Celtic loanee Hayato Inamura has admitted he felt “ashamed” during his short-lived spell at Parkhead, opening up on the mental toll of his lack of game time and his determination to relaunch his career in Japan.
The 23-year-old returned to his homeland earlier this month after sealing a loan move to FC Tokyo, just six months after joining the Scottish champions from Albirex Niigata.
He made only one senior appearance for Celtic, starting at left-back in a 3-0 win over Livingston under Brendan Rodgers.
Rodgers had previously labelled Inamura as a “club signing” and made clear that the defender wasn’t a central part of his plans, claiming he “wasn’t at the level”. Successor Wilfried Nancy only named Inamura in one matchday squad in December but left him on the bench.
Speaking upon his return to Japan, Inamura gave a brutally honest assessment of his time in Glasgow.
He said: “To be honest, I haven’t had enough time to fully process my time at Celtic in my mind yet.
“I felt ashamed and felt like I couldn’t change anything, no matter what.
“Recently, more and more players are going overseas, so I felt it was shameful to come back to Japan after only six months.
“But I don’t think it’s the end for my career to go back to Japan and I want to work hard for this team so that my career can take off again.
“It was a difficult time and I didn’t play. I often had to train with just three other players.
“I sometimes wondered, ‘Am I actually a football player?’
“I began to feel anxious and wondered if I would ever play a match again.
“A variety of emotions welled up inside me during that period.
“But, having the time to reflect on this has allowed me to recognise my weaknesses.
“I truly felt I had hit the bottom, so I believe I can only improve from here.
“I also felt embarrassed for my former club at Albirex Niigata because I didn’t live up to their expectations.
“But I hope this change can help me return to where I was before I left.” [TCW]
Inamura will now look to impress in the J-League with the hope of earning a permanent switch, either at FC Tokyo or elsewhere, as he aims to rediscover his form and confidence.
Three different managers, Rodgers, Nancy, and interim boss Martin O’Neill, have been in charge during Inamura’s brief Celtic career, but none have opted to give him a real opportunity in the side.
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