Shunsuke Nakamura has been speaking to former Celtic View writer David Friel, who is now a sports journalist at Scottish Sun about Celitc’s new King of Japan, Kyogo. The Celtic legend enjoyed an incredible spell at Celtic Park working under Gordon Strachan winning 3 titles and paying a major role in seeing Celtic advance past the Group stages of the Champions League. His stunning goals – like the free kick against Manchester United – are things of legend and he’s still a big fan of the club, watching most games via Celtic TV.
“I told Kyogo, ‘At every opportunity, people in Scotland will compare you with me’. I said to him, ‘Never mind it. Just enjoy playing for Celtic’. But I see they have already compared Kyogo with Henrik Larsson, who is the King of Kings there! That should be an honour for him.
“In Scotland, you often get compared to former players. In my case, I was compared with Lubo Moravcik and Juninho. I was honoured as they were great players,” Naka told David Friel at Scottish Sun. “Right after Kyogo joined Celtic, he was compared with me. But that should never happen. In the first place, Kyogo and I play in different positions.
“Everyone recognises that he is a good striker. That will give him confidence to play better. It is not easy to make a good impact as soon as you move to a new team, but he has started very well.
“I have told him to take it easy and just enjoy his game. That is the advice from me. I did not have any special relationship with Kyogo until recently.
“When we played against his team in the J-League match, he came up to me afterwards to say hello and we spoke, but not about anything special. After he signed with Celtic, I got a message through LINE, which is like WhatsApp.
“It was from a Japanese footballer, called Yuta Minami. He asked me, ‘Kyogo wants to have a contact with you via LINE if you are OK?’. Since then, we’ve become friends.”
“Everyone has possibilities and I hope Kyogo will make it. He is the third Japanese player to play for Celtic after me and Koki Mizuno. It is not easy to get an offer from the club. Usually the scouts find a player and get the signing, but this time Ange Postecoglou wanted to bring Kyogo to Scotland from Japan and he decided to join,” Naka added.
“I was in the same case. Gordon Strachan saw me play by chance in the 2005 Confederations Cup and gave me a chance to join to Celtic. Opportunities are everywhere. It depends on you whether you can grab it or not. I am sure Kyogo will do it. He is doing well. In fact, that hat-trick was more than excellent.
“He is playing as a striker in a 4-3-3 formation. Usually strikers in Scotland are very big and powerful. Defenders are the same. Generally for strikers who are not big like Kyogo, they need good passes or crosses to score goals.
“When he played for Vissel Kobe, Andres Iniesta gave him excellent passes and Kyogo scored a lot. But I think he can score more goals at Celtic.
“For him, it is very helpful that Ange is in charge of Celtic. Ange was trying to get more goals from crosses when he was manager of Yokohama F-Marinos. I believe that is his football style and it will suit Kyogo as he is very good at scoring from crosses into the box.
“Right now he knows Ange’s football style more than the other Celtic players. But when the rest of them understand Ange’s tactics more, that will work better for Kyogo as well.In addition, Celtic might be going to get some more new players in this transfer market. That would be good not only for Celtic but also for Kyogo.
“I am very happy to see another Japanese player there. Thanks to Kyogo, lots of people from our country will have opportunities to know how good a club Celtic is.
“I hope Celtic will get the Scottish championship back from Rangers and that Kyogo plays in the Champions League next season.”
“I still watch the games, but all the players I played with for Celtic have gone now. Scott Brown was the last to go and I see he is the captain of Aberdeen now. I wish him good luck. Celtic is always in my heart and I am more than happy that a new Japanese player is at the club.”
