Joe Hart insists Mikey Johnston is a player who can get people 'off their seats' but that he doesn't 'need' to feel appreciated.
The Celtic winger, who found game time under Ange Postecoglou relatively sparse, sealed a loan move to Vitoria Guimarães and has impressed in Portugal after making the big call to switch his international allegiance from Scotland to the Republic of Ireland. Johnston has made 20 appearances since Postecoglou's arrival and still has three years on his current deal in Glasgow.
The 23-year-old himself admitted a Parkhead return would be contingent on good playing time as he noted he wanted to feel 'important' and not just to sit on the bench in Glasgow's east end. The Scottish Premiership champions have a plethora of options on the wings with Jota, Daizen Maeda, Liel Abada and Sead Haksabanovic all on top form.
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But for experienced stopper Hart, Johnston showed his characteristics on the first day they met. The former England number one gave a glowing review of the youngster.
Speaking to the Irish Mirror, he said: "Ireland are getting someone who is potentially very special. He has a lot of ability and the kind of qualities that can lift people off their seats. I noticed that the moment I met him, but he’s been very unlucky with injuries. You have to really understand football to understand what he’s been through because they’re not your average injuries.
“People understand when you pull your hamstring and you're out for eight weeks but you come back and you're fine. Or if you break a leg. But Mikey had these little injuries that kept holding him back and stopped any sort of momentum and flow in his career.
"But he's very professional and is doing his best to get the best out of himself. A fully fit Mikey Johnston can impact games and he’ll get people out of their seats.
“Mikey is a throwback winger, but he’ll be the first to admit that he must produce consistency - both availability wise and how he plays. If he does that, then I really think he’ll be a great acquisition for anyone. Those are the things he’s working on, but football is not that simple and straightforward.
"You don't just roll out of bed every day and automatically play your best. As long as he keeps his head down and keeps working, he can do that. Mikey is a confidence player, there’s no secret about that. But getting that feeling of positivity from the Irish crowd will do a lot for him.
“Mikey doesn't ‘need’ to feel appreciated, but if he is then you’ll see a lot of positivity out of him. If Mikey is cheeky and excitable, you're going to get a good player but when he's not, you need to get him back to those ways if you want to see the best out of him.”
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