Celtic striker Kyogo Furuhashi has reflected upon his successful first season for the Hoops just under a year on from making his debut.
The 27-year-old arrived from the J-League to join Ange Postecoglou’s side, with the new Celtic boss looking to use his knowledge from his previous job.
Kyogo quickly became a firm fan’s favourite and was a talismanic figure for the Hoops in the first half of the double-winning campaign.
Although there was excitement surrounding the arrival of Kyogo in Glasgow, the frontman was thrown into the deep end on his debut, coming on as a substitute in a 2-1 loss to Hearts.
The Japanese internationalist may not have been able to make an impact that day, but it wasn’t long until he was on the scoresheet for the Bhoys, scoring four goals across his next two appearances.
Kyogo has recently reflected upon his first season in Glasgow, speaking very positively about his opening 12 months as a Celtic player.
The Celtic star opened up on his feelings after his first appearance and stated his intent to become even better going into the new season.
He said [Sun Sport]: “To be honest, it felt like my first season at Celtic was over in no time.
“I was confident in my J-League era, and that was valid as I could get in front of goal and score.
“However, I was also able to score 20 goals for Celtic last season because I had team-mates who understood and accepted my characteristics.
“After the transfer in July, I felt the atmosphere of, ‘Who is this guy?’ in the team.
“No wonder. I came off the bench in the first game of the season, but that day was actually a case of ‘Nice to meet you’ with my teammates.
“There was a quarantine for about ten days after entering from Japan at that point.
“So I had to join the team and play immediately. I participated in the second half, but I hadn’t even been training with the team, so I didn’t get a goal.
“I tried my best in that game, but it didn’t work. However, I was able to score three goals in my first home match the following week.
“It was great that my first goals caught everyone’s hearts. I want to get even bigger numbers in the coming season.
“I want to be humble, work hard and aim for the position of a hero.
“But I already feel like I’ve crossed a mountain at Celtic. Of course, I think I’ve won the trust of people by helping us to get results.
“But everyone understood my character, and I was able to break out of my shell.”
Kyogo makes exciting claim ahead of 2022/23 season.
After his first season in the green and white Hoops, Celtic fans are now well aware of the qualities Kyogo brings to this side.
The former Vissel Kobe man displayed why he is a key player for Ange Postecoglou and was unfortunate to miss a large chunk of last season.
Now, heading into the new campaign, the striker has had a break and a full pre-season under his belt. So, he will be ready to go for the return of competitive action this weekend.
We could be about to see a whole new level from Kyogo, which is very exciting to think about, considering how good he was last year.
If he can live up to his claims of getting even greater numbers this season, the popular Celtic star is going to be in for one hell of a season.
In other news, Ange Postecoglou provides latest transfer update confirming Celtic’s next steps.
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