‘Compared to them’ – Tomoki Iwata’s brutally honest evaluation of his time at Celtic

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Tomoki Iwata is probably the one player Celtic fans were disappointed not to be given a proper chance at the club.

The Japanese midfielder arrived at Celtic shortly after being named the J League’s MVP back in 2022. However, with players like Matt O’Riley, Callum McGregor, Reo Hatate and Aaron Mooy ahead of him in the pecking order, Iwata struggled to make it in Paradise.

Iwata left Celtic to join Birmingham last summer and has become an almost instant success at the Midlands club.

But looking back at his time at Celtic, Iwata has delivered a brutally honest appraisal of his period at the club as he compared himself to fellow countrymen Hatate, Daizen Maeda and Kyogo Furuhashi.

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Tomoki Iwata admits he wasn’t as good as Celtic trio

Celtic’s Japanese contingent took the club by storm and Iwata was hoping he could follow in their footsteps.

But it didn’t quite work out and as the former Celtic man admits he just wasn’t as good as his three compatriots.

Iwata told Soccer Digest Web, “I lived next door to Daizen and we got along well as a family, so I really got used to the lifestyle very quickly.

“Our children also got along well, and after we moved to Birmingham, my children missed theirs.

“Kyogo, Daizen and Reo were all outstanding in Scotland. I always thought they could play as key players for the Japanese national team.

“Reo was in the starting lineup for the 2024 Asian Cup and did a good job, and I really felt that he was a player who could make a difference.

“Compared to them, I still lacked the skills. If I had scored every time I played, even for a short time, I think the situation would have been different.”

Tomoki Iwata’s best moment in a Celtic jersey

Over his time at Celtic, Iwata made 42 appearances in the green and white Hoops. And whilst fans were largely impressed every time they saw him, getting a regular starting spot proved too difficult.

However, his best moment in a Celtic jersey came in a 4-1 win over Hearts at Tynecastle when Iwata stepped up to do this:

Now in the English Championship, Iwata has aims to become a Premier League midfielder. What a story that would be if the former Celtic midfielder can help Birmingham pull it off.