Reo Hatate was undoubtedly Celtic’s top performer against Kilmarnock on Saturday
He not only won the man of the match award but he was also lauded by his manager, teammates and even the opposition in post-match interviews.
Across his 84 touches in the match, he ran the show, registering a goal and an assist, as well as being the main thrust of many Celtic forays into the Kilmarnock third.
Now, Brendan Rodgers has shared that his display was in part helped by the player responding well to a video analysis session mid-week, where it was made clear exactly what the manager wants from him.
The Celtic boss said [Sunday Post, 08/10 print edition]: “This was the first game that Reo Hatate has come alive for me. He has to press the game and when he is at that level, then he is intense with the ball. He scored a brilliant goal and he was superb.
“I went through things with him the other day. If he wants to get to the highest level, there needs to be more intensity in his game. I took him through clips of his games, all without the ball. If you press the game well you will pass it well. But he took it on board and produced a fantastic performance today.
“That’s the level, you can’t switch the engine on and off. At the highest level against the best players, you have to turn up every week. That’s the challenge for him.
“He’s not young, he’s 25, but at that level of intensity, everything else is then natural for him. It’s my job to help him stay at that level. He has set the standard and I’m sure he’ll do everything he can to stay at that level.”
Hatate hasn’t been at his best for most of this season. Fitness and injury issues have played their part, but there have been concerns about his form on the pitch, too.
If Rodgers has now unlocked something in the Japanese midfielder then Celtic fans will be delighted. Getting him firing on all cylinders in the Autumn and Winter months will make the Bhoys an even more formidable force.
It’s now on him to show he can do this over a period of weeks and months.
In other news, Kenny Dalglish delivers a sobering warning for new Rangers boss going up against Celtic.
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