News about Tomoki Iwata

Celtic have hired one of the country's top sports advocates to defend Brendan Rodgers' SFA charge on Friday. Following a 2-0 Premiership loss to Hearts on March 3, Nick De Marco, a King's Counsel, is thought to have been involved in helping the Parkhead manager avoid a minimum two-game touchline suspension for his remarks about the officials. More than 40 clubs have recruited De Marco, whose services have already been enlisted by Celtic in the past, in a variety of court battles.

Brendan Rodgers believes that the season's tale has already been written. Continued play for another ten games, and Celtic could also push for a late, decisive rewrite. A tough watch in recent weeks has established a belief among supporters that the champions are older and less clinical than they used to be. Last night, as the Magnificent Seven rang around Parkhead, laments for Angeball's demise were finally brought to a conclusion. A display of high-speed football was reminiscent of the Brodgeball of Northern Irelandman's first spell as administrator. And a Rangers victory in Kilmarnock didn't manage to polish the effect.

STEPHEN MCGOWAN AT CELTIC PARK: The Champions League Celtic's ten-year streak of woe finally came to an end. Heroism has appeared in the most unexpected quarters at times. Gustaf Lagerbielke's prospects had been bleak after a £3 million sign in the summer. Since the Parkhead preview, the young defender seemed to have to buy a season ticket to get back to the park. The late goal that gave Celtic's first Champions League victory in six years since defeating Ajax in October 2013 gave Brendan Rodgers a brief reminder that he was only named Player of the year.

Any Celtic have evidently been lacking at the European level this season, it appears that the chasing pack in Scotland will still have to roll a double-six to avoid a bloody nose. Miles off the pace for 45 minutes in Perth, Brendan Rodgers' fury at the manner in which Diallang Jaiyesemi gave St Johnstone an interval lead was entirely understandable. Just as Craig Levein's side was raving over becoming the first to take the champions' scalp in the Premiership this season, they were given a reminder of why such feats are so rare.

It's as simple as banning the number of their supporters in attendance if only stopping Celtic when they are in this kind of mood. Whether backed by the entire Roseburn Stand or just the 576 supporters who occupied a tiny sliver at the building on Sunday, there's almost certain inevitability in the case's outcome when Brendan Rodgers' players meet his exacting requirements. This was a victory that was every bit as secure as the scoreline indicates. This seemed to be a crucial day in his quest to ensure that his second spell starts in exactly the same way at the exact location where the Northern Irishman won his first title as Celtic boss in his first spell.

STEPHEN MCGOWAN IN ROTTERDAM: Reserves of £72.3 million in the bank served no purpose when they were two goals down to a Feyenoord side with less turnover. When they were selling comic-book goals at bad times, a loss of £40.7 million was negligible. In a tumultuous and tumescent second half, Gustaf Lagerbielke and Odin Thiago Holm, two of their summer project signings, received red cards.

Celtic defeated Championship side Inverness Caledonian Thistle at Hampden in the Scottish Cup final, resulting in a world-record eighth treble. This was a fruitful - if not brilliant - conclusion to the season, with rumors swirling around Parkhead boss Ange Postecoglou about his potential move to fill the managerial hotspot at Tottenham.

GRAEME CROSER AT CELTIC PARK: The Premiership winners' celebrations began early as Celtic romped to a 5-0 finish at Celtic Park on a glorious afternoon for the champions. Kyogo Furuhashi got the party off to a blistering season by unleashing a surgical assault on Kelle Roos just inside the first half an hour. Just five minutes after, the Japan national netted in an audacious way to defeat Roos and snatch his second.

When the season's last meaningful game comes into view, the team that ostensibly doesn't stop isn't half laboring. Celtic have now won just one league game in five, which has been largely disappointing for the bulk of this season. Despite the lack of genuine consequences for that run and the fact that Ange Postecoglou's designs have been made-up, there must be a nagging suspicion in the back of the Australian's mind that his team is now finding bad habits impossible to overcome.

JOHN MCGARRY, DINGWALL: These are the days when Ange Postecoglou seems to have it so easy, as Celtic boss Just don't have water. With 95 minutes played at Dingwall, the visitors were limited to a contested VAR awarding penalty for their efforts. The Australian side was running the risk of an untimely losation in the third round, while the home straight is a way behind.

Celtic will eventually come a cropper in their own back yard. It's likely that you won't spend a lot of money on it if it comes any time soon. Livingston, one of Scotland's finest sides in recent seasons, should have posed a major obstacle to Ange Postecoglou's side as they prepare to claim their second straight league title. Nonetheless, their threat was dealt with in a similar way as a tumultuous fly was swatted. David Martindale's only consolation was that his team is not alone in this regard.

Celtic have completed the signing of Tomoki Iwata from Ange Postecoglou's former team Yokohama F Marinos. Iwata joins the Hoops on a first loan agreement, but there is also a promise to make the move permanent in the summer. It comes after the 25-year-old midfielder was named Japanese Player of the Year in November after helping his team win the league championship.