Celtic's Defensive Challenges: Alistair Johnston Out Until October

Celtic have been dealt another defensive blow, with manager Martin O'Neill confirming that right-back Alistair Johnston will be sidelined until October.

The 27-year-old Canada international was forced off at half-time in the second league game of the season against Kilmarnock, a worrying sight for a player who missed most of last campaign with a hamstring problem. A scan has now confirmed those fears: Johnston faces another extended spell out.

“There was definitely something there, and I think the prognosis is really that it will be some time in October for him,” O'Neill said, speaking before Celtic’s Champions League play-off second leg away to LASK.

Defensive gaps exposed

Celtic spent the summer sharpening their attack and being heavily linked with midfield reinforcements. Now the back line has muscled its way to the front of O’Neill’s in-tray.

With Johnston out and options already thin, the manager admitted the defensive area needs attention.

“If you consider that Kieran [Tierney] is essentially our only left-sided full-back, we'll have a little look,” he said.

The timing is awkward. Celtic are balancing a crucial European tie with the closing days of the transfer window, and O’Neill made it clear he will not let recruitment distract from the immediate task.

“I really will not concentrate on anything at all until after the game, regardless of what the result is or whichever competition we happen to be in,” he insisted. “We've got some days before the transfer deadline [3 September], and I hope that we will get some people in.”

Targets and turnover

Names have already swirled around Celtic’s rebuild. Ermin Mahmic of Slovan Liberec and Torino midfielder Gvidas Gineitis have both been linked, but O’Neill drew a line under any suggestion that deals were close.

He said there was nothing further to report on either player.

What he did underline was the scale of the squad churn he inherited.

“I was told some weeks ago that we'd lost 14 players and we'd only replaced them with two at the time,” O'Neill noted. “But I think the whole thing was balanced out. There were some of those players that we took on loan, that were going to be leaving anyway, weren't going to be coming back. And it was a matter of trying to get a little bit of quality in.”

That word – quality – is clearly driving Celtic’s strategy.

“I think that we could fill up the squad if you wanted to, with loads of names,” he said. “But it was a bit of quality that we were looking for because that eventually would be, I think, of paramount importance between now and January.”

Young cover, big stage

In Johnston’s absence, 19-year-old Colby Donovan has stepped into the spotlight. The teenager impressed in the 3-0 first-leg win over LASK at Celtic Park, showing composure on a European night that might have overwhelmed less assured youngsters.

Scotland international Anthony Ralston offers another option at right-back, giving O’Neill at least some cover as Celtic push to secure their place in the Champions League group stage.

For now, the manager must juggle a patched-up defence, a thin full-back department and the pressure of Europe. The window closes on 3 September. Johnston is out until October. Celtic’s next move in the market may say plenty about how serious their ambitions are between now and January.