O'Neill on Johnston injury, Celtic milestone & No.1 battle

O'Neill expects Alistair Johnston to be out until after the international break following the right-back's aborted comeback from a hamstring injury against Hibs last weekend.

The Celtic boss says: "He got a scan and it's not too bad. It's not the same injury. It's shorter term for him. But he's very philosophical about it all, he's taking it in his stride and I think he's really happy with what the scan has shown."

A "very long" year to the day since his return to Celtic, O'Neill says the past 12 months have given him "a lot of satisfaction" and he is "happy with the results since".

He adds: "The club has done more for me than I've done for the club. Seriously, it's rejuvenated me in many aspects. I was doing a little bit of punditry work, talking nonsense most of the time, so nothing really changes from that viewpoint. But in a serious sense, really rejuvenation, getting into a game that I absolutely love, will love forever. And something that had passed me by for some considerable time."

O'Neill is delighted Colby Donovan has been rewarded with a new contract, saying the 20-year-old has shown "great determination" and been "really super" while having more improvement to come.

He adds: "It is nice to have some kids coming through who are Celtic through and through, whose only ambition is to play for Celtic, and to actually come up and play well and do well enough to stay in the side."

With Sam Johnstone having started the past two games at the expense of Viljami Sinisalo, O'Neill says he must decide "over the next few weeks" who his first-choice goalkeeper will be.

The Celtic boss backs out-of-form striker Kasper Hogh, saying he can deliver a "flurry of goals" once he rediscovers his confidence.

Joel van den Berg, who is yet to make his debut because of injury, trained with the squad for the first time on Tuesday and O'Neill "can't wait to see what he's capable of" in the coming months. Yang Hyun-jun will return to training next week.

O'Neill has a "lot of time" for Dundee United boss Jim Goodwin, who is a "really fine manager" having been a youngster in the squad during his first spell in charge. He adds: "He didn't play because he wasn't good enough! I think I was the first one to get him all those grey hairs."