Alistair Johnston is under no illusions about the importance of a strong start to the new campaign, with the Canadian full-back urging his Celtic teammates to hit the ground running when the Premiership kicks off on Sunday afternoon.
The defender has enjoyed a whirlwind summer, helping Canada to the quarter-finals of the CONCACAF Gold Cup before returning to the squad in Lake Como and making an appearance as he still gets up to speed. He also tied the knot during the off-season, adding another memorable moment to an already packed calendar.
But with the new campaign now just days away, Johnston’s focus has quickly returned to business. Speaking to Celtic TV, he made it clear that there’s no time for easing in.
“Everything matters now.
“The three points count now as much as they do at the end of the season.
“When we look back at last season, we had a good a start and that made a difference come the end of the season.
“If you do your work early, you can take a lot of pressure off, especially when the season gets really busy in the winter.”
“We know how important it is to come out of the blocks strong, and this year we have Champions League qualifiers as well, so it’s a big month for us from the get-go.
“That’s a challenge that we’re looking forward to. We have the group to do it, so now it’s about going out there and putting in the performances.”
With European football on the horizon and domestic duties kicking off this weekend, the full-back’s words will resonate with a squad aiming to build early momentum in a demanding campaign.
Celtic will find out who they will play in the knockout round to get into the Champions League on Monday. The Hoops will face one of Basel, Sturm Graz, Slovan Bratislava or Kairat, Pafos or Dynamo Kyiv and Qarabag or Shkendija.
Hopefully, the Hoops can get past them and play in the Champions League and make some more progress in its new format.
