Neil Lennon: 'Mercurial' Mikey Johnston is a real addition for Ireland

TRICKY CUSTOMER: Mikey Johnston of Republic of Ireland in action against Roberts Savalnieks and Alvis Jaunzems of Latvia during the international friendly at the Aviva Stadium. Pic: Seb Daly/Sportsfile

Timekeeping isn’t Mikey Johnston’s biggest strength according to Neil Lennon but his former Celtic manager feels the “mercurial” winger’s addition to the Ireland set-up is opportune.

Johnston made his first two appearances for Ireland in the recent March window after engineering a switch from Scotland that Lennon recommended.

Indeed, the Armagh native admitted his first-team coach between 2019 and 2020, Damien Duff, also encouraged the winger’s defection from his homeland.

“Duffer and I were pestering Mikey for months and months; saying ‘don’t play for Scotland, play for Ireland’,” Lennon explained about the 23-year-old, who represented Scotland up to Under-21 level.

“I didn’t know until I watched the France game that he had joined up with Ireland. He’s a mercurial player, with good feet and good pace.

“He’s a little bit dizzy. Academically, he is brilliant, but setting his alarm clock is a problem for him!” 

Bhoys boss Ange Postecoglou felt the timing was right to send Johnston on loan to Vitória Guimarães this season.

A spate of injuries, including a serious knee rupture during Lennon’s second spell at Parkhead in early 2020, curbed the Glaswegian’s impact and finding a haven for a fresh challenge was jointly agreed upon.

“From what I gather, his form in Portugal has been good and it’s been great to see him get senior caps,” added Lennon about the winger who has made 19 appearances during his temporary switch.

“A plethora of injury problems curtailed him but if Mikey can stay fit, he would be a real bonus for Ireland. Hopefully, his injury problems are behind him because he’s a lovely boy and I hope he makes a good run of it.” 

Duff’s decision to quit the Ireland set-up just eight months into his spell as Stephen Kenny’s sidekick deprived Johnston a reunion with a fellow wing wizard but Lennon is delighted to see the centurion blossoming into a standalone supremo at Shelbourne.

It was Lennon who was first to employ Duff as a senior coach, promoting him from the Celtic Under-23 staff to his own when returning to Paradise after Brendan Rodgers quit for Leicester City in February 2019.

“Damien came in almost like a rookie but left as a very rounded individual,” recalled Lennon about the two-time Premier League winner, whose sole previous coaching experience was managing the Shamrock Rovers Under-15 squad for a season.

“The first time I observed him with the youngsters as well, where he would go through the analysis of games in a one-on-one situation, he was so thorough.

“I always thought Damien had great credentials anyway. He had a great career, working under the likes of Roy Hodgson and Jose Mourinho, and had the pedigree as an international footballer as well.

“He has great game-intelligence and his reading of the game is exceptional. His work with the attacking players with Celtic when I was there was top class.

“He dovetailed really well with another one of my coaches, John Kennedy.

“I just think Damien learnt a lot about the game in terms of the tactical side and the analysis side as well.

“I was sorry to see him go, but he had his own personal set of circumstances to deal with.

“Then he joined Ireland for a while in the set-up there and he has now gone on his own at Shelbourne. I think he is a fantastic coach, especially his man-management skills as well.” 

Postecoglou is on track to emulate Lennon’s feat of clinching the treble at the end of this dominant domestic season. Still, the former Bhoys skipper notes the European stage is where the real tests of comparability are for a Celtic chief.

“I always felt Europe was the benchmark for Celtic,” he asserts. “Back in the day when Celtic could compete financially with Premier League clubs, you had myself, Chris Sutton and John Hartson coming from England. I always felt playing in the Champions League for Celtic was where we could check where we were against the likes of Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea or Newcastle.

“Getting the treble is fantastic; it puts your name in the pantheon of great managers, but it is not the be-all and end-all. Winning the SPFL was always the first point of call but then making inroads in Europe was where you judged yourself.” 

*Neil Lennon was speaking in association with Boylesports about Celtic betting.