Mikey Johnston is a player who has been the subject of scrutiny from Celtic fans and the Hoops boss.

However, his international boss Stephen Kenny has jumped to the winger’s defence.

Johnston, 24, has had a challenging journey since his first-team debut in 2017. Despite his undeniable talent, his path has been marred by fitness and injury woes, limiting his ability to consistently contribute as a first-team player.

This struggle has been evident through his time under managers Brendan Rodgers, Ange Postecoglou and Neil Lennon. However, under Lennon, he did seem to start to make an impact, but he just couldn’t kick on and tie a starting spot down.

Last season, Johnston was loaned out to Vitoria Guimaraes in Portugal. His performances led to him getting some minutes on the international stage, changing his allegiances from Scotland to Ireland. It was under Kenny that Johnston earned his first international cap in March, a testament to the faith Kenny has in his abilities.

The Irish boss defended Johnston, saying, [Football Scotland] “People need to appreciate Mikey. He has come through the academy at Celtic to play for the first team, which isn’t easy.

“For whatever reason, he’s had a level of criticism at Celtic but he’s a unique talent. The Irish public love him and I think he’ll go on to become an outstanding winger. He’s capable of brilliant things.

“But like a lot of skilful players, he loves being loved. The harsh criticism is not easy to deal with for individual talents like that. They respond to the warmth of the crowd.”