Herald Scotland's sports team trawls through the archives to bring you the best stories from yesteryear

Herald Scotland's sports team trawls through the archives to bring you the best stories from yesteryear

THE throng of Japanese journalists who are commissioned to follow Shunsuke Nakamura's every move had to wait patiently for their man to appear post-match on Tuesday. The midfielder's glorious, arcing free kick, which took Celtic into the last 16 of the Champions League courtesy of a victory over Manchester United, lit the fuse on a night of wild celebrations. Not for Nakamura, though.

It was after 11pm before the hero of the hour emerged to impart his wisdom to the assembled scribes and, by extension, the Japanese public who hang on his every word. Had he been celebrating with his team-mates in the dressing room? Slugging champagne in the boardroom? No, Nakamura had just spent over an hour in the gym.

The 28-year-old's usual post-match routine involves 20 minutes on the exercise bike, 10 minutes running, stretching exercises followed by a cold bath, then a hot one. Not even the drama of Tuesday night, and the hysteria induced by progression to the knockout stages for the first time in the club's history, could deflect him from his purpose.

In fact, he did even more than usual. In the end, it was fully 90 minutes before Nakamura presented himself to the media. Exhausted at the end of the game, he resolved to spend even longer in the gym in a bid to quicken his recovery time. Aspiring young Scottish footballers: read and learn.

It reflects the kind of unseen dedication which, allied with natural talent, combines to produce sublime moments such as his 81st-minute free kick. Gordon Strachan, the Celtic manager, shook his head in admiration at mention of Nakamura's name afterwards, before commenting on the strict routine through which he has bulked up his sylph-like frame.

The hours he spends in the gym and on the training ground, remarked Strachan, differed from his own heyday when the players "were in the pub by five o'clock". After the United game, the Japanese playmaker presented a sober, unemotional front, stressing that his mind had already drifted towards the next game.

A point-blank refusal to indulge in over-the-top celebrations traces back to his time in Japan playing for Yokohama F-Marinos, when he would allow himself to revel in a good performance only to find himself dropped for the next game. A pursuit of consistency has become his driving force.

A willingness to adapt has also been pivotal to Nakamura's time in Scotland, and was reflected on Tuesday. "I was a bit worried before the game because I knew I would be playing left midfield, which was the first time I had played there this season. I wasn't sure how it would go," he said. His English may be limited but, significantly, he has learned enough to understand the mid-Ulster drawl of Neil Lennon. Nakamura admitted afterwards that a few rabblerousing words from the Celtic captain inspired him in the second half.

"It was a tough game but something Neil Lennon said at half-time helped me. Neil said, 'look, Manchester United are the No.1 team in the world, and we all have to play at our best here to beat them.' I understood what he meant. Communication with my team-mates is still hard but I can understand Neil on the pitch. I respect his advice and leadership."

The ripple effect of Nakamura's strike has been substantial. In Japan, he is front-page news. If Manchester United are big in the Land of the Rising Sun, then it is not hard to imagine the level of coverage a Nakamura-inspired victory over the Old Trafford side has generated.

"He has made history for Japanese football. It is the best moment of my journalistic career," proudly reflected Daisuke Nakajima, a journalist who has diligently recorded Nakamura's every cough and wheeze since he arrived on these shores last summer.

What is more, he is now widely accepted as the world's leading Japanese footballer, having superseded the three other members of the country's 'Golden Quartet': Hidetoshi Nakata, Shinji Ono and Junichi Inamoto. "He is now the Japanese David Beckham," stated Kosuke Inagaki, a football writer for The Asahi Shimbun national daily newspaper, who has monitored Nakamura's career since he was 15.

Eyebrows were raised when Celtic paid £2.5m to Reggina for the player last summer, but his improved performances this season, with seven goals to date and countless assists (compared with just three strikes at this stage last year) have reflected his ability to adapt to the rough and tumble of Scottish football.

Tackling may never be his strong point, but Strachan has instilled in him a necessity to contribute more on defensive duties. When he conceded possession this time last year, he would often have thrown in the towel. Now, he displays a willingness to scurry back and put himself between man and ball.

His form also reflects a more settled domestic life. Last month, his wife and young son moved to Glasgow and he has built up relationships with the army of reporters who follow him. "He sometimes gives me a lift home in his car and we also go out to restaurants for the occasional meal,"added Nakajima.

Nakamura hopes for Spanish or Italian opposition in the last 16, and believes that Celtic are more than capable of reaching the last eight, possibly even the last four. As for the masterful sweep of his left boot which sealed their progression? "I thought my goal was quite good, if you don't mind me saying it."