REO HATATE: ANOTHER “MISUNDERSTANDING” FROM THE DAILY RECORD?
- BY LIAM CARRIGAN
- Mar 26
- 3 min read
Someone at the Daily Record seems to have an unhealthy addiction to Google translate. For the second day in a row, we at ACSOM have to set the record straight.
Reo Hatate: A Natural Parting?
The Daily Record ran a story this morning trying its level best to unsettle the Japanese midfielder.
There’s lots of talk about “natural parting” and “unseen requests” from Brendan Rodgers.
As usual, there’s enough editorial manure here to fill a farmer’s market.
Cutting Through the Innuendo
This was all based, apparently, on an interview that Hatate gave to Japanese sports website ゲキサカ. Here’s the problem though. Much like Daizen Maeda some 24 hours earlier, when you read the original article, Hatate barely mentions Celtic, and doesn’t mention Brendan Rodgers at all.
The “Natural parting” talk, well if you read the Record’s story to the end, once again you’ll see that’s nothing more than idle speculation from their resident “expert” Keith Jackson.
I’d actually take the Record a bit more seriously if they just had the intellectual honesty to start each story about Scottish football with “We think…” or “We hope…”
What Reo Hatate Actually Said
Hatate expressed disappointment about only being a substitute in Japan’s win over Bahrain, that much, at least is true. But from that point on The Daily Record and the truth once again take highly divergent paths.
Hatate stated that his aim now is to force his way into the starting lineup for Japan before the next World Cup. He added that the best way to do that was by scoring more goals in the Champions League.
Hatate opened his Champions League account for Celtic against Leipzig earlier this season.
And let’s be honest, as good a player as Hatate is, I don’t see him getting a move to any other team with as consistent a chance of making the Champions League group stage as Celtic.
How Do Celtic Fit Into This?
Hatate’s role at Celtic is mentioned, briefly. He says "At Celtic, we are really asked to work together as a team. To know where to press, and also to use counter attacks to score goals.
After experiencing the Champions League, I think I have been able to express myself better this year, both as an individual and as part of a team, than last year.
Is that All? Really?
That’s it. That’s all he said. Not exactly earth-shattering stuff, is it?
Hardly the words of a player who, according to the Record already has one foot out the door at Celtic.
Now, I’m not saying Hatate won’t leave Celtic in the summer. I hope he doesn’t, but he might. However, if he does, it will be when he, and Celtic decide it’s the best time to do so.
It will not be when those fantasists at the Record decide they want it to happen.
Misunderstanding, or Willful Deception?
I’ll leave it up to you, dear readers, to decide whether the Daily Record’s “mistranslation” of Hatate’s comments was down to an honest mistake or malicious intend.
Still, this is the second time in as many days that they’ve printed misunderstood comments from a Japanese language source.
Don’t Quote Sources You Don’t Understand
Look, I know that as a Japanese speaker, albeit not a native level speaker by any means, I’m in an extreme minority, especially when it comes to people who write about Scottish football for a living.
But isn’t there anyone the Record could have checked this with before embarrassing themselves again?
I’m sure there must be some bilingual Japanese students studying in Glasgow who would love the chance to make a few quid with some proof-reading or translation work.
No Time, No Money, No Common Sense
However, that would require time, money, effort and a modicum of common sense. All things that, as we know all too well, are in preciously short supply at the Daily Record these days.
Before we close out this article, I want to say thank you to the Japanese sports journalist Yusuke Ishikawa. He's the Gekisaka reporter who conducted the original interview with Reo Hatate.
Unlike the Daily Record, I always try to acknowledge my sources.
