Tomoki Iwata has made a surprising admission about his early days under Brendan Rodgers at Celtic, revealing he didn’t know who the manager was when he returned to Parkhead.
The Japanese midfielder, now at Birmingham City after a successful move last summer, spoke candidly about the transition from Ange Postecoglou to Rodgers in an interview with Soccer Digest Web.
“Manager Rodgers was a famous coach in Scotland, but I didn’t know of him at all,” Iwata said. “At first, I wondered, ‘What kind of person is he?’”
Rodgers rejoined Celtic in the summer of 2023 following Postecoglou’s departure to Spurs.
It was a move that was initially fuelled with uncertainty and hesitation, but the manager has slowly but surely got the fans back on side.
The Northern Irishman had previously led the Hoops through an era of domestic dominance before moving to Leicester City. Now entering the third year of his current deal, Rodgers has already delivered more silverware and will look to continue this into next season.
Although Iwata struggled for consistent minutes under Rodgers, his departure wasn’t one of discontent. Since joining Birmingham City, he’s found form and purpose, playing a central role in their League One title win and earning a nomination for Player of the Season.
He has since reflected on his departure, revealing he wanted to be playing football and didn’t mind taking the step down to the Blues.
