Reo Hatate’s lack of game time with Japan is still raising eyebrows, especially when you look at how often he plays for Celtic. He’s been a regular in Glasgow since he arrived, but that hasn’t carried over to the international side.
That’s why his situation with Japan feels a bit strange from the outside. You’d expect someone playing regularly at that level to be more involved internationally, but it hasn’t worked out that way.
Tom Byer, who worked with Hatate when he was younger in Japan, gave his view on it. He admitted he doesn’t know all the reasons, but suggested there could be a few different factors behind it.
He said: (The Herald), “I worked with Reo in his first ever elite team at under-12 level. I picked him when he was a young boy and he blossomed and did well. I don’t follow him closely enough now to know the story of why he doesn’t play for the national team now.
“Maybe he needs a new challenge, to refresh a little bit, I don’t know. But Japan’s strength is the collective, there is no over-reliance on a single superstar or player.
“What people are going to see in Glasgow, I hope, is that even with injuries to the star players like Endo and Minamino, Japan is so interchangeable.
“The talent pool, the elite pool, is so deep that it’s not going to make a big difference having those guys out.”
That really comes down to the depth Japan have. There are players performing at a high level all across Europe, so competition is fierce in every position.
It also means playing every week for your club doesn’t always get you in. It depends on how the team is set up, and some players miss out even when they’re in good form.
Byer’s point about a fresh challenge adds another layer to it. Whether that’s a move or just a change of surroundings, it suggests Hatate might need something different to get back into the international picture.
For now, he’s still an important player for Celtic. The focus is on finishing the season well, but the questions around his place with Japan aren’t going away anytime soon.
