Martin O’Neill explains why Reo Hatate missed Celtic’s clash with Shelbourne

Celtic F.C. fielded a youthful squad in their pre-season opener against Shelbourne F.C., with several senior players unavailable due to World Cup commitments and the departures of last season’s loan signings.

The absence of Reo Hatate opened the door for younger midfielders to feature. Sean McArdle started the first half, while Kyle Ure and Liam Kennedy were introduced after the interval as Martin O’Neill rotated his side throughout the 1-1 draw in Dublin.

Hatate and Johnny Kenny were among the notable omissions from the matchday squad. Speaking afterwards, O’Neill explained that Hatate’s absence was due to illness, which delayed his return for pre-season preparations. The manager said the midfielder had missed several training sessions but was now working on regaining fitness and would continue his recovery alongside the squad during their training camp in Portugal.

Hatate was not present when Celtic’s players initially reported back for pre-season training. Meanwhile, Liam Scales and Viljami Sinisalo returned later because of international duty, although both featured in the second half against Shelbourne.

The Japanese midfielder’s role in the team has changed significantly over recent months. Earlier in the campaign, he was regarded as one of Celtic’s most influential creative players and made a major impact after coming off the bench in the dramatic 2-2 draw against Rangers F.C. at Ibrox.

However, after taking a penalty in Celtic’s Scottish Cup shootout victory a week later, Hatate’s involvement became increasingly limited. He was left out of the squad for both the title-clinching win over Heart of Midlothian F.C. and the Scottish Cup final, raising questions about his long-term position within the team.

Despite the uncertainty surrounding his future, Hatate is expected to remain part of the squad unless a transfer materialises before the window closes.

Celtic’s preparations continue with friendlies against Sporting CP, Middlesbrough F.C. and A.C. Milan before they begin their Scottish Premiership campaign at home to Dundee F.C. on August 3.