mizuno: naka can inspire me

David Friel
JAPANESE star Koki Mizuno has pledged to follow Shunsuke Nakamura’s lead as he attempts to become a Celtic hero just like his compatriot.

The 22-year-old attacking midfielder, who arrived from JEF United this week, joined up with his new Hoops team-mates for the first time on Friday morning and was then paraded in front of the press.

Sitting beside fellow new Bhoy Barry Robson, Mizuno spoke excitedly as he prepared for his new life in Glasgow and vowed to learn from Naka as he targets a place in the Hoops first-team.

“I’m so happy to be here at Celtic and I’d like to do my best for the club and the supporters,” he said in English, before speaking through an interpreter.

“In Japan, Celtic are very popular. Many people watch the matches on television and with Shunsuke’s presence here, Celtic are a really big club back home.

“I have been playing with Shunsuke for the national team and he is a player I admire, and want to learn from. I’m so glad that I can play together with him for Celtic and I want to do my best for the team.”

Celtic manager Gordon Strachan is delighted at the capture of Mizuno but warned Hoops fans not to expect too much, too soon from the 22-year-old.

He is regarded as the one of the hottest prospects in Japanese football but has never played in Europe before, and the manager believes it’s only right that Mizuno be given time to settle.

He said: “We’ve got to give Koki a wee bit of time because, unlike Naka who stopped off in Italy before he came here, he’s come straight in and the change in culture will shock him so he has to acclimatise on and off the pitch to Scottish football.

“Koki’s a pure, pure football player like Naka and he took a wee while to get himself beefed up for the Scottish league but when he did that, he’s been absolutely fantastic.

“We give the players here a platform to see if they can adapt to playing Champions League football, pressure football and winning every week.

“It’s up to them to take it and we do feel that Koki can do. That’s why we’ve asked him to come along and join us. We feel he has good things in his game and we feel we can add to them to make him an all-round player.”