After all the outrage and hysteria surrounding the club, Celtic have finally announced Ange Postecoglou as their new manager for the upcoming term. The former Australia chief left his role at Yokohama F. Marinos to accept the Parkhead job, and a couple of Japanese stars from the J1 League have now handed transfer requests fuelling speculations if this story from the Daily Record is to be believed.
Although it might be a mere coincidence, we can’t really rule anything out right now, considering the situation at Parkhead. Kaoru Mitoma and Ao Tanaka, two promising Kawasaki Frontale rising stars, have registered with Don Nomura – the superagent who is famous for taking Japanese baseball players to the USA. Nomura has now entered the football market, as per the report.
Top European sides have explored the Asian market time and again, and an array of names from South Korea and Japan have made significant strides in the most prestigious football leagues in recent years. We have not forgotten Shunsuke Nakamura who spent four successful seasons at Celtic before leaving for Espanyol back in 2009.
These two promising Japanese youngsters might live up to expectations if the Hoops decide to have a go as part of their squad revamp. Having said that, they would be scouted extensively in the upcoming Olympics if Postecoglou registers interest over a potential summer swoop.
Why The Fans Must Let Postecoglou Settle Down And Implement His Football Vision
Mitoma, 24, is an outright winger who prefers to operate from the left. He has fired in 10 goals and laid on 3 more in 21 appearances across competitions. His pace, flair and swift skills might help the Bhoys in the attacking third.
Also, they have lost skipper Scott Brown to Aberdeen after 14 glorious years and the addition of 22-year-old Tanaka might hand them a cover behind Ismaila Soro. The latter is supposed to succeed Brown in midfield after a promising 2020-21 campaign. Still, the inevitable fixture congestion would require rotation to keep the Ivorian fit and fine for the entire season.
Postecoglou is known for promoting the youth and developing an exciting brand of football. But he needs time to implement his philosophy and restore stability overcoming the ongoing mayhem. Despite winning silverware, Lennon failed miserably to overhaul the set-up. The fans must stay patient for at least a few months to let their Aussie boss fix the shortcomings in the long run. His ability to work with little-known names might see the Hoops claw their way back towards a title challenge, however unlikely it may seem at the moment.
