The 5-1 defeat at the hands of Ajax was a wake-up call for a Celtic team that had been flying high after winning against Sporting CP and Newcastle United. There is still a lot of work that this squad needs before they can compete with the top teams in Europe. And unfortunately, the Dutch side doesn't even belong in that category,
One of the recent signings that Celtic have made is that of Shin Yamada. A lot of eyebrows have been raised as the Japanese international has been signed on the back of a season in which he managed just two goals.
Hayato Inamura has pleasantly surprised the fans with his displays in pre-season though. And they'll be expecting more of the same from Yamada as well. It had looked like we were set to get out first glimpse of him on the pitch against Ajax.
Yamada had been named on the bench against Ajax. But then, out of nowhere, a revised team sheet was put out and his name was on it. That left fans concerned that he had picked up an injury before kicking a ball for the Hoops. Now, the mystery has been solved and we know exactly why he was left out.
Real reason Shin Yamada was suddenly removed from Celtic team
As reported by the Daily Record, Brendan Rodgers shed some light on the Yamada situation as the Celtic manager said:
"We were told late on he wasn't registered. He couldn't play in the game. It was a UEFA game.
“I think we thought it would be through. So, he obviously came with us and travelled.
“But then, later on, an hour before the game, we were told he wasn't."
Hopefully, that situation will be sorted as soon as possible and we will get to see Yamada in action in Celtic's next pre-season game. At the moment, it is hard to figure out what to expect from the Japanese striker.
He might have scored just two league goals for Kawasaki Frontale in their recent season but in the one before that, he found the back of the net 19 times. Also, he certainly passes the eye test from the little we have seen of him so far.
A lot could depend on how Yamada performs in pre-season. One has to remember that he is not a project signing. He is 25 years of age and heading for his prime. If he struggles, it could lead to Celtic trying to sign another striker. If he does well, the Hoops might be satisfied with their options and not make another addition up front.