Baffled Packie Bonner offers strong Celtic view of Reo Hatate’s Japan Asian Cup inclusion

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Celtic legend Packie Bonner admits he can’t understand why Reo Hatate was included in Japan’s Asian Cup squad.

The midfielder was called up by manager Hajime Moriyasu despite his season prior to that being hampered by injuries – firstly a minor calf issue in September and then a more serious hamstring setback from October to December.

Hatate was included in Japan’s matchday squad for the opening group game against Vietnam but wasn’t used. He noted after that game, however, that his fitness was improving in what was a welcome piece of news for Celtic fans.

The 26-year-old then played in the final two group matches against Iraq and Indonesia as he registered an assist and a fantastic overall performance versus the former.

But disaster for Celtic struck in the last 16 game against Bahrain when Hatate hobbled off with a calf injury 35 minutes into the encounter.

Brendan Rodgers then confirmed at his Friday press conference that Hatate was indeed injured once again and that a full recovery would take around six weeks.

That has left Bonner extremely frustrated because Celtic, according to the former goalkeeper, are now very short of central midfield options.

But what has baffled Bonner the most is that Hatate was included in the Japan squad in the first place because the Parkhead maestro had only played 19 minutes of action in two months before receiving the Asian Cup call-up.

Packie Bonner on Reo Hatate

Packie Bonner told BBC Sportsound ahead of Celtic’s clash with Aberdeen at Saturday lunchtime: “It’s the middle of the park where I think they (Celtic) are very light at the moment, obviously with the injury to Hatate.

“Now I just can’t understand, they must have had some agreement with him. I know it’s a huge tournament for a young man to go to the Asian Cup and that he’d want to go. But from a club perspective, he was out injured and he came back for half a game.

“Now he’s gone out there – maybe they thought it would get him fit or whatever – and now he’s going to be out for another six weeks.

“It looks like both calves have been injured and that to me is really disappointing because he is a key player and if he was here and fit, he’s in the team week in, week out because he makes Kyogo and makes this team tick alongside (Callum) McGregor in the middle of the pitch.”