Reo Hatate has shed light on a key tactical instruction from Brendan Rodgers that has influenced both his Celtic performances and his mindset for international duty.
The Japanese midfielder, speaking to Gekisaka while away with his national team, revealed how Rodgers’ demands out of possession have shaped his role and development this season.
One noticeable tweak has been Hatate’s positioning during Celtic’s press. At times, particularly in Europe, Hatate has been tasked with pressing higher than the striker, often closing down opposition goalkeepers and centre-backs. It’s an aggressive and energy-intensive role, one that requires complete buy-in and positional awareness from the entire team.
Hatate now hopes those lessons can carry over into his international performances as Japan gear up for the World Cup. They have qualified for the tournament this international stage, with him and Maeda getting a call up.
“We were really asked (at Celtic) to work together as a team, know where to press, and also to use the quality of counter attacks to score goals.
“After experiencing the Champions League, I have been able to express myself better this year, both as a team and as an individual, than last year.
“I think that will be very important if we go far in the World Cup. I’m not imagining winning the actual (World Cup), but if something like that happens, I think that part was very powerful (playing for Celtic in the Champions League).”
It’s another example of how Rodgers’ tactical approach, particularly off the ball, has refined Hatate’s game and turned him into a more complete and disciplined midfielder heading into a crucial stretch of the season.
Brendan Rodgers is notorious for making small tweaks to what players do on the pitch, and taking their game to the next level.
