Shunsuke Nakamura! The Japanese Genuis

In years to come the history books will take over and tell us of how the Gordon Strachan era was a time of boom for the Celtic family. The young will hear of our three-in-a-row and a couple of European nights when the continent’s elite left Parkhead defeated with a ringing in their ears from the most intimidating atmosphere west of Kabul. Older folk will bleat about how the esteemed Strachan reduced the quality of football on view, was poor in the transfer market and fortunate to succeed given the quality of our nearest and dearest.

However, in the midst of the great “history doesn’t lie” versus the “play football the Glasgow Celtic way” debate, there will always be one constant that remains universal amongst the Strachanites and the anti-Strachanites. It went by the nickname “Naka” and had a left foot that could carve a masterpiece more spectacular than Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel.

Born in the Land of the Rising Sun, Shunsuke Nakamura was playing football competitively from the age of five with his local side Misono FC. He made gradual progress through various youth ranks and eventually signed professional forms with Yokohama Marinos in 1997. Naka spent five years with Marinos and won the J-League’s Most Valuable Player award in the year 2000.

This was the year he also made his international bow and helped Japan win the Asian Cup. Quickly establishing a reputation of playing in the centre of the park or on the left, Naka attracted the interest of Italian side Reggina. After a successful loan period, he moved to the Scudetto for a fee of around £2million. Prior to the transfer Naka had faced the heartbreaking decision of being left out of the 2002 World Cup squad. Manager, Philip Troussier, preferred a rigid defensive set-up and thought he lacked the physique to play the central midfield role.

At Reggina Naka made a bright start scoring regularly after been handed the number 10 shirt. However, injury often blighted his time there. The side barely staved off relegation in his three seasons at the club and in 2005 the Japanese genius decided to make “Paradise” his new home.

Linked with moves to La Liga and the Bundesliga, in the end it was Strachan’s perseverance that won Nakamura’s signature. He made his debut in a 2-0 victory over Dundee United and Celtic fans had witnessed the dawn of a new star. Creativity, skill and a free-kick to die for; Scottish football had found its best player of the next four years.

With Shaun Maloney having the season of his life on the left and Celtic already strong in the middle of the park, Naka reverted to the right hand side. Being left-footed had no bearing for the Japanese star, as he’d attract defenders to him with his first touch and leave them in a Chris Waddle-esque daze with his second. Celtic romped to the championship and the League Cup in his first season, with Naka’s role as prominent as any.

If Naka’s debut season had been a success, his second was when he began to write himself into Celtic folklore. A sublime free-kick at Old Trafford saw him score on his Champions League debut against Manchester United, becoming the first Japanese player to score in the competition. He followed that up with the first hat-trick of his career against Dundee United. Then, in November 2006, United were the victims again as a sumptuous free-kick saw Celtic qualify from their Champions League group stage for the first time in their history. Eventually, Celtic lost out to AC Milan in the European Cup, but Naka won the League for the Bhoys with yet another free-kick in April against Kilmarnock. The Scottish Cup was won weeks later and Celtic’s domination of Scottish football was total. Nakamura went on to win the Players Player of the Year award and the Scottish Football Writers’ Association player of the year award.

If ever a players’ ability could be said to be getting to the competition, its when they begin to start singing offensive chants against the player. As Rangers seemlingly looked as though they were going to march to the title in the 07/08 season, their fans began a campaign that alleged to Naka’s consumption of dogs. The real reason behind the chants, of course, was his nationality. Despite that particular dish being of Korean descent, it wasn’t as if Rangers fans were going to let a completely different country mix up their views on international cuisine. Perhaps it was a meal they wanted to partake in themselves, maybe it was geographical naievity or most likely trademark stupidity. Either way, Naka hit back with a 30 yard daisycutter in the second last Old Firm of the season. The strike helped switch the momentum of the title race in Celtic’s favour and they were once again crowned champions of Scotland.

Since suffering the heartbreak of missing out on the World Cup, Nakamura also became an integral part of the Japanese national side under Zico. He had won his second Asian Cup in 2004, also taking the Most Valuable Player award. He was instrumental in helping Japan qualify for World Cup 06 in Germany, where they went out in the first round.

His final season with Celtic was tainted as they through away the League championship and he eventually signed for Espanyol on a Bosman.

Whether it be by coincidence or irony, Naka arrived and departed Celtic in the same season’s as Strachan. When the latter’s legacy is defined at the club, it is Nakamura who will stand at the forefront of those successes. With his trusty left peg and Oriental charm, Naka brought sulubrious football to “Paradise” and worldwide exposure to the Celtic brand. “Hail Hail”! Shunsuke Nakamura.