Six weeks on from his bruising Old Firm debut, goalkeeper believes he is a different player as he adapts to life at Celtic
Nothing could quite prepare Sam Johnstone for his Celtic debut. Six weeks on from his Old Firm baptism of fire at Ibrox, the goalkeeper believes he is a different proposition: better acquainted with his team-mates, better equipped to meet the demands of his new club and increasingly determined to make the most of his opportunity.
The 3-0 defeat by Rangers in the Premier Sports Cup quarter-final proved a bruising introduction, the occasion intensified by the magnitude of the fixture and the absence of an away support. Yet Johnstone, whose early appearances came before he had fully settled into life at Celtic, insists the experience has helped rather than hindered him.
That outing served as a reminder that even an experienced keeper cannot fully prepare for the demands of football’s biggest occasions until he has experienced them first-hand. However, Johnstone has little appetite for dwelling on the painful afternoon that introduced him to the unique intensity of Scottish football at its most unforgiving.
“I don't think anyone can prepare you for that game, especially away with no away fans,” said the former England international. “It was a tough one because of the result and the size of the game. I've never experienced anything like that before in my career. Again, great to play in, but the result hurt us.”
Johnstone’s response to that early setback has been to focus on the work required to become settled within Martin O’Neill’s system. Arriving into Glasgow footballing fishbowl brings its own challenges for any player, but a goalkeeper’s role is particularly dependent on familiarity: understanding his defenders, anticipating their movements and adapting to the demands placed upon him when Celtic build from the back.
“I’ve just got a good block of work in,” explained the 33-year-old. “Coming to a new club, the way we play here is different to where I’ve been previously at different clubs. It was just a case of getting used to that, getting used to the lads in training and to how we do things. I think the last six or seven weeks has really helped me. I feel like a different goalkeeper, a different person, just knowing more about my team-mates and the way we play.”
That growing familiarity is important as Johnstone looks to establish himself in a position where competition for the gloves remains fierce. Viljami Sinisalo is also vying for the No.1 jersey, and the Wolves loanee knows he cannot take his current position in the starting XI for granted.
His work with goalkeeping coach Stevie Woods has been central to that process, helping him adapt to Celtic’s methods as he looks to continue justifying his selection.
“Really good. I’ve really enjoyed it,” he said of Woods. “The sessions are great. He’s a great person. We’ve got a good group between me, Vil, Ross and a few of the younger lads. I enjoy coming in every day. I enjoy training. It’s great to work with Woodsy and Michael McGovern as well. We compete every day, the same as everyone else. Whoever plays has the full support of the other goalkeepers. I’m just enjoying playing and being in the team at the moment.”
The benefits of that work were tested during Sunday’s 2-1 Premiership win over Hibs, with little chance of Johnstone mistaking his afternoon at Easter Road for a routine day at the office.
Celtic had to contend with blustery conditions brought by Storm Boelo and an opponent who made life uncomfortable after scoring inside the opening two minutes. The swirling wind played havoc. It was not an afternoon for aesthetic perfection, but one that demanded concentration and resilience.
Johnstone was left to reflect on a victory that offered considerably more than its narrow margin might suggest.
“It was tough but it was the same for everyone,” he shrugged. “The outfield players, you could see there was a few sloppy bits from both teams and when the wind got hold of the ball, it was getting pulled all over the place.”
For a goalkeeper attempting to make himself indispensable, such results matter. Martin O’Neill described it as Celtic’s “best win of the season”, and Johnstone agreed that circumstances made the three points particularly significant as his side bounced back from further European disappointment just three days earlier.
“Yeah, of course it was,” he said when asked whether that assessment was shared in the dressing room. “It wasn’t an easy game. The lads dug in and sometimes you’ve got to do that. It’s not always pretty and you get the result at the end of it.”
It is a mentality shaped by the need to move forward quickly, something Johnstone has had to embrace. His early Celtic experience has therefore become a lesson in adaptation as much as adversity. The next step is to ensure that his progress becomes impossible to ignore.
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