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| Stefan Johansen will be given a leave of absence |
STEFAN JOHANSEN has been given an extended holiday as he tries to end an alarming form slump and rebuild shattered confidence.
Celtic manager Ronny Deila admitted the midfielder is struggling to hit the heights which made him last season’s player of the year, with his place in the team questioned by punters and pundits alike.
Johansen didn’t get any respite on international duty last week when was rated Norway’s worst performer in a newspaper poll after the Euro 2016 play-off defeat against Hungary.
Now Deila has opted to take his compatriot out of the firing line for a week.
Johansen will be absent for today’s visit of Kilmarnock and is already suspended for Thursday’s Europa League clash against Ajax.
Deila insists the 24-year-old’s problems are not down to an over-inflated ego or issues within the team. Instead, he feels Johansen has hit a brick wall because he’s having to live up to greater expectations.
Deila said: “When Stefan was fantastic last year, he wasn’t that fantastic. Now he’s not that bad. It’s somewhere in between.
“I watch the body language of all the players every day. I see what’s going on and if I see something I tell them.
“It’s about learning and having experience. You have to be there through those experiences.
“Stefan doesn’t think he is bigger than anyone else, if that is the picture that’s being painted. Not at all. He’s one of the most social guys in the group, he’s a leader.
“He has the respect of everyone. It’s not about ego. It’s about mindset. He’s been challenged in a different way because of the expectations.
“You could say he hasn’t been as good as last year but last season everything was positive. Every time he kicked the ball it went the right way and he had loads of energy.
“This year it has been negative.
“The task is to build him up again and help him regain his confidence.
“He has only been going one way since he was 19 at Stromsgodset – straight up.
“It’s maybe a time when things are going the other way and it’s hard time for him at his club and the national team.
“But he will come back from it and be even stronger and better. It’s not about attitude, it’s about focus.”
Emilio Izaguirre is also likely to be left out of today’s squad as the Honduran recovers from international duty.
Fellow full-back Mikael Lustig is on a high after winning through to the Euros with Sweden, but he too may be absent as part of his long-term injury management programme.
Kris Commons is missing through illness but Jozo Simunovic and Tom Rogic are fit after injury scares while on duty with Croatia and Australia respectively.
Deila also confirmed that Ryan Christie has kicked his last ball for Inverness.
The 20-year-old midfielder is crocked with a knee injury and is heading to see a London specialist as part of his recovery plan.
But he will not return to Caley Thistle on loan when he is fit again.
Deila said: “We’ve taken him in now. He’ll be out for six to eight weeks, so he’ll start training with us.
“I think he will have played his last game for Inverness.”
By Michael Baillie
KILLIE DEFENDER NARROWS HORIZONS
CONRAD BALATONI is ready to put his ambitions of playing abroad on hold to sign a new Kilmarnock deal.
When the defender quit Partick in May he hoped to start a new adventure overseas and broaden his horizons.
But the offers didn’t materialise and Balatoni was relieved to join the Rugby Park outfit in September.
Now the 24-year-old is on the verge of extending his short-term contract with Gary Locke’s team. Balatoni said: “I’m signed until January but we’ve been negotiating a new contract for the last week so hopefully things will be finalised soon.
“I had five great years with Thistle – I won the Championship and kept them up in the league for two seasons running.
“But I felt a change was necessary to progress my career.
“I took the decision to leave when I had a contract there for me if I wanted it. I thought it was the right time to move on.
“I wanted to go abroad because that’s one of my biggest ambitions, but things didn’t work out.
“I still feel I’ve got time on my side to do that, maybe in my later years. It’s something I’d love to do.
“The summer opened up my eyes on how you don’t walk into a club or a team these days. Things didn’t work out my way until Killie gave me the chance.
“I feel I’ve repaid them – I’m happy to stay and show why the manager had faith in me.
“I’m keen to get things sorted as I’m enjoyed my football here. I feel I’ve done well since getting into the side.
“Looking back, I’m glad I did it, even though at the time I asked myself if I’d made a mistake when I didn’t have anything.”
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