the outside world think it’s gone, there have still been difficulties and struggles in the system.
But I’m lucky, I’ve got a really got a good group of guys and coaching staff to help me. Tony Ralston, Greg Taylor, all these guys, have shown me the ropes. They’ve helped make the transition as easy as possible.
Coming to a country where I don’t feel out of place also has helped. The year before they’d said the Japanese guys had come over in a similar situation, having played a full season and then coming to the SPFL it was difficult.
They had to learn a whole new language and culture. But for me, growing up in a British household, speaks English, it really wasn’t that big a transition.
With a full pre-season and three medals to his name Johnston will be looking to kick on with playing in the Champions League the next big goal for a player who seems to rise to the challenge every time.