Kyogo Furuhashi 'disappointment' as Celtic boss reveals what he did over break

There’s never a quiet week for Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou. The international break may have afforded him a fortnight’s rest from competitive football but the Australian was still hard at work at the club’s Lennoxtown training base.

“I didn't get a long break really, there is always work to do,” smiled Postecoglou. “We still had a few players in the building and it also gave me a chance to catch up on our planning. Everyone had the weekend off and then we were back in early in the week. I did manage to spend time with the family but for the most part, there was stuff to do. I tried to watch as many of the boys playing for their countries as possible. If I can't watch live, I will always catch up. With this window, I was able to see most of the games.”

Celtic had a decent number away with their countries, but none will have shone as bright as club captain Callum McGregor. The midfielder played both of Scotland’s matches against Cyprus and Spain, excelling in the latter. “Callum was great and credit to him,” said Posrecoglou. “He loves playing for his country and it was a great night for Scotland. I was very pleased for Callum but I wasn't surprised by his performance. He is a quality player, he can play at the highest level and he showed that the other night. I still think the best is ahead for him. There is a lot more football for Callum to play and it's great for our club, and the country.”

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Hyeongyu Oh netted his first goal for South Korea as well, and his national coach Jurgen Klinsmann plans to visit Glasgow to watch the striker again. “The reports on Oh was that he did very well in both of his games and really made an impact off the bench,” said Postecoglou. “That is great for his development. This is the first time he has had to do that trip from Scotland to South Korea and it's no easy one. I know myself that going back to Asia and coming back takes it out of you.

Celtic forward Kyogo Furuhashi was left out of the Japan squad.Celtic forward Kyogo Furuhashi was left out of the Japan squad.
Celtic forward Kyogo Furuhashi was left out of the Japan squad.

“Oh arrived back on Thursday and came back to Lennoxtown to blow the cobwebs off straight away. But that was a great experience for him as he will be a key part of the South Korea team moving forward. On a personal level, coping with the travel and all that entails will be great for his growth. He has come back looking bright and it will be good to get him back among us.”

One player who was not involved for his country was Kyogo Furuhashi, left out of Japan’s squad for friendlies against Uruguay and Colombia. The 28-year-old has 16 caps to his name and despite a Japanese documentary showing him enjoying life in Glasgow, Postecoglou says the ex-Vissel Kobe man is not happy at being left out of Hajime Moriyasu’s national team.

“Kyogo is always positive but don't be mistaken, he is a very ambitious and determined player,” revealed Postecoglou. “You don't play in his position at that level if you don't have that. Kyogo is disappointed, there is no doubt about that. He wants to be part of the Japan national team and he feels he can make an impact. At the same time, he uses that as motivation. He doesn't let himself get down or allow his mood to change because of that. He wants to perform for Celtic, score goals and excite our supporters. He feels if he does that then it's best chance of getting back in.”