The cinch Premiership Player of the Month is Reo Hatate…
Reo Hatate and Daizen Maeda enjoying the celebrations at Hampden. Photo Kenny Ramsay
A run of Man-of-the-Match performances by Reo Hatate last month were further rewarded when the Japanese playmaker was today presented with the cinch Premiership Player of the Month award for February.
Celtic with Hatate starring went through the month on a winning run with three SPFL victories, Livingston (3-0), St Johnstone (4-1) and Aberdeen (4-0), as well as keeping that going outside of the games not under the auspices of the award – the home 5-1 win over St Mirren in the Scottish Cup and, of course, last weekend’s victorious 2-1 win over theRangers at Hampden in the League Cup final.
Hatate played a crucial role in each of those wins as well as hitting memorable doubles in consecutive games – St Mirren and Aberdeen – and he has been a standout performer, not only in February, but throughout this season by playing a major part in Celtic’s nine-point lead at the top of the cinch Premiership going into this weekend’s schedule.
In a season where there are so many contenders for the Player of the Year in this Celtic side – Kyogo for his goals, Daizen Maeda for his dynamite pace, Cameron Carter-Vickers, the Celtic rock in defence, Greg Taylor, the skipper Callum McGregor the list goes on and on. But Reo Hatate’s star is perhaps shining the brightest and he seems to be getting better and better.
As things stand it’s maybe going ton come down to a decision between Kyogo an Reo Hatate and in early March it’s too close to call.
