On the surface, the prospect of Birmingham City moving north of the border while revamping their team during the summer transfer season was not surprising. Consider that Ange Postecoglou introduced Tomoki Iwata to the UK, specifically Celtic, where he spent the most of his career under successor Brendan Rodgers.
Blues manager Chris Davies has previously worked under both Postecoglou and Rodgers, including the latter’s successful tenure with the Bhoys before taking on his own role. “Their close relationship was probably a factor, as the move largely came out of the blue,” Football.Scotland reporter Ryan McDonald explained.
Blues fans may have overlooked Iwata’s arrival during the busy transfer window, which focused on bringing back Jay Stansfield before the deadline. The club had already signed Ayumi Yokoyama, Scott Wright, and Lyndon Dykes before Stansfield’s return, and Iwata was one of many new faces.
Iwata has now established himself in the starting XI and demonstrated his abilities. You almost feel sorry for Marc Leonard, who appeared to be quickly forming a partnership with Paik Seung-ho early in the season, and it’s reassuring to know that he’s still the next cab off the rank, but the spot is unquestionably Iwata’s for the time being.
“If I could describe Tomoki in one word, it would be solid,” McDonald says, reflecting on the player’s brief tenure in Glasgow. “He was dependable and never disappointed the club. He was primarily used as a holding midfielder, but Postecoglou occasionally used him as a centre-back, most notably in the treble-winning 2023 Scottish Cup final.
It’s useful to know that Iwata can go much deeper if necessary. Fortunately, the Blues are loaded at centre back and, strangely, kept their first clean sheet of the season this past weekend despite Davies only having two choices available. For the time being, you do not see it being an issue, nor do you envisage a scenario in which Iwata is requested to use that specific string on his bow.
“His monstrous physique was perfect for the Scottish game and he did a job whenever called upon,” McDonald tells me. Yes, that certainly helps with the rough and tumble of League One, which is seeing more of a shift towards ball-playing teams than even five or ten years ago, but still tests a player’s physical attributes. Iwata is also accustomed to playing for a team that dominates the ball against every opponent in the league.
While Celtic had players like Reo Hatate, Paulo Bernardo, Callum McGregor, and Matt O’Riley (who transferred to Brighton this summer), Iwata frequently played as a substitute. His season was again interrupted by injury last year, although he still appeared 24 times, starting at Ibrox in the 3-3 Glasgow Derby tie and playing in Madrid’s Champions League defeat to Atletico.
“He never really established himself as a regular at any stage of his Celtic career,” McDonald says. “Following his time with Yokohama F. Marinos, Postecoglou lured him to Glasgow in January 2023, and Rodgers took over six months later.
“He came in at various periods last season and was a consistent presence in the middle of the park during Callum McGregor’s absence but as soon as he returned from injury, Iwata was benched again, demonstrating clearly where he fit into the midfield pecking order. Personally, I didn’t think he was suited to Rodgers’ style of play, therefore his departure was unsurprising.
“While he was skilled at recycling the ball, he was far too prone to taking the easy way out. According to the social media reaction, Celtic fans were perplexed as to why such a valuable squad member was permitted to depart the building on deadline day.
Celtic fans scratched their heads, while neutrals may have reacted similarly to how the Blues ended up bringing Iwata from a Champions League team to League One. He is far from the only recruit who has given up some form of European football to join the Blues on their quest. In another scenario, Alfons Sampsted would have represented Twente in the Europa League at Old Trafford on Thursday night.
Simply said, it describes Knighthead’s spending power and appeal. It also communicates their long-term aspirations for Blues and provides insight into how they are marketing Blues to prospective new recruits, revealing their ambitious plans and want to restore the club’s top-flight status and progress both on and off the pitch.
“It wasn’t that long ago that Iwata was named J1 League Player of the Year and when you consider that Reo Hatate and Kyogo struggle to get a game for the Japan national side, that’s no easy feat,” says McDonald.
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