“He’s a hell of a player,” says Postecoglou. “He’s arguably been the best player in the competition here” | OneFootball

Ange Postecoglou today admitted that he’d have been disappointed if Tom Rogic hadn’t been called up by Australia for their World Cup qualifiers as he braced himself for tomorrow’s news regarding the Japan squad announcement with all three new Bhoys Daizen Maeda, Reo Hatate and even Yosuke Ideguchi possibly being in contention for a call-up with The Celtic manager joking that he did himself no favours playing all three against Hibs on Monday night with the players making worldwide news for their impressive debut displays.

Reo Hatate of Celtic and Paul Hanlon of Hibernian during the Scottish Premier League match at Celtic Park, on 17 January 2021. Photo Neil Hanna / Sportimage

“Yeah, it’s a possibility,” Ange replied when asked if Japan could call up the new Celts, having already ruled out Kyogo who is at least a few weeks away, Ange being reluctant to put a time-frame on it but it’s clear it’s not imminent and there’s no chance that Kyogo will be fit to play for Japan for these crucial games against China and Saudi Arabia. “They’re all the frame and it didn’t help that they all did well the other night!

Daizen Maeda of Celtic celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Cinch Scottish Premiership match between Celtic FC and Hibernian FC at on January 17, 2022. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

“It got worldwide attention and I tried to keep that hidden somewhere – but obviously everyone knows they did well. I expect them to be in the frame. We’ll find out tomorrow and I’ll be delighted if they’re selected because they’re players who are really ambitious, they want to get to the top of the game and that includes with their national team.

“We’ll deal with that once it’s done.” Describing all his players as ambitious and as a former national team manager himself Ange is certainly not of a mind to take a narrow club over country approach and any player playing for Celtic while he is the manager is never going to have a problem going to play for his national side.

Kyogo, Ange Postecoglou and Callum McGregor celebrate with the League Cup. Photo Jeff Holmes

On Kyogo, who attempted to play against St Johnstone on Boxing Day but lasted less that a quarter of an hour before suffering a recurrence of his hamstring injury initially picked up in the Europa League match against Real Betis at Celtic Park, ironically after he replaced Albian Ajeti who also suffered a similar injury earlier in the same game.

Kyogo is being carefully assessed and this time will not be rushed back for either Celtic or Japan. “We are still sort of working through that but suffice to say it’s not going to be a quick return,” the Celtic manager said. “I’m reluctant to put any timeframe on it, just for the player himself. I think it’s unfair that I do that, but we are still looking at a number of weeks at the moment.

“Hopefully we will get some clarity, there are still some things they want to see if it settles down, but we are looking at a number of weeks at this point.”

19th December 2021; Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland; Scottish League Cup final, Hibernian versus Celtic: Joe Newell of Hibernian and Tom Rogic of Celtic on the ball

On Tom Rogic’s inclusion in the Australian squad The Celtic manager had this to say: “I’m not disappointed, he’s seen selected for his national team because he’s a hell of a player and I’d be disappointed if he wasn’t selected for his national team,” said the former Australia boss.

“Tom’s been an outstanding servant for this football club and he’s been an outstanding servant for his national team and he wants them to go to their fourth consecutive World Cup. On form he’s arguably been the best player in the competition here and I want to see him do well for the national team, not just because it’s Australia.”

With Rogic away for at least three games, including of course the Glasgow Derby, the door is opening for the New Celtic signing Matt O’Riley and obviously Ange was happy to outline his thoughts on his fifth signing of this January window with the midfielder joining the club on a four-and-a-half year deal last night. O’Riley admitted that after speaking to Postecoglou on the telephone his mind was pretty much made up there and then that Celtic is where he wanted to be playing his football.

“I’m very pleased to get him in,” Postecoglou admitted. “He’s a player that we’ve scouted for quite a while. I became aware of him when I joined the club in the summer and he was one of the ones we were looking at and it didn’t quite work out then.

“We followed his progress through the first half of this season with MK Dons and he’s had a really strong season. I just see some really good football attributes in him that’ll fit in well with what we’re doing here.

“He’s also an outstanding young man who really wants to get the most out of his career and that’ll fit really well culturally here. It was one we could do quickly, which was also really important to me, because it means he can come in and slot in straight away. I’m pleased to get him in.”

Watch Ange Postecoglou media conference below…

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