Toru Oniki shared a touchline with Ange Postecoglou in the J1 League, the two coaches going head-to-head as their Frontale and F.Marinos sides went into battle.
As such Oniki and Ange Postecoglou know each other well – or at least they know each other’s style of football well – as the pair used to go toe-to-toe in the J-League, as Postcoglou looked to break Oniki’s Kawasaki Frontale’s domination of Japanese football.
In 2019, in his second season in charge, Postecoglou did just that, when his Yokohama F Marinos side not only ended Marinos 14 year wait for a title success, they also interrupted a Frontale side that had won the previous two J-League titles and went on to win four out of the last five. With Postecoglou’s F.Marinos the only team to break Frontale’s stranglehold of Japanese football.
Postecoglou has gone on to enjoy a memorable and historic first season in Glasgow, where the Australian boss delivered the league and cup double built from the ruins of a disastrous Covid impacted season, and Oniki has seen a rise in interest in Scottish football in Japan as Postecoglou’s exploits, alongside those of four Japanese signings, pique the interest of Japanese football fans.
And Oniki, speaking to Keep Up is impressed by his old adversary’s progress in Scotland.
“As a leader, I think he is one of the coaches who is a goal and a guideline to aim for. I think he is a successful coach who has achieved results in the J-League and has been attracting attention overseas. He is playing attractive football overseas.”
Toru Oniki’s interest in Celtic doesn’t just stop with the manager, as he is also the coach who guided Reo Hatate from his days playing University football, and taught Hatate how to play in multiple positions to aid his development as a player.
As such Oniki has taken a key interest in his former player, one he coached to five league goals in each of his two full seasons as a Kawasaki player alongside winning J1 League twice, the Emperor’s Cup in 2020 and the Japanese Super Cup in 2021, before clinching his big move to Celtic.
“Reo participated in a pre-season training when he was a junior and senior university student. I heard from a team scout that there is good player and asked him to participate in team training. I felt that he was a very talented player.
“He joined as striker. At the time, I had him working on playing as a midfielder as well. He was a player who is very powerful and can do hard work.”
“I think it’s a team that suits his playing style and he can grow. From the manager’s point of view, he is a very valuable and dependable player who can play in multiple positions.”
Hatate has blown somewhat hot and cold since signing for Celtic, but the potential in him is frightening.
With a period of rest – after nearly eighteen months of non-stop football – alongside a full pre-season, Hatate will surely add consistency to his game next season. If so, the sort of performances we saw against Hearts at Tynecastle and his ‘skeping of theRangers at Celtic Park could become a more regular occurrence.
As the saying goes form is temporary but class is permanent – and there is no doubt Hatate has class in abundance.
Niall J
