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“We are lucky enough to have a genius in our ranks”
— Gordon Strachan

The temptation to rank, rather than rejoice, in the abilities of top footballers is an irresistible one. The practice, by its very nature, is subjective, but there are certain things we can say with certainty about Shunsuke Nakamura’s abilities. On his day, he is a sublime footballer with a wonderful first touch and great vision. He is also a world-class free-kick taker. Nakamura’s talents are Gordon Strachan’s favourite topic of conversation.

The Celtic manager’s body language changes when his name is raised. His back straightens, his eyes flash excitedly and a smile creeps across his lips. He simply adores Nakamura the footballer and is similarly in thrall to Nakamura the man. He has become his marquee signing, the player most closely associated with the kind of football utopia he has pursued at Celtic.

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In the Foreword to my book, Strachan claims that, on the basis of pure ability, Nakamura is the best footballer he has worked with.

Technically, he believes him to be the equal of Eric Cantona, Strachan’s former team-mate at Leeds, and claims that he could play for any of the top teams in the world, including Barcelona or Real Madrid.

In his press relations, the Celtic manager has rarely succumbed to hyperbole, so there is added weight to his repeated assertions that the Japan midfield player is a genius. But is Nakamura really a genius? In the course of researching, the extent of his talent drew varying responses.

When we think of footballing geniuses, we reflect on those who have redefined the sport — Pelé, Johan Cruyff, Diego Maradona, Zinedine Zidane. The common strand between them is that they all did it over a length of time and on the biggest stage. It is clear that Nakamura is not in that category. On the evidence of his performances in Europe and at the 2006 World Cup, he has not produced at the top level on a consistent basis.

Tommy Burns, the late Celtic first-team coach, agreed that Nakamura has been found wanting at the very top level. “I think it is down to the physiological side of it,” he said. “The games he has struggled in have been the huge European games when he comes up against a different type of player. At that level players are fitter and stronger. We have seen flashes of him but he has not been outstanding over the course of 90 minutes the way he has been in the Premier League. Against the AC Milans, the Benficas, the Spartak Moscows, it always seems that he is a wee bit short.”

However, Neil Lennon, the Celtic first-team coach, counters that the true measure of his greatness could only be quantified if he was playing alongside other exalted talents on a consistent basis.

“I think you have to put him in that environment,” Lennon said. “Maybe if he went to one of the world’s top clubs you would see even more of him. They say that players become better with better players alongside them, so it’s possible that he could go into that environment and be comfortable. All I know is that he came to a big club like Celtic and starred.”

Luigi De Canio, the Italian who managed Nakamura in the 2002-03 season at Reggina, was frank about Nakamura’s limitations. “He was a good player, but not an exceptional one,” he said. “Technically, he was excellent, but he wasn’t a player who would win you games. He doesn’t have great physical qualities; even when he goes by a man, he’s quite easily caught. He never manages to be a match-winner. I had to play him further back in the midfield because of that weakness. An attacker in my team has to be productive, there must be an end product.”