Shunsuke Nakamura is an iconic figure in Celtic’s history and his outrageous free kicks in match defining moments have cemented him a place in club folklore. Few Celtic fans will be unable to recall his spectacular winning goal against the mighty Manchester United, or his last gasp strike to seal the league title at Rugby Park, and he had much more to his game than dead ball expertise.
Hoops supporters now have the luxury of watching four Japanese talents performing in Paradise. Reo Hatate earned huge adulation for his brace against theRangers, Daizen Maeda’s industrious approach to the game has seen him earn great praise, while Yosuke Ideguchi has scarcely featured. However, there is no doubting that Kyogo Furuhashi is the firm fan favourite of the quartet.
Kyogo knows all about the place Nakamura holds in the hearts of the Celtic faithful, but doesn’t feel pressured to match his exploits in the hoops. Speaking to Japanese website Number Web, the striker said:
“In the beginning, every time I met a fan, they would say, ‘Shunsuke, Shunsuke!’ and what Shunsuke has built here is truly amazing. But I didn’t feel so much pressure to be compared. I am just me, and my playing style and position are different from Shunsuke’s.
“If I continue to be myself, I will be able to build on the same foundation. And I think that many people will have an image of Kyogo Furuhashi. I want to create an environment that is easy for other Japanese to enter when they come back.
“Celtic has a strong impression of Shunsuke and Mizuno, so I have to do my best not to ruin the image of those two. They were great players who played here, so I will do my best to live up to their name. By doing so, I will create an environment that will be easy for other Japanese to enter when they come back. I want to make the local fans think that Japanese people are great.”
Kyogo has not yet returned to pre-season training with Celtic, but he has been conducting his own work with former club Vissel Kobe. He is looking to build on last season and earn his place in the Japan World Cup squad this winter.
