Slumped in his chair in the immediate aftermath of Tottenham’s north London derby defeat, Brennan Johnson reached for his phone.
He scrolled. He scrolled some more. Before he knew it, Johnson was lost in an abyss of social media hate. Not only that, the abuse was from accounts owned by people purporting to be Tottenham fans.
Later that night, after seeking advice from loved ones, he took a decision to deactivate his Instagram account. It’s a choice that appears to have ignited his season. Tottenham’s, too.
Fast forward a fortnight and a mocked up photo of Johnson morphing into the original Ronaldo was going viral following Sunday’s 3-0 victory at Old Trafford.
Aren’t fans fickle, eh? One minute, you’re off social media to avoid a bombardment of abuse; the next - following a run of four goals in four games - the same accounts are comparing you to a Brazilian legend.
The contrariety of it all isn’t lost on Johnson. He knows he isn’t Ronaldo. Equally, he knows he isn’t as inept as many Spurs fans would have had you believe.
Much was made of Johnson’s decision to deactivate his Insta page following the loss to Arsenal on September 15. He knew it would cause a stir, particularly because of the timing of it.
Indeed, Tottenham staff and his team-mates rushed to rally round the Wales international, concerned for his mental well-being. Captain Heung-min Son and James Maddison are understood to have been particularly supportive of their team-mate in the confines of their Enfield training base.
‘Brennan is first and foremost a very good friend,’ said Maddison on Wednesday. ‘A lot has been made of him coming off social media which to him was probably not such a big thing.
‘He’s the type of guy to have a break from that stuff anyway. But since he’s gone four in four I don’t think I’ll be telling him to redownload anytime soon! He’s a great kid, a brilliant player. No-one has ever doubted that but he’s really showing it at the minute, consistently.
‘That Ronaldo picture was a bit tongue in cheek. We found it funny when it was put in our group-chat. But hopefully he can continue this form because he’s a real threat for us.’
As Maddison says, coming off social media wasn’t wasn’t that big a deal for Johnson. He wasn’t teetering on the brink. Far from it. Speak to those close to the 23-year-old and they’ll describe a laid-back young man who, behind the babyface charm and good manners, has a ruthless layer.
For example, in recent days, rather than basking in the glory of his current hot streak, Johnson has privately rued the opportunities he has squandered and believes he should have scored at least seven goals already this season. That mindset provides a snapshot into Johnson’s mentality. Never satisfied.
‘He’s mentally stronger than people think,’ says a Spurs source. ‘He is a lovely kid, very polite, but if he doesn’t like something he’s got no problems with telling you.’
Much of that relentless drive was nurtured in his formative years growing up in a football environment. His father David, 48, carved out a successful playing career in England; most notably with Nottingham Forest and Ipswich.
The trials and tribulations of being a professional footballer is a dynamic Johnson has grown up with. His upbringing has helped him negotiate his recent career challenges.
David, whilst making a conscious decision not to be overbearing, remains a constant by Johnson’s side. He travels to all of his son’s matches - indeed, he was a guest of Tottenham for Sunday’s win at Manchester United, the club David joined as a trainee in 1992, as Johnson scored the opener and created his team’s second finished by Dejan Kulusevski.
Johnson has been targeted before on social media, and it is said the most recent abuse he has received is not particularly more vociferous than anything from the past.
This time, however, Johnson took a decision that he no longer wanted the distraction. He feels his account is unproductive at this point in his career. ‘It contributes nothing but negativity. It just wastes unnecessary energy,’ adds the insider.
‘Seeing all this s*** on his phone wasn’t healthy for focus,’ says another insider.
But any of his abusers who believe they have instigated Johnson’s impressive riposte are kidding themselves. Of course, there was an element of ‘I’ll prove you wrong’ but this was never about reacting to his tormentors, nor a sign of weakness.
Just three days after shutting down his Insta page, Johnson was scoring a 90th minute winner in a Carabao Cup win over Coventry. And he hasn’t stop scoring since. After that goal at Coventry, there appeared a clear reluctance from Johnson to approach the travelling fans who, ironically, were suddenly rejoicing in Johnson’s contribution.
One minute you’re abusing him, the next your lauding him? If Johnson was perplexed by the authenticity of it all, then it’s understandable.
Since that night, he has been the toast of the Spurs faithful whilst there is an impression from behind the scenes at the club’s training centre that Johnson’s ordeal has nurtured a greater sense of togetherness in the squad. A determination to protect one of their own.
Was Johnson viewed as an easy scapegoat by supporters for the team’s mediocre start to the season? Probably.
He doesn’t necessarily have the credit in the bank that the likes of Son, Maddison and Kulusevski do.
Yet in saying that, Johnson was the third highest assist maker in the Premier League last season with 10 - behind only Ollie Watkins and Cole Palmer.
Moving forward, Johnson is not ruling out re-activating his Insta page one day. If he does, the stunning turnaround in his fortunes should act as a cautionary tale to those tempted to abuse him or any other footballer again.
Or, at the very least, make them feel silly.
