After signing his new contract with Celtic, Reo Hatate recovered from his injury then won Man of the Match against Kilmarnock for his outstanding performance. Today I will share some of what he said in the following video shot in the off-season and released on YouTube. This video may help you get to know him more.
Q. How do you do physical training?
Reo Hatate: “I always get guidance from Celtic’s physical coach, and I think about physical training menu myself.”
Q. What are players you watch as an example?
Reo Hatate: “I often watch Kevin De Bruyne and İlkay Gündoğan’s play. Both of them have different characteristics, but I’m learning from their play.”
Q. Look back on the match against Real Madrid…
Reo Hatate: “I was very tense, but I had strong desire to enjoy the moment. I thought that what I should do was to do the play I’ve been doing so far on the away pitch, so I’m glad I was able to express my strength on the pitch.”
Q. Which players have you been surprised by among players you have played against so far?
Reo Hatate: “Luka Modrić and Federico Valverde were amazing. I learned that the way to hold the ball and the ability to read the flow are especially the great parts of them. I thought that Modrić is good at holding the ball and the ability to read the flow, and I felt that Valverde is good at using his high physical ability and high skill. These were things that I didn’t know until I actually saw their play on the pitch.”
Q. Among players you’ve ever played together, which player was the easiest for you to play?
Reo Hatate: “Kaoru Mitoma. I played with him in college and in J.League, but he was very good at adjusting to playstyles of other players, so we often communicated with each other and play together well. I think that’s the reason why I feel that playing with him is comfortable. In both the national team and J.League, when I played as LSB or IH, our partnership was always very good. His positioning made it very easy for me to play, and he always sent me pass when I wanted to receive pass. In Japan national team, in the scene that he wants to break through defender with his own technique, we think strategy together about positioning and moving timing so as not to disturb his play. Also, I often tell him about play and positioning I want him to do.”
Q. What kind of training was important among the training you worked on when you were in high school?
Reo Hatate: “I worked hard on dribbling and lifting practice in my three years of high school, but I feel that those practices are the basis of my current performance. In my opinion, if you can develop the technique of handling the ball well when in high school, I think you can play well in any category. The basics of technique are the most important.”
Q. Specifically, how long did you spend practicing those practices in the whole training?
Reo Hatate: “The day’s training in high school was about 2 hours, but it was training using ball all the time. For example, in warming up, dribbling and lifting were included, and there was no warming up without touching the ball. After all, I think the feeling of ball touch is brushed up by training to use the ball all the time.”
Q. Can you give a message from you to the children who are aiming to be professional footballers?
Reo Hatate: “The three years of high school will pass quickly, so I want you to work hard on your daily practice, have high goals, work hard with your teammates and do your best. Good luck.”
At Celtic, his dissatisfied attitude and facial expression can make supporters uneasy, but I want you to remember that he is player who has developed with hungry spirit without being satisfied with his own performance. Hatate has frankly expressed his own feelings in college and in J.League.
This photo shown above was taken immediately after the game won the league title by the team he belongs to, but he said in an interview after the game that it was tears of regret. Even though he was highly evaluated by supporters as key player who has helped the team many times in multiple positions, he shed tears of regret and regret that his own performance could not help the team enough.
Reo Hatate of Celtic FC during the UEFA Champions League match between Feyenoord and Celtic FC at Feyenoord Stadium de Kuip on September 19, 2023 in Rotterdam, Netherlands. ANP Hollandse Hoogte JEROEN PUTMANS
There is no doubt that the reason why he has already become a player who can play in all positions except goalkeeper and centre back at the age of 23 is because he himself has worked hard by converting frustration into energy. So, even if he expresses his feelings honestly, please don’t read it too much and recognise it as his own way of expression.
Yatao
Come and join The Celtic Star live at the Kerrydale Suite at Celtic Park during the International break…
John Hartson will be just one of many special guests at a huge and unique Celtic Star event to be held in the Kerrydale Suite at Celtic Park on Thursday, 19 October 2023. Tables for 10 at £180 or individual tickets priced just £20 for this special evening can be purchased now via Celtic Star Books.
Meanwhile here’s Matt Corr talking about his latest Celtic Star book on The Celtic Exchange Podcast…
Majic, Stan and the King of Japan is out in Friday 20 October and is available to order now HERE.
The Celtic Star presents a night with John Hartson, Stephen McManus and Tommy Callaghan at the Kerrydale on Thursday 19 October…
There’s no Celtic action for a few weeks due the latest international break, but you can still come along to Celtic Park on Thursday 19 October – on the anniversary of Hampden in the Sun, Celtic 7 Rangers 1…to join The Celtic Star team live in the Kerrydale with special guests John Hartson, Stephen McManus and Tommy Callaghan as we launch Matt Corr’s new book ‘Majic, Stan and the King of Japan’ which tells the story of Gordon Strachan’s first season at Celtic and we’ll have the trophies Celtic won that season there too!
There’s live music from the wonderful Boolavogue and many more Celtic guests coming along which we’ll start to announce tomorrow. Tickets are selling fast so get yours now, just click on the image below and we’ll see you in the Kerrydale. it’s going to be some night and a great Celtic fix during the international break!
