Ange Postecoglou says Kyogo Furuhashi and Reo Hatate's time to play the World Cup will come after the Celtic pair's Qatar omission.
While Parkhead teammate Daizen Maeda is off to the major tournament that starts this month, his Land of the Rising Sun peers have not been selected for Japan. Manager Postecoglou - who managed at the World Cup with Australia - knows it'll be a disappointment for both even if it won't come as a shock.
But with midfielder Hatate aged 24 and forward Kyogo now 27, the Aussie expects both Celtic stars to be in with a shout come 2026. He said: "Nothing is going to stop Reo from being the best footballer he can be. Kyogo, his nature never changes, he is always smiling, always happy. He loves what he does and that won’t change. But it’s good motivation for them. They both have a World Cup in them if they miss out on this one.
READ MORE: Celtic duo Kyogo Furuhashi and Reo Hatate left OUT Japan World Cup squad as Daizen Maeda lands spot
“The World Cup, and I was fortunate to be a manager at one, is one of those tournaments which is a dream to get to. hey both would have been very close to getting there, particularly Kyogo.
"I’m disappointed for them because Reo probably has one or two cycles of World Cups to potentially go to. Kyogo, at his age, still has one in him. But you want to take these opportunities. Of course they will be disappointed.
“My experience is they will have probably got wind of it a few days ago. It is rarely a shock. They are both strong, determined characters. It will motivate them to ensure they play their football to the best of their ability and those opportunities will come again.”
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