Hyun-jun Yang’s journey at Celtic since arriving from the K-League has been a rollercoaster of highs and lows.
Awarded the young player of the year in the K-League, Yang’s transfer to Celtic was met with considerable anticipation, with fans eager to see his pace and directness add a new dimension to the team’s attack.
Despite the initial excitement, Yang encountered difficulties in adjusting to life in Scotland, struggling to meet the high expectations set by fans and to make a significant impact on the pitch.
Just as Yang began to find his form and win over the Celtic supporters, showcasing the qualities that had made him such a promising signing, a controversial red card resulted in a two-game suspension, halting his momentum. In his absence, Nicolas Kuhn seized the opportunity to impress, creating a selection dilemma for manager Brendan Rodgers upon Yang’s return.
Rodgers has publicly defended Yang, highlighting the complexities of adjusting to a new footballing and cultural environment, especially for young players at a club as prestigious as Celtic. He highlighted the clear development in Yang’s game and stressed the importance of patience and support in facilitating his adaptation and growth.
“People not only forget it, but don’t understand it, or don’t want to understand it,” he said, as quoted by The Herald.
“You can’t just drop someone into a football club from the other side of the world and expect them to adapt to the culture, food, training, all these various facets it takes.
“Some do, some it takes time, and you have to give those players that time. Especially a young player to come into a club of this magnitude. You have to work with them and bring them through.
“We can see clear developments and hopefully that continues.”
