Hatate’s Pre-Season Absence Down to Illness, O’Neill Confirms | OneFootball

Martin O’Neill has put the record straight on why Reo Hatate was missing from the early days of Celtic’s pre-season – and it turns out there’s no drama here, just a bout of illness.

O’Neill told the Daily Record that Hatate had simply been unwell, missing around four or five days of pre-season work before linking up with the squad. The explanation will come as some relief to supporters who had understandably begun reading darker meanings into an absence that coincided with the ongoing speculation about the midfielder’s long-term future at the club.

O’Neill said via the Daily Record: “Reo came late to proceedings. I think he was a bit ill at the time, so he missed out on about four or five days. He’s doing a little bit of work and he’s catching up with us in Portugal.”

Hatate had been conspicuous by his absence when Celtic’s players were pictured returning to Lennoxtown in June, and he was also missing for the pre-season friendly with Shelbourne. In the context of a player who has made no secret of his desire to one day play in one of Europe’s top five leagues, it didn’t take long for exit talk to surface again.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Let’s be honest – Hatate’s situation at Celtic has been complicated for a while now. He was left out of the Scottish Cup final matchday squad, his minutes were managed carefully toward the end of last season, and he hasn’t consistently recaptured the form that made him one of the most exciting midfielders in the Scottish Premiership during his first two seasons at the club.

The illness explanation removes one source of concern, but it doesn’t resolve the broader question of where Hatate fits in O’Neill’s plans as the new season approaches. He now has catching-up to do in Portugal while his teammates build their fitness around pre-season fixtures including a date with AC Milan on July 25. That’s a meaningful deficit heading into a campaign that kicks off in three weeks.

O’Neill has been busy shaping his backroom and squad this summer – the confirmed coaching staff and recent additions like set-piece coach Ross Grant reflect a manager who knows what he wants. Whether Hatate features prominently in those plans remains the question nobody has answered yet.

For now, he’s back with the group and working to close the gap. The weeks ahead in Portugal will tell us a great deal more than any pre-season press conference. Mon The Hoops.