(Image: SNS Group) Group 28 Get the latest Celtic news sent straight to your inbox with our daily newsletter Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Sign Up No thanks, close We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. More info Group 28 Thank you for subscribing! We have more newsletters Show Me No thanks, close See our Privacy Notice What is that Rabbie Burns line again, about wanting the gift from God to see ourselves as others see us? There’s no need for such a present from the Big Man when it comes to Scottish football. There seems to be no end of other folk queuing up to tell us what they think about our game. Mind you, there’s plenty in our own parish who quite happily talk Scottish
Football down whenever they get the chance. It just stings a bit more when it comes from someone on the outside. Now it’s
Japan head coach Hajime Moriyasu dishing out the sniders. Not only has he snubbed – which is the official term when a player doesn’t get picked – Celtic pair Reo Hatate and Kyogo Furuhashi , but he says the reason they were not selected for this month's Kirin Cup – former winners Scotland, by the way – is because of concerns about the ‘level of league’. Read More Related Articles Greg Taylor Celtic issue revealed after playing through the pain barrier in Treble quest means he sits out for
Scotland Read More Related Articles Ange's winning Celtic mentality forged on factory floor as boss quips 'you’ve dug up one stint I didn’t win silverware' Ouch. Hold on a wee minute Hajime. Daizen Maeda plays at the same level and it didn’t stop him scoring for you at the
World Cup and making the latest squad. It sounds like Moriyasu is talking a fair bit of nonsense over this. Okay, we know the Scottish Premiership isn’t exactly top drawer but he’s picked players who compete each week in the likes of
Belgium and Switzerland. The Belgian league is one place above us in the UEFA standings and the Swiss are ranked four places lower. We might not be great shakes but we’re still rated in the top 10 nations in the continent with two
Champions League places. Which means Celtic will be one of them, no matter what happens in the next few weeks and months. If Moriyasu is suggesting Hatate and Kyogo can’t really be judged by their displays against the likes of Kilmarnock, Motherwell and Ross County, then fine. You could argue the pressure of winning every week with 60,000 demanding fans behind them is a unique dynamic, but, whatever. But they CAN be judged on their displays against Rangers. Remember them mate, the team that reached a European Final last season? Kyogo and Hatare have been sensational in those derby clashes. Someone should sent the coach a tape of the Viaplay Cup Final a few weeks ago and see just how good Hatate performed. Listen, it’s up to him who he picks and you could argue Scotland boss Steve Clarke might have similar thoughts, given he only picked two players competing in this country for his squad. But that would be taking everything out of context. If Celtic and Rangers had half a dozen Scots each they’d probably all be in. It also didn't do Josip Juranovic any harm when he was part of the Croatia side in the last four of the World Cup. Moriyasu might not fancy the pair and that’s up to him. Pointing to the level of league is just silly though. Half his squad are from the J-League, and while it’s clearly a good standard, it’s not a million miles better than our game. And what about the next level? Celtic’s Champions League campaign might not have got the results they wanted but they certainly produced the performances. Celtic's Reo Hatate and Real Madrid's Luka Modric (Image: SNS Group) In fact, BT Sport did a group stage highlights reel and it was Hatate who made an appearance. You’ll need to go a long way to see a better pass all season than his sensational volleyed switch of play against
Real Madrid in the thrilling contest at Celtic Park. The midfielder might stand out a mile in Scotland but he didn’t look out of place at the highest level. Kyogo might still have something to prove on that stage but you can’t tell any of us he’s not worth a look when Japan’s goal scoring burden is placed on a guy who is leading the line for Bochum in the bottom half of the Bundesliga. It must feel like a kick in the teeth for the pair. Hatate has spoken about his hurt about missing out on the World Cup and how it’s fuelling his form for Celtic. Kyogo, at 28, seems a bit more philosophical about it all, even if he’d be entitled to feel a tad miffed. But their club boss shouldn’t be too upset at the duo getting dissed. Ange Postecoglou will be secretly glad it’s one less thing to worry about seeing a couple of his star turns given the chance to stick the feet up for a few days rather than traipsing around the globe. And he should also be quietly glad the Japan boss has given his men a cause. They need to nurse their wrath and prove him wrong. There’s not much they can do about the environment they are competing on each week – unless they decide to up sticks and leave – but they should have a burning desire to do the business again where the national boss really can’t ignore. Light up the Champions League next term an another Moriyasu snub would be what Rabbie called a foolish notion. READ NEXT: Read More Related Articles John Hartson brands Celtic duo's Japan snub 'crazy' and challenges coach to find him a better striker than Kyogo Read More Related Articles Cameron Carter-Vickers joins Celtic pals in international exile after surprise
USA squad omission Read More Related Articles Toby Sibbick insists Celtic and Rangers plus Hearts would beat English Championship teams and snipers down south need 'educated' Read More Related Articles The Hibs record at Celtic is embarrassing but lack of youngsters is more damning – Tam McManus Read More Related Articles Rangers and Celtic should push for the
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