Ange Postecoglou tips snubbed Celtic duo Kyogo and Hatate to use Japan pain as catapult to the top

Ange Postecoglou has shot down any suggestions Scottish football is holding back some of his stars.

The Celtic boss admitted he feels for Hoops aces Kyogo and Reo Hatate missing out on being called up for Japan. But he doesn’t buy Samurai Blues boss Hajime Moriyasu’s veiled reasoning about the level of the Premiership. Postecoglou will have half his squad on international duty next week – and he is convinced it won’t be long before his key men are banging on the door.

When asked if he had concerns about Scottish football’s standing, he hit back: “No mate, you come here next week and there will be few players in the building because the rest of them will be on international duties. We have four or five at the World Cup and they were all outstanding. We have had players recently – Josip Juranovic and Moritz Jenz – who have gone to the Bundesliga and are regular starters.

“I don’t think it is relevant at all, and that is not to discount the opinion of the Japanese team manager, that is for him to decide how he selects players. From my perspective, the level of the individual performance in terms of national team selection has very little to do with the competition.

“Next week, we have multiple players away and the World Cup is a pretty good reference point, mate. I don’t think anyone would say that guys like Aaron Mooy and Cameron Carter-Vickers and Josip and Daizen and Alistair Johnston, guys who were part of ours, didn’t perform at the highest level. So if you want a reference point, that’s the one you should look at.”

Postecoglou reckons the Japan snub will only fire up his men even more. He said: “I don’t feel sorry for them, but you do feel for them. There is no greater disappointment for any footballer than missing a