REO HATATE has opened up on his ambitions for both club and country as he prepares for twin challenges at a crucial stage of his career.
The 26-year-old Japanese playmaker has failed to spark on a consistent basis for Celtic and was overlooked by Brendan Rodgers twice for the starting line-up in the last three games.
There has also been frustration on the international front after missing out in recent World Cup qualifying encounters while remaining on the substitutes’ bench as his country overcame Saudi Arabia 2-0 in Jeddah on Saturday morning.
That situation is unlikely to change when Japan face Australia at the Saitama Stadium in the early hours of tomorrow.

MAN ON A MISSION…Reo Hatate has a dual challenge at Celtic and Japan.
And Hatate is not guaranteed a first-team place at the kick-off when the champions go head to head with unbeaten Aberdeen in a top-of-the-table encounter at Parkhead on Saturday afternoon.
While the fans’ favourite has toiled to reproduce the form everyone knows he possesses, skipper Callum McGregor has been partnered by record £11million recruit Arne Engels, Paulo Bernardo, who sealed a £3.5million five-year deal from Benfica in early August, and the eager Luke McCowan, a £1million buy from Dundee on deadline day.
The pressure is on Hatate to come up with the answers and he revealed he had addressed his lack of game time at international level with the nation’s head coach, Hajime Moriyasu.
The Hoops middle-of-the-park performer admitted: “I won’t say what I’m going to do, but we’ve been talking about those things on a personal level.
“I want to make sure I do those things for the national team first, plus I hope to do them again when I return to my own team.”

YELLOW PEARL…Reo Hatate celebrates scoring in Celtic’s 3-0 win over St Mirren in Paisley in August.
Hatate, speaking to Super World Soccer, added: “I have to keep my eyes on the current situation, but my top priority is for the team [Japan] to win and qualify for the World Cup.
“Towards that, I want to do what I have to do. If I were to play, I would want to play in the shadows. If I can play in the shadows, I want to do what I always do in my own team [Celtic], plus what is required of me in this team.”
Hatate won the first of his nine caps in a 1-1 draw with Vietnam in March 2022 – shortly after being signed by Ange Postecoglou for Celtic – but has struggled to gain a regular place in the national side after suffering hamstring and calf injuries last season.
The dual problem severely hampered his performances for Rodgers’ team and, leaving thoughts of Japan aside, there is much for Hatate to do to prove himself again at his club side.