Celtic have many players to thank for their part in an ultimately successful campaign under Brendan Rodgers this term.
Following some testing times along the way, the Bhoys brought home a Scottish Premiership and Scottish Cup double, continuing their domination of the domestic landscape in the 21st century.
Injury issues, lapses in form and external pressure at points couldn’t stop Celtic in their quest for success, with a wide range of contributions from the whole squad to credit for getting silverware over the line.
Rodgers also has to take plaudits for the way he utilised the group, which wasn’t an easy task amid fitness issues involving key players such as Reo Hatate, Cameron Carter-Vickers and Callum McGregor.
Nevertheless, there is one man who should be singled out for his role at a critical stage in the season that probably hasn’t been given the praise he deserves.
Tomoki Iwata’s reliable performances for Celtic
Tomoki Iwata worked his way into the Celtic side after overcoming some injury struggles of his own this term, registering one goal and two assists in 24 appearances across all competitions [Transfermarkt].
Although he eventually made way for Hatate to reclaim a slot in midfield, the consistency of his performances helped to provide a solid base for the Bhoys to build from in the engine room.
Per Fotmob, the 27-year-old shone on league duty, making 588 successful passes, retaining a ‘pass accuracy’ rate of 90.3% and completing 83.8% of his dribbles on league duty.
Sofascore also show that he made around 3.7 recoveries per match, helping to put out fires when the opposition were on the ascendency.
What stands out most regarding the Japan international is his simplistic nature. Granted, there are more adventurous players in the world; regardless, when he is on the ball, he usually manages to progress the play, which proved to be a handy tool in closing out tight matches, whether starting or coming off the bench.
His displays against Motherwell and Dundee earlier this year were particularly impressive, even prompting a section of Celtic supporters to show their opposition to Iwata being taken off at Fir Park in an eventual 3-1 victory.
Rotational individuals are key to every title success, and there is a wider acknowledgement that with the growing fixture list every year, adequate squad depth is needed to go the distance.
Celtic may have struggled to address this issue in other areas, but Iwata has shown he is a versatile presence that quietly goes about his business and is worth his place in the fold, making him the definition of an unsung hero.