Johnston admits Celtic must home in on securing a big first-leg lead ahead of Kazakhstan return

Daily Mail​

4 days ago

Travel may well broaden the mind, but arduous journeys can also weaken the body and leave one feeling disorientated.
Eight years ago, Celtic packed their bags for Kazakhstan on the back of a comprehensive 5-0 victory over Astana in the first leg of their Champions League play-off.
By the time their charter plane began its descent, it had passed over Afghanistan, with the city beneath already shrouded in darkness.
What should have been a smooth progression to the group stage turned into the most uncomfortable of nights.
Buoyed by Kristoffer Ajer's early own goal, Astana were 4-1 ahead after 69 minutes and looking good to complete a miraculous comeback against a visiting team whose heads were swimming.
While late goals by Olivier Ntcham and Leigh Griffiths staved off disaster, the affair served to illustrate the inherent danger which lies in wait in such outposts of the game.
It's an episode which the survivors have been keen to share as Celtic prepare to tackle Kairat Almaty firstly in Glasgow this week.
Kieran Tierney, James Forrest and Callum McGregor all started on that that nervy night with Anthony Ralston coming off the bench.
Ahead of returning to Kazakhstan for a game which will have £40million riding on the outcome, each has been keen to stress that no first leg lead may feel big enough.
'I think it's massive,' said full-back Alistair Johnston of the need to deliver at home.
'I've talked to the guys who played Astana. They had a pretty comfortable lead going into that second leg and before you know it, it can get really difficult out there.
'That travel, the time changes, all of it. It's not an easy away day at all. So, you need to make sure that you take full advantage at home when you have the conditions in your favour and the crowd on our side.
'I don't think that's something that's lost on us. Being a two-legged affair and us being at home first, that's going to be something in the mentality where, okay, if you get one, you got to keep pushing.
'It's going to have to be 90 minutes and don't waste a single minute of it.'
Almaty is 763 miles further on from Astana, just 360 miles from the Dzungarian Gate border crossing into China.
Although a competing UEFA nation, Kazakhstan actually has territory in two continents, Europe and Asia, with Celtic set to play on the east side of the dividing line which is the Ural River.
Even for a seasoned traveller like Celtic's Canadian defender, this trip promises to be taxing.
'We've quite a few guys that do it pretty regularly,' said Johnston.
'Obviously, the Japanese boys, myself, (Auston) Trusty, CCV (Cameron Carter-Vickers). It's not fun, I'll tell you that much. It's pretty brutal.
'It'll be a bit of an eye-opener to the European boys who are used to a little hour or two's flight away.
'When you're crossing an ocean or several time zones, it really adds up and makes it difficult.'
This will be Celtic's third trip to Kazakhstan. That 4-3 defeat to Astana under Rodgers came a year after they beat the same opponent 3-2 on aggregate in the third qualifying round thanks to a 1-1 away draw. Twelve years ago, Neil Lennon's side lost 2-0 away to Shakhter Karagandy (also played in Astana) before a never-to-be-forgotten 3-0 win at Parkhead which took them to the group stages.
There should be then, a bank of knowledge of how to deal with the logistical challenges of returning there in a week's time.
'I'm curious exactly what the plan's going to be with the travel,' mused Johnston.
'But ideally you try and get there a bit earlier, acclimatise and just get ready to go.
'But then at the same time, right after that you're coming back and it's going to be a really difficult test away at Ibrox.
'So, there's things like that where you need to be able to plan and rely on the squad.
'It's a big few weeks here for us. But all of us international boys who are used to those long distance travels obviously will try and help out the other guys.'
Any advice the man from Vancouver imparts will be worth taking on board. As his team-mates were resting up in June, he was in Texas then
Minnesota helping with Canada's Gold Cup campaign.
A schedule which sees him regularly criss-crossing the globe needs to be carefully managed. A delayed return to pre-season training ensured he felt rested ahead of the starter pistol firing again.
'The coaching staff has been really good with me in terms of knowing the amount of minutes and matches I've played, between international and club football,' said the 26-year-old.
'So, they've done a good job of finding that balance of getting me a break here and there.
'They know this year is going to be a really big one for international football with the World Cup next summer.
'They wanted to try and give me a little bit of an extended break after our international tournament this past summer. They do a pretty good job with me in terms of building me back up, but they also throw me into the deep end a little bit and I like that.'
The plan appears to be working. On Friday night against Falkirk, Johnston motored up and down the right flank in his customary fashion, his efforts bringing the rare reward of a left-foot finish to beat former team-mate Scott Bain to help put Celtic in the last eight of the Premier Sports Cup.
'As a full-back it's not really my role, but whenever I can chip in with something like that, it's nice,' he reflected.
'It was kind of just a left-foot swing of the pendulum and I think I caught Bainy out.
'I was joking with the lads — I don't think I've ever actually taken a shot with my left foot before.
'So, I'm guessing he's never seen it in his two-and-a-half years that I played with him.
'I'm glad I caught him off guard and managed to sneak it in there.
'I haven't seen him yet, but I'll definitely be giving him a little bit. He deserves it. He was having a go at my garden saying that my grass was all patchy — he's right and I know he's got a great garden.
'I've got a little bit of a thing going on there, me and him. He's a good lad.'