CELTIC’S South Korean striker Oh Hyeon-gyu has taken a sideswipe at Japan international boss Hajime Moriyasu.
The head coach overlooked the frontman’s team-mates Kyogo Furuhashi and Reo Hatate for the friendlies against Uruguay and Columbia and made a veiled hint that he didn’t rate Scottish football at the highest level.
There was amazement even in his own country that Moriyasu had snubbed the 26-goal hitman and the in-form midfielder.
Germany’s legendary goalscorer Jurgen Klinsmann, new boss of South Korea, had no such qualms as he selected Oh for his squad against the Uruguayans.
ON THE RUN…powerhouse striker Oh Hyeon-gyu and Borna Barisic tussle for possession in Celtic’s League Cup win at Hampden last month.
The 21-year-old powerhouse attack-leader, who has scored three goals since his £2.5million January arrival from Suwan Bluewings, rubbished the comments by Moriyasu.
Asked if Scottish football was easy for a striker, Oh replied: “It is the opposite. Premiership defenders have excellent physique and strength.
“I am getting stronger competing with them.
“All teams come out with 120 per cent power when playing Celtic, rather than when playing the other teams.
“We also prepare more to overcome them. In this process, I’m also growing.”
Oh impressed Klinsmann as he got his first glimpse of the 6ft-plus star when he hit a super effort in the 2-1 defeat to the South Americans which was unfortunately ruled out for an extremely tight offside decision.
The youngster, as reported by the Scottish Sun, added: “Everyone praised me, saying, ‘It’s no different from a goal’.
“But I don’t think a cancelled goal is a goal.”
Oh is now preparing for the Hoops’ match against Ross County in Dingwall on Sunday as Ange Postecoglou’s men continue to the quest for a second successive Premiership title.
