Reo Hatate has been an outstanding performer for Celtic since arriving in January 2022. His first goal for the club was a screamer at Tynecastle that month, but it was his two goals a week later, which put Celtic at the top of the table and cemented his reputation as a Celtic player.
Still only 28, he is at the prime of his powers, but Martin O’Neill clearly lost love for the player after Celtic’s 2-0 defeat at Dundee United in March. That was Reo’s last start for the club and the last game Celtic did not win. He did not even get on the bench for the crucial last league game of the season, or the Scottish Cup Final.
That game at Tannadice was also Kelechi Iheanacho’s last start for Celtic as Martin settled on a system which would allow him to exert as much control as possible on opponents for the remainder of the season. Neither Reo nor Kelechi had the engine to cover the ground necessary to achieve this.
With Martin set to be announced shortly, it was no surprise Reo has decided his future lies elsewhere. A return to Japan is likely but I would like to see him go to Spain, where I think his control and vision would be best appreciated.
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Kinky Afro.
Aye, best of luck to him.
That night at Celtic Park against the Rangers when Reo scored his double, unforgettable – what an atmosphere. And not forgetting the contribution from Liel Abada, that lad was born for those back post runs.
Any thoughts on Inamura, Paul? Was this not one of our “Ferraris” who was being held back by Brendan Rodgers’ inability to develop players?
Wouldn’t it have made more sense to have kept him for a couple of years, developed him and then sold him for £15-20m?
Hatate was very hard done by imo.
MoN bizarrely moved him to right back against Dundee Utd then seemed to blame him for a subsequent mistake and not seen much again there after with McCowan inexplicably taking his squad position.
Hatate was an outstanding player for us and I wish him well.
Paul , you would like to see Reo go to Spain .
There’s a few I’d like to see get tae France . And they’re not all on the playing staff .
Field of Drams
Spot on. One of my favourite nights for sure.
Folks forget we had won nothing under Ange at that point and that result took us ahead of our domestic rivals for the first time since Covid and took us to a position of dominance for 5 years. It pushed them to have to sell out to vc / pe operators.
Reo and friends did that.
Buy me a beer in Boston Burnley.
The rhetoric about certain Celtic players is so over the top and Reo fits that bill. He was really good in his first season and had some huge moments. He also played a massive part in the 2 2 game the season just gone but please analyse games overall. He disappeared a lot, fell over at the slightest bit of contact and wasn’t hungry when he was needed this season.
Engels adapted his game under MON and stopped looking for cheap fouls. With MON I have optimism that we may move away from lightweight midfielders and opt for more robust players in there.
Good luck and thanks but time to go a year ago.
And not forgetting the PPE and the CCCP.
***** WARNING *****
Genocide Enabler Adjacent
***** PROCEED WITH CAUTION *****
Swansea City are closing in on the signing of Celtic defender Stephen Welsh.
The rebuild is getting larger with each departure.
8 weeks until first league game
If you’re having building work done , you’d best start by hiring a builder . Assuming Martin and Shaun haven’t greatly increased their remit , who is doing the scouting/recruiting/dealing with agents , etc ?
My fave Reo moment is the pass from the throw in against Real Madrid.
Good player, but comes across as introverted.
In the last 2/3 years, he has bulked up and doesn’t get knocked off the ball easily, but this is at the expense of his agility.
🎶 His name was Reo as a hunskelper he was grand 🎶
Paul: “Martin settled on a system which would allow him to exert as much control as possible on opponents”
I sometimes think we watch different teams playing different sports, just the players’ names are the same.
BR’s approach controlled the game and limited the opposition to the fewest chances. We kept the ball and the opposition were kept busy.
WN tried to outscore the opposition but didn’t have the forwards. And we had the handicap of a keeper with just one functioning arm.
MON’s team gave up 50% more chances than BR’s whether seeking a goal or defending a lead. It was a bit mental because the opposition were as likely to score when we stopped trying to score (which we did for 30 minutes in virtually every game) as when we were up the other end trying to score.
Point being, MON’s team didn’t exert control at all. It became a random exercise, the opposition having as many chances as us, and sometimes we lost. The 2-2 R2ngers match in March was a case in point. The cup tie another. Motherwell a couple of weeks ago. We kept tossing the coin and it kept coming up heads.
The notion we had control is laughable. We have pelvic floors and strong butt checks. That was it.
I’d prefer him to go to Spain too, Paul.
Richer clubs there than Japan.
If Reo leaves after 4½ great years?
… I wish him all the best.
That 3-0 night at Celtic Park was awesome.
The psychological pressure we piled on R2ngers that night was unique.
Fans noise, lights, hunger of the players.
Didn’t know what hit them.
That split second of horror … when the flat footed Barasic knows Abada is coming past his inside shoulder … was the perfect microcosm of the game.
The rebuild we need is off the charts and thats assuming we retain the likes AJ, Engels, and Nygren.
Its such a relief to know that we have a fully functioning and effective recruitment machine already in house.
M17
Scotland’s Lawrence Shankland fair brings new focus to football cliche “ winning ugly “
bournesouprecipe on 8th June 2026 3:07 pm
Scotland’s Lawrence Shankland fair brings new focus to football cliche “ winning ugly “
*The ham shanker like other hun personnel has only 1 name now ‘lawrence” ffs
BOURNESOUPRECIPE on 8TH JUNE 2026 3:07 PM
Scotland’s Lawrence Shankland fair brings new focus to football cliche “ winning ugly “
…………………………….
When I see Lawrence Shankland, I hear Duelling Banjos.
a wee aside.
i intensely dislike that pink and purple scotland kit .
they are wearing it for the first game.
a statto in the papers at weekend.
scotland have never won a world cup match while wearing their second strip.
Am I the only one concerned that our Manager has been announced on Sky Sports but not by our club
Have I missed a Press Conference ? Did someone say something ??
67ECW
another random.
celtic players have made 47 world cup finals appearances for scotland.
next closest is aberdeen with 24.
then something called rangers in 3rd.
if a 2ndrangers player gets an appearance it will be their first ever world cup player
Another wee aside as we await white smoke
“ No Hearts players were assaulted “
Cammy Devlin
BOURNESOUPRECIPE on 8TH JUNE 2026 3:29 PM
Another wee aside as we await white smoke
“ No Hearts players were assaulted “
Cammy Devlin
Cammy Devlin to Celtic perhaps ?
LIONROARS67
You read my mind
I’d take Devlin in a heartbeat, aggressive, good player.
I would love to know what or why Holm isn’t mentioned, I rate the guy, tons of dig and quality.
But what do I know..
Best wishes to everyone
kinglubo
Dealing on a free transfer makes sense to a point.
Is he good enough?
Don’t get me wrong, IF (big if) he signs he’ll get my support for sure.
I see largely a disruptive wee guy, tugging, pulling, carrying, hustling.
Given our statistically improbable free kicks conceded ratio I am not sure he’d prosper in hoops.
Returning to “wee” … as CQN knows to its tedium … I’m pretty anal about footballers as athletes.
Albeit he was just back from injury, in the second half of the league decider, Devlin attempted to hustle a Celtic player off the ball just inside the Hearts half.
That player was a proper powerful athlete called Kelechi Iheanacho.
Kel swatted him away like a fly.
“I would love to know what or why Holm isn’t mentioned”
The boy has a debilitating condition that affects blood circulation in his calf muscles and for which there is no permanent treatment. His career might be over.
Neil Lennon demands Celtic board put money where their mouth is and warns Martin O’Neill won’t settle for less
He’s after coming out of the Hampden showers.
“ No Hearts players were assaulted “
Cammy Devlin
———
I hope Celtic are now preparing defamation proceedings against Nevin, citing his employer as vicariously liable.
https://youtu.be/5N7wxSBvEUk
5 mins 15 sec in NL on MO’N
Neil Lennon on O’Neill
Bhoys Town
Well this exactly what he said
“Some Celtic fans are attacking Lawrence Shankland. Two or three have punched him. It’s a dreadful thing that has happened just now. These are absolutely unacceptable scenes.”
Now don’t we have a specialist sports lawyer as a CEO, sure he’s on the case or briefing or insitu lawyer!
Anyone thinking Celtic plc will take Nevin or the BBC to court will wait a long long time, they wont even look for a retraction.
BTW – on Elliott Anderson
… I’d previously suggested a £60m fee on here (no science, plucked from the air)
… only to then read an earlier post where someone (apologies, can’t recall who) suggested £80m.
From snippets looks like Forest want £100m?
So
Forest might soon be flush
They offered £25m for Arne in January.
Arne is a better, more in demand player now.