SHIN YAMADA: CELTIC STRIKER’S EMOTIONAL FAREWELL TO KAWASAKI, AND WHAT IT MEANS FOR CELTIC
- BY LIAM CARRIGAN
- 12 hours ago
- 3 min read
If there’s one thing that Japanese people absolutely can’t get enough of, it’s ceremonies and rituals.
So, even after their team lost their Emperor’s Cup tie on penalty kicks last night. The vast majority of the home crowd stayed on, as the Kawasaki Frontale fans gave Celtic’s new striker a proper send off.
If you want to watch the ceremony, you can do so here. No subtitles unfortunately, so I’ll do my best to translate what was said.
Reasons Outlined for Shin Yamada Celtic Move in Sayonara Speech
A visibly emotional Yamada thanked the fans for their tremendous support over his two and a half years as part of the senior squad.
He admitted that leaving Kawasaki gave him a sense of “loneliness”. However, he also added that, even as he said goodbye, he could still “feel the warmth and support of the fans and his teammates”.
Of course, no Japanese player is ever going to come out and say the infamous line: “Celtic is the only club I’ve ever wanted to play for” but Yamada came pretty close.
He added: “Ever since I became a professional footballer, my dream has been to play in Europe. That is where I must go, if I am to become a permanent member of the national team squad.”
“I’ve loved my time with Frontale, but I didn’t think it would be possible for me to realize my dream if I stayed in the J-League for the rest of my career.”
Though he didn’t mention Celtic by name, he clearly understands what will be expected of him at his new club: goals, and plenty of them.
Yamada continued: “I’m not setting a specific target for goals, but I know I need to improve my game. Not just my number goals, but also my other qualities as a player.”
Many in the Japanese media read this as an indicator of Yamada’s understanding about the more robust nature of Scottish football compared to the J-League.
Thankfully, the one area of his game that Yamada himself isn’t concerned about is his physicality. Speaking about his recent debut for the Japanese national team, he said: I believe my physical strength was good enough to be accepted by the national team. But I still have issues with defensive strength and decisiveness.
"I wasn't able to get the results I wanted. I haven’t yet gained the full trust of Moriyasu (referring to Japanese national manager Hajime Moriyasu)"
Personally, I think this blend of confidence and humility will give Shin Yamada the tools he needs to succeed at Celtic. As we have so often seen with new arrivals, especially from outside Scotland, playing for Celtic is often as much a test of character as it is a test of footballing prowess.
Yamada also reflected on how a new environment will bring a new challenge and make him a better player, just as it did when he joined Kawasaki out of the university system back in 2022.
Yamada said: "I'm aware that I've grown by changing my environment. I also made the decision to move again now, because I wanted to change my environment”
Well, Glasgow certainly offers a very different environment to Japan, there’s no doubt about that!
Time will tell how this move works out, but Shin Yamada, Celtic’s latest Japanese recruit, certainly talks a good game so far.