Almost every single one of Ange Postecoglou’s signings have worked out.
To a man, they have all contributed in some way to the success of the team over the last eighteen months or so.
Kyogo Furuhashi, Reo Hatate, Daizen Maeda, Matt O’Riley and Giorgos Giakoumakis all helped the side to win a league and cup double last season and helped them to a commanding nine-point lead at the top of the league this season.
All played their part. All done their bit.
Except one. Yosuke Ideguchi.
The Japanese midfielder has a nightmare start to his career when he got injured in a cup tie at Alloa, but since his recovery, he has found it difficult to break into the first team.
Even with Callum McGregor out for two months, you would have thought that he would have been afforded his chance to show what he can do but the manager, instead, chose to drop Matt O’Riley back as cover for the Celtic captain.
So where does this leave his future? Not at Celtic according to the popular Celtic by Numbers‘ Alan Morrison.
Speaking on A Celtic State of Mind, Morrison said, “I mean, he was certainly the victim of a tactical approach at Alloa, let’s call it and now we have sympathy with him for that.
“Very occasionally, there are players who you see, and this is just my opinion, who there isn’t the data because he hasn’t played that many games.
“But just on the eye test, you can come to quite a quick conclusion.
“And for me, Ideguchi s one of these that just doesn’t look anywhere near the quality of player that Celtic need to be honest.
“It is what it is. He’s a professional footballer but all of those things would become easier if you’re performing and you’re of the standard that was going to help the group and help the manager.
“He just doesn’t have enough in terms of any of his attributes really, I think, he’s not particularly big, strong, powerful, he doesn’t move quickly, he isn’t particularly incisive with his passing, gives the ball away, it’s just I think he’s at a level above his capabilities as my view.
“I think he’d be better served probably in a lower level, probably in a more technical league, as well.
“It was a very low-cost, low-risk purchase and it didn’t work out and so I think he should just move on and hopefully find somewhere that he can flourish and show and the best side of himself.”
Sounds very harsh considering he has had limited game time at the club, but the fact that he didn’t get a sniff of action when McGregor was out told you all you needed to know.
Ange doesn’t seem to fancy him. Which is a shame.
It would have been interesting to see how he would have fared alongside our other Japanese signings.
Maybe Alan is right. Maybe it’s time to cut our losses and let Ideguchi leave this January.
NOTE: If you like this content and wish to use them on your own site, please make sure you credit Vital Celtic for putting in the work in finding these quotes rather than just shamelessly stealing them. It’s the right thing to do. Thanks.
Alan Morrison! He’s a fucking bore who waffles on about expected goals (something this World Cup has buried once and for all) and has folk turning away from ASCOM in droves, the equivalent of the Monster Raving Loony Party!
Talk about a “low wattage” article,
Did he talk about expected goals in this article mate? What are you on about?
Give the bhoy a chance ….he was cleaned out at alloa by that prick,he’s in a new country n out team is purring along nicely,it would be hard to break into team.i say we would be better holding on to him ,as season progresses he might just be needed .