ANGE POSTECOGLOU says that in-form Reo Hatate should be aiming for a place in Japan’s World Cup squad, and has backed the midfielder to prove he belongs at such a level in the long term by continuing his rapid improvement with Celtic.
Hatate still harbours ambitions of making his nation’s final squad for Qatar despite being cut from head coach Hajime Moriyasu’s original 29-man list for the recent warm-up friendly against the USA, and Postecoglou feels that his sparkling form can only have aided his case for inclusion.
But the Celtic manager also thinks that Hatate is mentally strong enough to handle the disappointment should Moriyasu not select him, and tipped him to go on to make himself impossible to ignore in the future through his performances at club level.
“I’m sure that is in his mind,” Postecoglou said.
“It is sometimes hard with national teams because it all depends on the national team manager and what he is looking for and also the other players in the position he’s in.
“They have got a pretty experienced midfield pedigree in the Japanese national team, so it is pretty hard for someone like him to break through, but it is not going to stop him from trying.
“He’s very ambitious, but, at the same time, he has been very good at focusing on making himself a strong member of this club first.
“His performances for us are the most important thing and he hasn’t had his focus taken away by what is happening at national team level, whether he has been in the squad or not played.
“He’s always come back here with a real determination to make an impact.
“It’s hard to say [if he will make it]. It depends on what the national coach is looking for and what other players he has in that position.
“With the Japanese team traditionally, someone like Reo is still seen as a young player and, because of that, sometimes they take a little bit more time to integrate them.
“Maybe it’ll be that this World Cup has come a little too early for him, but I don’t think it won’t stop his determination to try and get into it.
“And, if he doesn’t, I’m sure he will get his head down and make sure post-World Cup that he is a strong member of their national team.”
