Kyogo Furuhashi’s 6am tweet has been quickly backed by team-mates past and present.
The striker looked back to his best against St Johnstone on Saturday with one goal scored, two disallowed on VAR checks and another effort smashing into the crossbar.
Nicholas Kuhn’s introduction to the side has made a marked difference to Celtic’s play with Kyogo looking like the main beneficiary from the arrival of the German winger.
After a few underwhelming performances that had most Celtic fans wondering what they were missing in the former Rapid Vienna winger Kuhn has looked a player transformed in the matches against Livingston and St Johnstone.
An eagerness to get on the ball and a mix of trickery and pace is exactly what Celtic have needed with Kyogo looking like last season’s vintage as his runs and movement were recognised by Kuhn, if the former Vissel Kobe man had notched a hat-trick it would have been no more than he deserved.
With that in mind his 6am message of ‘I’m not afraid of failure’ across social media came as something of a surprise but offered an insight into his mentality and determination to succeed.
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This season has certainly been ‘challenging’ for last season’s top scorer and multiple award winner.
Scoring the goals that have decided both Glasgow Derbies alongside strikes in the Champions League against Atletico Madrid and Lazio are genuine reasons to celebrate.
Alongside that there has been many frustrating appearances when he has been starved of service, at Motherwell last month he had an ineffective 45 minutes then watched his replacement, Adam Idah turn the match after the break with two goals.
There is no mystery to the downturn in Kyogo’s goal return, he hasn’t changed, dropped his application or even tried to work his ticket.
Last season close to 60% of his goals must have been created by Jota, Liel Abada and Reo Hatate, only Matt O’Riley has remained in the supply chain with the former MK Dons man supplying the decisive goals for Kyogo’s two strikes past Jack Butland.
Between Daizen Maeda, Kuhn and Yang Hyun-Jun it now looks like Celtic are starting to get the supply chain back in action, James Forrest is another effective option with Hatate reportedly close to making a comeback.
If the vintage Kyogo of last spring is about to return Celtic’s trophy prospects are greatly increased- with those that know him best quick to like his Monday morning message.
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