Brendan Rodgers utterly raves about the Reo Hatate he's waited for as Celtic boss rues Kyogo penalty snub

Brendan Rodgers reckons top-class Reo Hatate has met the demand and found the clarity to become a complete player.

The Japanese star hit the opening goal and was Man of the Match as Celtic sank Kilmarnock 4-0 on flag day. Hatate’s outstanding display was acknowledged by the beaming boss. The playmaker took time to get going for Rodgers at the beginning of last term before injury issues further stopped his momentum.

Rodgers admits he didn't initially see what he was expecting from the ace. But Hatate has taken words of advice from the boss on board and looks back in the groove. Rodgers said: “I think that what I’ve seen over the course of pre-season, he’s top class. I didn’t see the player that I hoped to see at the beginning of last season, for whatever reason. I was aware of him and I’d seen him play and I liked what I’d seen. But he never really got going through pre-season last year. And not to what I was wanting. He got injured and then it was really broken for him.

“He had little spells where he came into the team, but not consistently. But he’s come back pre-season now and, obviously, how the season ended, there’s that confidence. He knows I like him as a player and he knows what I want from him as a player. I’d hoped I could see that last season, but it doesn’t matter. He’s here now and he’s been absolutely brilliant since his comeback. So I’m really pleased for him.”

Rodgers left Hatate out of the line-up in favour of now-departed David Turnbull on the opening day of last term when his team beat Ross County. But the Asian was in the thick of it against Killie. Asked if Hatate's attitude had altered since that day, Rodgers said: “No, I just think it’s just probably him maybe gaining a bit more clarity around what