CHRIS SUTTON has opened fire on Reo Hatate who has hardly turned up for Celtic this season.
The Japanese international has gone from being an automatic first-pick for Brendan Rodgers to being a bit-part player for Martin O’Neill.
The mystifying drop in Hatate’s performance level was evident again on Wednesday night when he came on around the half-hour mark to replace the limping Arne Engels in the dramatic late 2-1 win over Livingston.
The only thing of note from a player once rated as being absolutely pivotal to the team was to give away a lazy penalty-kick to allow the rock-bottom West Lothian side back into the contest in the 57th minute.
OH NO, REO…Hatate displays disappointment during a below-par campaign.
Hatate was switched off when a corner-kick dropped into the box and took out Robbie Muirhead with a wild swing as his opponent came in on his blindside.
Referee Calum Scott immediately pointed to the spot and the Livi striker dusted himself down before slamming the award straight down the middle of the goal as Kasper Schmeichel took off for his left.
The error was within minutes of costing the champions two crucial points until debutant Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain spared the blushes of his new team-mate by curling in a memorable winner in the first minute of stoppage-time.
The Hoops face Kilmarnock in the 2pm kick-off at Rugby Park tomorrow and Sutton reckons Hatate will be hard pushed to get a place in the travelling pool of players never mind the starting eleven.
The former Celtic goal hero said: “I’m less optimistic about Reo Hatate’s chances of staying in the side.
“He was poor for the penalty against Livingston and his form has taken a major dip in general.
“Hatate looks to me as if he’s in a strop, like he doesn’t want to be there. If he is, I can tell him that Martin O’Neill simply won’t have it.
“He’ll be out of the team.
“O’Neill has no time for players skulking around.”
PAYING THE PENALTY…Reo Hatate is flat out as referee Calum Scott points the spot after the Celt’s wayward challenge on Livingston’ Robbie Muirhead, who netted the award.
Hatate, who was signed from the J-League by Ange Postecoglou in January 2022, has made noises in the past about a move from Parkhead as he looks to the future.
However, Sutton has a wake-up call for the 28-year-old playmaker.
The one-time England international forward, speaking to the Daily Record, continued: “Hatate might think he should be elsewhere, but he needs to realise prospective clubs will be scouting him right now.
“Will they be impressed with what they are seeing? Unlikely.
“It’s in Hatate’s interest to get the head down and help drive Celtic towards this title, otherwise there’s not going to be much of a stampede for his services.”
Sutton added: “Like O’Neill said the other night, it wasn’t so long ago he was one of the best players in the country and worth his weight in gold.
“Right now, he’s barely worth a place in the squad.”
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