Reo Hatate is in line to earn his first international cap for his country, after Japanese national team manager Hajime Moriyasu proved he has a better eye for a player than Steve Clarke – who bizarrely omitted Tony Ralston from his Scotland squad yesterday – by calling up Hatate, alongside Daizen Maeda, for Japan’s upcoming World Cup qualifiers with Australia and Vietnam.
Of course, there is no call-up for Kyogo Furuhashi who continues his rehab from a long-standing hamstring injury, meanwhile Yosuke Ideguchi, despite being visited in Scotland by Moriyasu, is also not included – with that one understandable considering Celtic’s January signing is only now returning to first team involvement after an injury picked up in a Scottish Cup tie with Alloa.
Reo Hatate has certainly made an impression following his January transfer from Kawasaki Frontale with vital goals in the title race at Tynecastle against Hearts and against theRangers at Celtic Park, as he supplied an incredible individual performance as part a proper ‘skelping dished out to our title rivals in February.
That has clearly convinced Moriyasu to add Hatate to his squad who will begin with a 24 March vital qualifier against Australia, where if selected he’ll come face to face with teammate Tom Rogic.
Meanwhile Daizen Maeda will also be looking to transfer his domestic form of five goals in thirteen games – and an impressive work rate to boot – to national team level. And in the absence of Kyogo, Maeda will be looking to stake a claim as a striker his national team can rely on ahead of possible qualification for the upcoming World Cup in Qatar.
Japan currently lies second in their qualifying group, three points ahead of Rogic and Australia, and with only two games left to play the chances of both countries progression to Qatar could lie with how the head-to-head between the two nations pans out.
Japan’s second qualifier with Vietnam takes place on 29 march, five days before Maeda and Hatate are likely to be involved in the 3 April Glasgow Derby at Ibrox.
Niall J
🇯🇵 | The International Bhoys
Reo Hatate & Daizen Maeda have been selected by Japan boss Hajime Moriyasu for their WC qualifiers later this month.
They face a crucial match in Australia before hosting Vietnam five days later on March 29th as they seek WC qualification. pic.twitter.com/c2Az2ySoHF
— Everything Celtic (@aboutceltic) March 16, 2022
We may be glad that A Ralston has not been called up by Clarke if Hatate suffers an injury on Japan duty.
Ideal for wing back role.