Mikey must get Messi to continue joy

CARLOS Corberan has challenged Mikey Johnston to take a leaf out of Argentina great Lionel Messi’s book and work twice as hard just to continue enjoying the fruits of the early stages of his Albion loan spell.

Winger Johnston, who joined on loan from Celtic in January, has seven goals to his name and his form has earned him the Championship Player of the Month award for March.

Johnston scored six of his Albion goals in the space of his first nine appearances, but his recent strike against Stoke City was his only goal in his last eight outings.

There has been evidence that opposing teams are growing wise to Johnston’s abilities and intentions; full-backs and wingers have often doubled up in order to nullify Johnston. Still, the Ireland international turned in a very impressive display in the win over Rotherham on Wednesday, when playing a part in Brandon ThomasAsante’s opening goal. As sides begin to recognise Johnston as one of the Baggies’ most potent attackers, the attention will naturally increase – and he will have to work doubly hard just to continue producing the same.

“I will tell you one example that probably is not the right one because I cannot compare this player with another one – but we know the resources of Messi,” Corberan explained. “Messi, when he was young, had just one player marking him and when he finished he had seven players around him, but still he was the best in the world. Why? Because some players can keep finding solutions.

“I believe in Johnston as a player a lot, I like his mentality a lot. His only challenge in the last period of time is physical. He came on loan because he was not playing a lot and now he’s playing a lot.

“I said one sentence to him that I listened to from Marcelo Bielsa – so it’s not my sentence! ‘Sometimes to make the same, you need to make double’.

“For me, this sentence is what happens. When nobody knows you, you surprise everyone. As soon as the people see your impact they are focused on you, so to make the same impact you need to work double.

“You can understand ‘double’ how you want. More hard work? Increase your resources? I would go more on these two things. When people see your strength then they start to be focused on your strength.

“You need to develop other strengths to be an unpredictable player. So to say ‘make the double’ – this is a very good sentence from Marcelo.”

Johnston’s future will come under the spotlight in the summer, but his loan manager has been pleased with how he has taken to his new surroundings and accompanying challenge.

“Johnston is showing that he has adapted,” Corberan concluded.

“His first adaptation was defensive, the second is to team-mates, the club and the league. For me he’s had a very positive adaptation.”