Johansen admits there are no excuses for poor form

Stefan Johansen has admitted that he is struggling for form after being hounded by the Norwegian media.

Following Norway’s play-off failure against Hungary, Johansen was the main target of criticism as many publications gave him a rating of just one or two out of ten – three being the highest.

The midfielder is under pressure to improve his performances, but insisted the barrage of criticism is not affecting his confidence.

Speaking to the Glasgow Evening Times he said:

I can’t blame injuries alone for my poor form this season. I’m not the type of guy who would use that as an excuse.

But I’ll be honest and say I haven’t been playing to the standard that is required.

When the results are bad you will face criticism from fans and the media, but the criticism doesn’t bother me too much. It’s a part of the game.

The people around me – family and friends – are more worried about it. They fear I might take it personally, but I don’t.

Johansen’s fall from grace has been swift, having been a vital part of Ronny Delia’s squad last season.

The 24-year-old scored 13 times in 64 appearances for club and country – a stark contrast to the one goal in his last 22 matches.

And having appeared to have identified the problem, Johansen will be hopeful of returning to his old form as Celtic host Kilmarnock on Saturday. However many will be hoping Deila doesn’t side with his fellow countryman and gives others the chance to impress.