Fans favourite Shunsuke Nakamura has revealed the thought process that he goes through prior to a free kick and talks about life in Scotland. Speaking to UEFA.com Naka said, of the free kick that propelled Celtic into the latter stages of the Champions League "I always have the same routine," Nakamura explains. "First of all, I look at the ball and the position of the goalkeeper. Then I look at the goalkeeper's height and whether it's best to hit the ball high or low. I always think I can score when I step up to take a free-kick. That night, I knew I could be the hero, and thankfully it went in."
Nakamura became the first Japanese player to score in Europe’s premier club competition just two weeks earlier after a similar dead ball situation also against United drew Celtic level in the first meeting of the two clubs. .
Nakamura has also mentioned how his diminutive frame led him to develop his skills with finesse rather than power. "I was very small as a child, so I tried to keep the ball a lot and concentrate more on my skill and technique. Even now, I'm not that fast or strong, so when I have the ball, I have to take care of it and make sure I use it to the best possible effect."
Nakamura is due to return from injury to the Celtic side in the coming weeks and may even make the substitutes bench for the visit of Stirling Albion tomorrow.
Yours in Celtic
Clydebuilt