Reo Hatate was handed a start on Sunday, something that felt inevitable given Arne Engels’ injury, but the opportunity to reset his season came and went without impact.
After a difficult campaign, this felt like a moment where Hatate needed to deliver a statement performance.
Instead, it became another afternoon that showed how far he has drifted from the player Celtic once relied upon. The first half was laboured, loose in possession and lacking authority, and by the break Martin O’Neill had seen enough.
Hatate was withdrawn at half-time following a poor 45 minutes, replaced by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, whose introduction brought immediate composure despite still working his way back to full fitness. The contrast was stark. Where Hatate struggled to influence the game, Oxlade-Chamberlain steadied Celtic and helped them regain control.
One of the bigger surprises before kick-off was Sebastian Tounekti starting on the bench despite his recent goal contributions. When he was introduced, he wasted little time in making his point. A superb strike from the edge of the box helped spark Celtic’s comeback and again highlighted his growing confidence and influence.
The changes at half-time proved decisive, but they also felt telling. Speaking on the Press Box podcast alongside Graham Spiers, journalist Stephen McGowan delivered a withering assessment of Hatate’s situation.
“The first half was abominable, to be honest,” McGowan said. “O’Neill made a triple substitution at half-time, brought on Oxlade-Chamberlain for the ineffectual Hatate, who looks to have pretty much gone as a Celtic player to all intents and purposes.
“He brought on Cvancara for Adamu and he brought on Tounekti, who is finally beginning to look like a player who’s justifying his price tag. He took a bit of time and he’s beginning to pose a danger now. His second half was much better. It wasn’t perfect, but they got the job done.”
It is a brutal verdict, but it’s not wrong. Hatate’s talent is not in doubt, but his influence has faded dramatically, and patience appears to be wearing thin. With Oxlade-Chamberlain settling in, Hatate’s path back into Celtic’s midfield looks increasingly tougher.
Sunday may not have been definitive, but it felt significant. For a player once central to everything Celtic did well, time is running out to convince that his future still lies in green and white.
