Brendan Rodgers tendered his resignation from Celtic at the start of last week to end his second spell with the Scottish giants in the dugout at Parkhead.
The Northern Irish head coach opted to move on from the club for a second time after a 3-1 loss to Hearts left the Hoops eight points adrift of first place in the Scottish Premiership table.
Rodgers, as shown in the graphic above, enjoyed a largely successful second spell with the Bhoys, winning four trophies in two seasons, before the disappointing start to the current campaign.
After the ex-Liverpool and Leicester City boss left the Hoops last week, experienced manager Martin O’Neill was placed in interim charge and has managed two matches so far.
A 4-0 win over Falkirk and a 3-1 win over Rangers have shown that the club can afford to take their time to find the right man for the job, as O’Neill is a safe pair of hands for now.
One of the things that the next manager should make a priority when they arrive at Parkhead is reviving Reo Hatate, whose form has dropped off this season.
Why Celtic need to revive Reo Hatate
In the summer of 2024, Celtic reportedly rejected an offer of £10m from an unnamed French club, which shows that they valued him at even more than that at the time.
Then, in the 2024/25 campaign, Hatate stepped up his game to deliver 11 goals and nine assists in 55 appearances in all competitions for the Hoops, per Transfermarkt.
The Japan international scored ten goals and created 14 ‘big chances’ in 37 outings in the Premiership, which shows that he provided regular quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals from a central midfield position.
Unfortunately, the 27-year-old star has endured a frustrating 2025/26 campaign so far, so much so that he has been a substitute in the first two games of O’Neill’s interim tenure.
Appearances
37
8
Goals
10
1
Big chances created
14
1
Key passes per game
1.2
0.8
Assists
4
0
Pass accuracy
82%
81%
As you can see in the table above, Hatate’s influence at the top end of the pitch has waned. The midfielder is not as impactful as he was last term for the Hoops, as a scorer or a creator.
The Japanese star, who has one goal and no assists in 15 appearances in all competitions, is capable of far better and that is why the next manager needs to revive his performances as a priority.
Thankfully, for Hatate, there is a manager keen on taking the role who could be the perfect man to revive the central midfielder’s season.
Former Championship manager interested in the Celtic job
According to 67HailHail, former Middlesbrough head coach Michael Carrick has had his name thrown in the ring for the vacant Celtic job.
The report claims that the former Manchester United central midfielder would be interested in replacing Rodgers at Parkhead in the coming weeks, after leaving Boro at the end of last season.
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It states that the English tactician is looking to get back into management again, as he has been without a club so far this season, and the Celtic job is a potential option for him.
However, 67HailHail adds that Carrick does have some reservations about the size of the job and whether he is ready for it at this point in his career, which the site itself suggests may be a red flag.
However, if he is still interested in taking the job, as the report suggests, then the club should consider him as a genuine option, because he could revive Hatate.
Why Michael Carrick would be perfect for Reo Hatate
Carrick could get the Japan international back to his best in the middle of the park for the Scottish giants, and not just because he was a former midfielder for Manchester United and England.
The English boss plays a 4-2-3-1 formation, per Transfermarkt, and could play Hatate in the number ten position to get the best out of his attacking qualities, which were on full display in the 2024/25 campaign.
Carrick’s coaching in the last two seasons with Middlesbrough, before his exit in the summer, suggests that he can coach a team to be incredibly creative with the ball.
League finish
8th
10th
xPTS (Expected league finish)
73 (5th)
71 (6th)
xG
69.5
67.4
xGA
55.0
56.4
xGD
+14.5
+11.3
As you can see in the table above, Middlesbrough racked up roughly 137 xG in 82 Championship games across the 2023/24 and 2024/25 campaigns, which suggests that Hatate would be in a side that can create plenty of chances for him to start scoring goals again.
Carrick has also shown that he can develop and improve attack-minded midfield players. Finn Azaz, per Transfermarkt, had never managed more than seven goals and five assists in a Championship season before his haul of 12 goals and 11 assists in the division for Carrick’s side last term.
The out-of-work coach, who was hailed as an “insanely talented coach” by former Boro player Lukas Engel, was also named by Morgan Rogers as one of the coaches who helped him to improve as a player.
Rogers is now shining at Aston Villa, with 14 goals and 13 assists last term, and is an England international, which is further evidence that Carrick can help attacking midfielders to thrive.
Therefore, the English head coach could be the perfect appointment to reignite Hatate’s Celtic career because of his formation, his coaching, and his development of attack-minded midfield players.
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