'Halifax have not had a No. 8 like this': How Isaiah Johnston's journey through CBU and Loudoun United prepared him to be a Wanderer

Dean Morley says he needed to watch the kid live.

So, armed with the knowledge that then 17-year old midfielder Isaiah Johnston was going to be playing in a scouting combine in Ottawa, the long-time head coach of Cape Breton University's (CBU) men's soccer program packed his bags, boarded a plane and flew to the nation's capital.

Johnston, who was born in Mississauga, Ont., was a player that Morley had been eyeing for some time. And his profile, at least through highlights and conversations, was one that "Coach Deano" — as he's affectionately been dubbed — thought he could work with in helping the Caper's continue their goal of competing for national championships. But he needed to be sure.

After two days of watching Johnston intently, Morley says he left Ottawa that weekend with the clear objective of recruiting the kid to CBU.

“I thought that his technical ability was beyond anyone else I had seen in Canada at the time. I thought that his vision had great potential. And I thought he was a brilliant athlete who had a really good engine," Morley tells The Wanderers Notebook in an interview. "I wanted the chance to work with him and I was delighted when he came to my program.”

The Halifax Wanderers announced on Wednesday that they'd bought the now 23-year old Johnston from USL Championship side Loudoun United FC. And although he may have been born in Ontario, there's little doubt that Johnston's return to the East Coast is a homecoming of sorts, the Wanderers themselves citing his Cape Breton connection as one of the many reasons they opened their wallet.

But, having developed significantly as a player since leaving CBU to join York United in 2020 , Morley doesn't want anyone to undervalue the midfielder who will show up for Halifax's training camp in February.

"Halifax have not had a No. 8 like this," explains Morley.

"He's going to break lines, he's got vision, if there's the right wingers and forwards ahead of him, he'll see them, he'll support them. If the crowd get behind him, he's going to be an exciting piece on the field to watch. I think this is up there with some of the best signings they've made."

Listening to Morley speak, it's easy to forget that he only had Johnston in his squad for one season. However, even as an 18-year old, Morley says Johnston had the quality to walk straight into the starting lineup, playing a key component in the program's quest for medals. They went on to win bronze in nationals in 2019. And Johnston grew into himself, transitioning from a purely defensive midfielder to a more attacking role which saw him collect a goal and three assists across that first season, the realization of the vision and skill Morley had witnessed in Ottawa. Johnston's recognition as AUS Rookie of the Year only added to the group's anticipation for the 2020 season.

Then, COVID-19 struck like a unheralded winter storm, stopping everyday life in its tracks. The upcoming varsity season was canceled; CBU would not have a chance to capitalize on their momentum.

Morley says he met with Johnston and his parents as they weighed his options, a professional contract on the table from York United following his selection in the 2019 CPL - U Sports draft. Ultimately, Johnston opted to turn pro and signed.

“As sad I was not to have the chance to help develop his game further, I was absolutely delighted he was on the pathway to pro to fulfill his dreams," says Morley.

Johnston made his professional debut in 2020 and went on to make 53 appearances for the Nine Stripes, collecting four goals and five assists to his name. With the 2022 campaign complete, he then headed to the United States, joining MLS Next Pro club Huntsville FC — who are affiliated with Nashville SC — as their first-ever signing.

However, after a year and half in Huntsville's defensive-minded system, Loudoun United head coach Ryan Martin came knocking and introduced Johnston to a style of football that opened his eyes.

"At Loudoun, we were very possession based, with almost 60 per cent possession every game," says Johnston when speaking to The Wanderers Notebook via Zoom. "The playing style was different than what I received at York and Huntsville and Nashville. I've become very comfortable dropping in almost to the top of the 18-yard box, executing a lot of short passes, turning in the pockets and breaking down teams from there.

"But I also have that defensive grit I learned at Nashville. Everybody knows that Nashville is, or was, known as one of the best defensive teams in MLS. I think Loudoun was the second best possession team in all of USL, so I was able to focus on more of those (offensive) things that I wasn't before. I've become more of a well-rounded, well-versed player in the two years I've been abroad."

Hearing Johnston speak about his time in Loudoun is interesting as, in many ways, the system he describes is similar to that employed by Wanderers head coach Patrice Gheisar: both Martin and Gheisar switched between a 3-4-3 and 4-2-3-1 formation in 2024; both leaned more heavily in favour of attacking midfielders; and both believe in the power of a 3-box-3 midfield.

Loudoun's philosophy, as described by Martin, is very much in the same vein as the one employed by the Wanderers these last two seasons, making Johnston a player that could be expected to integrate rather seamlessly. Given Halifax's glacial starts, having a player able to adapt quickly seems like something the club valued.

"For me, it's really about the principles of play," says Martin when asked to explain his footballing philosophies. "We like to identify ourselves as a very proactive, ball-oriented team that wants to have possession and run in behind to create danger and to create risk. Having the ball is the most important thing.”

During his short stint with Loudoun, adds Martin, Johnston was a key player in both keeping and retrieving the ball. He was deployed at times as a No. 6 but was most often deployed as a box-to-box No. 8 and frequently formed part of Loudoun's box midfield.

"He's someone who is so athletic and able to cover so much ground that he was able to regain possession for us quite easily. When you look at what an attacking team is, to get the ball back you’ve got to have people with that mentality and that ability and Isaiah, for me, was superb in covering ground, winning the ball back and most importantly, keeping the ball and making a good decision. He added a lot of quality," says Martin.

All of this, in theory, means Johnston should check all the boxes for the role he's discussed with the Wanderers.

“My role has been pretty clear, I think, on what they’re looking for from me,” says the midfielder. “Some of the conversations we’ve had have been about me being a No. 8 and covering a lot of ground, but also having the technical ability to create and have the freedom to not have to sit and protect the back four while still dropping deep, get on the ball, and use my passing to break lines.”

Johnston had signed a two-year contract with Loudoun, with options for 2026 and 2027.

However, when the Wanderers expressed their interest, Martin says they had to have a discussion about what was best for the player and the club, part of the balancing act all coaches are faced with.

"As a coach, you've really got two responsibilities. One is to win games and the other is to help players grow as people. When I’m looking at my winning hat, selling Isaiah wasn’t an option," he says. "But to help him grow and his journey at his age, we all came to the agreement that the thing he needs most is minutes at the professional level."

For his part, Johnston says he returns to Canada a more capable player, having trained alongside players like USMNT defender Walker Zimmerman and former MLS MVP Hany Mukhtar. And with the profile of the CPL growing every year, he feels like now is the time to showcase his ability in a more prominent role.

"I just think that, where I'm at in my career, to come home to Canada and to be with a team like Halifax gives me a good platform," he says.

One day, Johnston adds, he'd like to join the ranks of CPL players like Kwasi Poku, or more recently Matteo de Brienne, who have moved onto higher levels of football. In the shorter term, he's looking forward to making the 17-hour drive to Halifax and getting back to work in a province he enjoys.

Morley says — sounding like a beaming father — he's already been in communication with his former recruit.

"He messaged me right away to let me know he was coming back to the best coast," says Morley. "I love that, the 'best coast.' For me, it was a moment of pride for a lad that came from Ontario and fell in love with the East Coast. He'd tell you this place feels like home."

And you can bet that the two have already made plans to meet for supper in Halifax sometime soon.

Further reading:

• Sources: Full-back Kadin Chung in talks with Pacific FC
• Sources: Forge FC in negotiations to sign centre-back Dan Nimick
• They call him Mr. Halifax: Inside Andre Rampersad’s journey from La Horquetta to longest-serving Wanderer

Cover Photo Credit: Loudoun United FC