Brendan Rodgers has revealed that Alistair Johnston is ahead of schedule as he recovers from injury.
The defender picked up a knock playing for Canada against the USA at the end of June and has been absent from Celtic training until yesterday.
Lunchtime pictures from Lennoxtown showed Johnston back in action, twisting and turning out on the grass, back involved with his team-mates.
Asked about the defender’s rehab, Rodgers told the Daily Record:
It’s brilliant. He’s back in. He’s training with us and he’s ahead of schedule. He had his first training session with the team on Friday.
He’s obviously not had any minutes on the pitch yet so we need to take him safely through, because it’s a long season.
Sunday at Kilmarnock looks way to early but given a full week of training it should be realistic for Johnston to be involved at home to St Johnston next Saturday.
Provided there is no adverse reaction the Canadian internationalist should then be in contention to start at Ibrox on September 3, the fixtures he made his debut in eight months earlier.
After picking up a knock at the end of April in the Scottish Cup semi-final Johnston missed four matches then returned for the final SPFL match of the season at home to Aberdeen before completing his Scottish medal collection at Hampden against Inverness Caley Thistle.
I think AJ has a bit of ‘warrior’ in him and he’s been brilliant since he came to us.
It’s no surprise to me he’s “ahead of schedule” in his recovery.
It has to be said too that Anthony Ralston is well capable and if AJ doesn’t make the new huns game then I’m sure AR will cover competently and assuredly.
But, FFS, get a decent ‘keeper in it’s the stand-out position we need cover in for Big Joe and not a ‘project’, someone who’ll quickly become No 1. Pay the money, bring in Livakovic……..fukk me I’ve heard that before somewhere. 🙂