Brendan Rodgers is anticipating to get the perfect out of Reo Hatate this season following his man-of-the match show in Celtic’s 4-0 victory over Kilmarnock.
The Japanese midfielder wasn’t chosen initially by Rodgers this time final 12 months and struggled all through the marketing campaign with a variety of injury-enforced lay-offs.
He was pivotal on Sunday as Celtic went prime of the Premiership desk, scoring the opening objective and offering a menace all through.
Rodgers feels Hatate has improved markedly on his watch to grow to be one of many squad’s prized belongings.
He stated: ‘I didn’t see the participant that I hoped to see originally of final season, for no matter cause. I used to be conscious of him and I’d seen him play and I appreciated what I’d seen.
‘However he by no means actually received going via pre-season final 12 months. And to not what I used to be wanting. He received injured after which it was actually damaged for him.
Reo Hatate, left, celebrates his objective in opposition to Kilmarnock with Matt O’Riley
The Japanese midfielder gave Celtic a lead from which they by no means seemed again
Defender Liam Scales scored the second objective for the Premiership champions
‘He had little spells the place he got here into the workforce, however not constantly. However he’s come again for pre-season now. And clearly, how the season ended, once more, there’s that confidence. He is aware of I like him as a participant. And he is aware of what I would like from him as a participant.
‘There was at all times a beautiful, gifted participant in how he takes the ball and the way he operates in house. For me, it was about holding the chance within the sport. As a result of I don’t like midfield gamers that preserve the ball 10 instances out of 10. It’s no good. However there are areas of the pitch during which to threat it.
‘And I believe that what I’ve seen over the course of pre-season, he’s prime class. I’d hoped I might see that final season, however it doesn’t matter. He’s right here now and he’s been completely good since his comeback. So I’m actually happy for him.’
Celtic continued their pattern of scoring 4 targets in a sport having additionally carried out so in every of their pre-season warm-ups in opposition to DC United, Manchester Metropolis and Chelsea.
Nicolas Kuhn made it 3-0 for the Hoops in opposition to the guests
Tony Ralston accomplished the scoring for the Parkhead facet in a 4-0 victory
Supervisor Brendan Rodgers, proper, congratulates Kasper Schmeichel after his debut
Rodgers declared himself glad with what he noticed from his facet’s first aggressive outing.
‘Hopefully we get a liking for [scoring] extra. It was an excellent efficiency and only a continuation of our pre-season. It’s at all times the hope that you just present nice kind and good stability within the workforce. And we continued that into in the present day. So I’m actually happy.
‘I got here in right here [a year ago] and never loads of the gamers had labored with us earlier than. We had been a bit up and down and inconsistent. However then because the season wore on after which when it got here to it and when it mattered, we received the job carried out. After which that clearly offers gamers a little bit of confidence.
‘We simply continued the final three months of the season into the pre-season and into in the present day. You hope you’ll be able to preserve the extent. However I believed we had been glorious in the present day.’
Kilmarnock boss Derek McInnes admitted it was simply the mistaken fixture on the mistaken time after returning within the early hours of final Friday morning from their Europa League tie away to Cercle Brugge.
‘The circumstances during which we got here into the sport meant it was at all times going to be tough,’ he stated. ‘We don’t need to bleat on an excessive amount of about that as a result of, clearly, it’s a fallout from being in Europe. We don’t have the most important squad as it’s, however while you’ve received 5 starters not in your workforce, a membership like us feels that. I’m simply glad we’ve come via the sport with none accidents.’
