Postecoglou trying to protect Kyogo

Ange Postecoglou spoke to the mainstream media yesterday about why fan favourite Kyogo Furuhashi won’t be expected to play 90 minutes in every Celtic game this season.

Some fans queried why Kyogo was missing from the starting eleven on Saturday against Livingston, dropped in favour of Greek striker Giorgios Giakoumakis. With the game ending in a disappointing goalless draw it lead to even more questions on why our most potent striker wasn’t on the pitch from the start.

Postecoglou said as reported by Scottish Sun: “We have to be really careful with Kyogo because he left Japan three quarters of the way through a season.

“He’s come back, had international football and already had an injury. I know people want him out there all the time, and he has done fantastically well every time he’s played.

“But we have to be careful as it’s just starting November and we can’t be playing Kyogo in every game right through to April and May and expect him to perform at the top level.”

Even with Ange Postecoglou explaining that Kyogo’s game time will be managed throughout the season it would come as a huge surprise if he was left out of tonight’s crucial match against Fenencvaros tonight.

A win in Budapest will guarantee Celtic European football after Christmas, even if it is only in the newly established Europa Conference League.

Although Greek striker Giorgios Giakoumakis looks a quality acquisition he unfortunately doesn’t offer as much to the overall team play as Kyogo does. The Japanese striker offers constant movement across the front line often dragging defenders out to positions they don’t want to be in. We saw two weeks ago that the Fenencvaros defence struggled to contain him.

Hopefully we see him torture them again tonight and help us to another 3 points against the Hungarian champions.

Conall McGinty