Brendan Rodgers started his Celtic tenure by dropping Reo Hatate for the first two games of the season.
The Japanese midfielder was Celtic’s best player in the quest for the record breaking treble under Ange Postecoglou.
But when Rodgers took over at Celtic, an unusual stint on the bench awaited Hatate as David Turnbull was preferred.
And it was a decision that baffled the Celtic supporters.
Hatate’s contract caused Celtic issues
Jerry Taylor was discussing Celtic this season on A Celtic State of Mind when he floated a theory of why he though Rodgers dumped Hatate to the bench.
Taylor said (A Celtic State of Mind), “You only need to look at the Hatate situation early on when he wasn’t getting played.
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“And I think that has a lot to do with he was one of the only ones that hadn’t signed that contract extension and wasn’t a certainty he was going to be staying.
“So I think that’s why he dropped him early on before the injuries and stuff.”
It’s an interesting theory and does offer at least some sound reasoning of why a guy who was excellent for a full season and a half was mysteriously left out of the starting eleven.
Bur that all seems like a thing of the past now that Hatate is back in the squad after his injury issues have cleared up.
And the Celtic fans will be hoping that the Japanese star will fire the team to a league and Scottish Cup double.
