Amidst the ongoing international break, several Celtic players have been turning out for their respective countries. Over in the Far East, both Kyogo and Reo Hatate have been playing for Japan.
The pair appeared off the bench in a friendly against Canada, winning four-one. It was a disappointing loss and after the match, a Japan international legend made his opinions clear on Hatate.
Marcus Tulio Tanaka, who played 43 times for the Samurai Blue, thinks the midfielder should be playing left-back for his country. He said (Glasgow Times): “I think we should try Reo Hatate out at left-back. He has a very high level of technique. Out of all the subs against Canada, he was by far the brightest. His problem is getting into the midfield triangle that Japan plays. I think we should look at using him in another position so we can make use of his skills.”
Although Hatate may not be doing as well as he could be in Japan’s engine room, he has exceptional talent. One cannot deny that for his club, the 25-year-old is outstanding when he hits form.
Nevertheless, Tanaka thinks the treble-winner is more suited to left-back than any other options his team have there. He said: “I think we need more options and Reo Hatate is suited to that position. He is more aggressive than either of them, he loves to move forward, is two-footed, can go inside and can also strike a ball well. He can pass and shoot and has played there before. He would be perfect.”
For his former club Kawasaki Frontale, Hatate played as a left-back numerous times and when he signed for Celtic, he was dubbed a ‘utility player’ on the club’s official website. We all know his strengths lie in midfield, but it would be intriguing to see what he could conjure up should he play full-back for his nation.
