There have been many crazy chapters to this campaign, and Reo Hatate has certainly been a part of it.
But in recent times, Martin O’Neill has opted against using Hatate, leaving him on the bench on several occasions, including in the Scottish Cup semi-final and against Falkirk last time out.
Peter Grant wanted to highlight that Hampden fixture and how it was ‘a big, big disappointment’ when he watched Hatate’s ‘body language’ on the bench and not celebrating Celtic’s goals.
Speaking on Go Radio, Grant explained that Hatate was due to come onto the pitch, but then Benjamin Arthur got injured, so Dane Murray came on instead, and how the Japanese midfielder reacted left a sour taste in the former Hoops star’s mouth.
“The thing that disappointed me,” said Grant. “This is the first time I would throw this at him. It was in the Scottish Cup game, the other week, against St Mirren.
“He was ready to come on. Then there was a slight injury, and the centre-back Arthur had to come off, so Reo had to go back. Just at the end of it, I wanted to watch his body language to see if he was celebrating like everyone else, and I didn’t see that.
“That disappointed me, because there was a reason why the manager had changed the substitution.”
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There is a certain Rangers fixture on the horizon. It has been clear all season long that Hatate hasn’t been at it this season.
There is a reason why he has been on the bench in the first place, but in the very few games Hatate has turned up, it has been against the Gers.
So, could Celtic fans possibly see the Ange Postecoglou signing come back into the XI anytime soon?
Not according to Grant, who fired shots at Hatate for not being a ‘team player’, and explained that he would now start others ahead of the midfielder.
“We will go with Reo Hatate first, Martin, I don’t think, will start him,” said Grant.
“The thing that disappointed me. This is the first time I would throw this at him. It was in the Scottish Cup game, the other week, against St Mirren.
“He was ready to come on. Then there was a slight injury, and the centre-back Arthur had to come off, so Reo had to go back. Just at the end of it, I wanted to watch his body language to see if he was celebrating like everyone else, and I didn’t see that.
“That disappointed me, because there was a reason why the manager had changed the substitution. I have been there myself. You are going to put someone on, a creative spark and somebody gets injured. It’s your last substitution.
“So, there is nothing you can do about it as a manager. I just thought his body language after really, really disappointed me. That would frustrate me.
“People may say, ‘old school’, but I would be the exact same as what Martin will say, ‘Right, okay.’ I would be watching that closely and saying, ‘No, no. I am not having that. I want somebody out there, where it’s about the team.’
“I haven’t seen that with Reo. When he’s on his game, against Rangers, that period when he came on and changed the game for us. There is nobody better at doing that – I have always been very supportive of Reo Hatate, but that was a big, big disappointment for me when I watched that, his body language, so I can understand, if I could play the other guys before him, I would, because they deserve to play. They were team players. On that particular day, I don’t think he looked like a team player.”
Hatate’s numbers under Martin O’Neill
Over O’Neill’s two spells in charge this season, Hatate has featured a fair bit.
It could even be argued that Celtic’s best moments, from the win over Feyenoord in the Europa League to the performances against Rangers, have seen Hatate play a key role.
Hopefully, in the coming weeks, as this gripping and all-action Premiership title race concludes, Hatate has a few more performances under his belt.
- Hatate’s games under O’Neill: 25
- Starts: 14
- Goals: 4
- Assists: 3
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