Celtic midfielder Tomoki Iwata has pointed out the differences between the training and regimes of previous manager Ange Postecoglou and current boss Brendan Rodgers.
Postecoglou brought Iwata to Glasgow in January of last year, picking him up on loan with an obligation to buy from J. League outfit Yokohama F. Marinos.
Under the Aussie boss, the 26-year-old never really got going. He did play a run of games towards the end of the last campaign at centre-back in the absence of Cameron Carter-Vickers, but he didn’t truly come into his own.
This season, we have seen much more of Iwata and at the minute, it would be harsh to drop him from the midfield.
Gaffer Rodgers is a fan of the treble-winner, and Iwata recently spoke about the alterations between his tenure and that of previous boss Postecoglou: “I think there have been a few changes”, he said (Celtic FC on YouTube).
“Like maybe a little bit of control over the volume of workouts. So overall, there was a change from last season.”
Although things have adapted since the summer, Iwata thinks how he worked under Postecoglou has put him in good stead for 2023/24: “I think it is having a very positive effect”, revealed the midfielder.
“I will continue to work even harder to play to my strength more than ever before.”
Really starting to be impressed with iwata in the holding midfield role, and felt he should have been given the opportunity far sooner than did this season imo?
But that’s gone now, so potentially a decision making process could be arising within the midfield areas now, especially with the trip to that scummy shithole upon the horizon?
The balance still isn’t right within the midfield, especially with Oreily in the righthand side attacking role, and without any real option as back up?
Yet the left attacking midfield role has the options of Calmac, Hatate, and Kelly and Paulo at present when all are available?
Suppose Paulo or Holm could be used as potential options for Oreily, but hasn’t been in the offering really, to date this season?
So could we be looking at a choice between Calmac and iwata now for the holding midfield role?
Calmac best 2 games of the season were against the scum in that position imo?
Yet with Calmac and Hatate only possibly returning from injuries, and especially with a trip to that even worse pitch at livi beforehand.
How much game time could or should be given to Calmac and Hatate if available upon such a surface?
Thinking iwata has potentially a massive role to potentially play for ourselves in such a key area within the team for ourselves imo?
Iwata should start in the position next time out at livi hopefully, weather that’s the case for the trip to the scum at there shithole, possibly still remains a case of wait and see imo?