Kyogo scored 20 goals in 33 games in his first season at Celtic but wants to improve on that in his second season wearing the Hoops. And the Japanese talisman is eyeing making an impression on the Champions League, which is surely one of the major reasons he decided to move to Celtic last summer.
“We have a good team and good fans and that’s why we can do better than last season,” Kyogo said. “Personally, I’d like to get good numbers. I want to score a minimum of 20 goals this season.”
“It would be nice to be the top scorer in the league. We have good players, we are working hard and pushing and stimulating each other on the pitch,” Kgogo said, as reported by Scottish Sun.
Kyogo: Photo BEAUTIFUL SPORTS/Wunderlx
The Japan international striker has been putting in extra shifts over in Austria in a bid to maximise the impact he can make this season as Celtic look to build in a successful first campaign under Ange Postecoglou which earned a place in group stages of the Champions League as a result of winning the Scottish Premiership.
“There is still a lot to improve and that is why we are training hard,” Kyogo said. “I also want to get to a good fitness level and to contribute to the team.
“The coaches prepare us well with a good training programme. I still have personal challenges to overcome — and that is why I am doing extra.”
Meanwhile James Forrest is also going the extra mile to get himself in contention for another major impact season at the club after a frustrating injury hit campaign last time around
With two friendly matches under their belts and a pre-season training camp where the players can focus on their fitness and any tactical layers the manager may wish to add to last year’s winning formulae, in full flow, this summer is a very different environment for Celtic.
After all, as Forrest points out, as reported in the Daily Record, Celtic head into their third friendly match of the summer on Wednesday night against Banik Ostrava, in normal circumstances such a date in the calendar may have been reserved for Champions League qualifiers, and that’s something Celtic’s Forrest is glad to avoid, with Celtic hitting the Champions’ League Group Stage for the first time in five long years.
Anthony Ralston of Celtic celebrates with teammate James Forrest (Photo by Steve Welsh/Getty Images)
“It’s class. Those four qualifiers as well and going to different places…I think it’s good for the club and for Scottish football as well that everybody can look forward to the draw and going straight into the groups. We’ve been everywhere, and the game on Wednesday (against Wiener Viktoria) would probably have been a qualifier.
“So, it’s good for everyone that we get together over pre-season and the first game will be the first league game. We’ve not had that in a while. We’ll look forward to the draw when it comes.
“The Champions League nights are class, and it’s amazing even when we go away from home as well. We’re all looking forward to it when it comes along.”
“It’s been five years, it feels as though we’ve not been there for a wee while, but once that first game comes around it will just feel that Celtic are meant to be in the Champions League with those big nights. A lot of the boys probably haven’t played in the Champions League, so everyone will be buzzing.”
Niall J
