Yuki Kobayashi was announced as a new signing by Celtic as I sat inside the Khalifa International Stadium to watch Japan beat Germany.
The timing, you have to say, was pretty uncanny. Ange Postecoglou ’s eye for the J-League has reaped a reward already and that has been obvious to all. Football is a global game and those who are either unaware or unwilling to scratch below the surface and dig into markets which are often untapped are missing out. It’s getting harder with modern technology and extensive scouting networks to keep anything a secret and managing to source value that no-one else has spotted is difficult.
But having that knowledge and eye for a region or a type of player and the bravery to trust it is invaluable and Postecoglou’s nous in the Asian market has been crucial to his success in the job. It’s not a secret. As was seen during the Japan victory over the Germans, many of those lads in that side already ply their trade in the Bundesliga and across Europe. Strangely, there’s been a reluctance, in general, for British clubs to go down that Asian route. Certainly not before an individual has proved himself somewhere else first.
