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Personal
Fullname: Hyun-jun Yang
aka: Yang Hyun-jun (*see notes)
Born: 25 May 2002
Birthplace: Busan, South Korea
Signed: 16 July 2023 (from Gangwon FC, £2m)
Left: –
Position: Midfielder
Debut: Celtic 4-2 Ross County, SP, 5 Aug 2023
Squad No.: 13
Internationals: […]
International Caps: [TBC at end of career]
International Goals: [TBC at end of career]
Biog
Yang arrived at Celtic as another welcome project at the tail-end of what was a second wave of players from the Far East, after the success of the first wave under Postecoglou. However, he arrived as Postecoglou had sealed his second title and was moving on with the very different Brendan Rodgers coming in to replace him.
As a player, Yang was an average built young player who had some pace, and skill on the wing. Liked the ball at his feet and to try to take a man on. Not physically big, but was young and so could be worked on. As a recent young player of the season, he was a fair project to bring in, and was hoped to help bring something difference and some balance to the front line when attacking.
He got off to a flyer in only his second match, by setting up the winner v Aberdeen (3-1, Aug 2023) with some great footwork. It boded well, but some having been given an inch took a mile, by trying to ask if he could fill in the gap left behind by the popular & now departed Jota. It was never going to be.
Over his first season, he most often struggled to show his worth, and it wasn’t really until the 2-1 win v St Mirren in the league (Nov 2023), that he proved himself. He came on as a sub in what was up to his entrance to the game a poor performance. His work-rate, enthusiasm and dig was clear to all, and he helped push the side to a 2-1 win when Celtic were struggling to get over the line. Celtic had turned a downward point in the season round this point, partly due to injuries mounting as well as the managerial transition hitting a difficult stage.
Once Maeda was out for a period due to injury, Yang had the opportunity to step up and make a name for himself. He was excellent in a 6-0 win v Aberdeen in the league (Nov 2023), in which he scored the opener, surprisingly to all with a header.
Despite that, Yang still struggled. It all came badly unstuck in a 3-1 victory over St Johnstone (Dec 2023). In this match he was repeatedly frustrating everyone by being caught offside, and after Celtic went unexpectedly behind, Yang was pulled off at half time to then face heavy criticism across social media. In fairness it was a period in which Celtic were faltering badly, so his form wasn’t the only issue.
He did come to the fore and gained praised around end-February 2024 following a great performance in a tanking of Dundee at home in the league (7-1, Feb 2024), but these performances were too few. Too often it was his decision-marking and end-product that was going awry, and he was losing time to get more opportunities to learn from his mistakes and make up for them.
He wasn’t fully adapting physically to the challenge of the league, and he was blamed (in part) for the final goal conceded in a 3-3 draw v Sevco away (April 2024). He was poor on the day having come on as sub, and his confidence was likely hit as demonstrated by a comical miss at goal v St Mirren the following week. He then surprisingly started v Aberdeen in a Scottish Cup semi-final (Apr 2024) a tough exciting match won on penalties by Celtic, but he had a very poor game, with a support on edge criticising his inability on the day.
Rodgers clearly believed there was a player in Yang. A problem was that Celtic were in a very difficult situation with the league title victory paramount due to the automatic Champions League group spot with the financial rewards, but TheRangers were on Celtic’s coat-tails and even leap-frogged Celtic for the title at one point. However thankfully Celtic turned the corner in the final quarter of the season to win the legaue and Scottish Cup double but by this time Yang was mostly out relegated from the first team.
Matters turned frustrating, when the South Korea manager Hwang Seon-hong claimed Celtic went back on a “promise” to release winger Yang Hyun-jun for a key tournament after bitter repercussions began over their failure to reach their 10th Olympic football tournament in a row. Everyone just laughed and saw it as more as diversionary tactics from the Korean Manager’s failure, and did not hinder or cloud matters for Yang, but for a player who was still struggling at Celtic, it was an unwelcome diversion.
Despite the barrage of off-field criticism from some supporters, the management continued to give him opportunities. When he came on as a substitute against Leipzig in the exceptional 3-1 Champions League win (Nov 2024), he slotted in and played very well, earning deserved respect—even from previous critics.
The question was whether that match was finally a turning point for the young player.
Underwhelming performances followed, such as the 0-0 draw away to Dundee United (Dec 2024). However, he soon scored his first goal of the season shortly after, netting a headed goal in the 3-3 draw against Dundee (Jan 2025). His joy was clear, and everyone was happy for him. He needed this lift. From there, he seemed to progress, delivering an excellent performance with a goal and two great assists—admittedly against more limited opposition—in an easy 5-0 win over Raith Rovers in the Scottish Cup (Feb 2025).
Two key moments stood out: providing the assist for a consolation goal in the 2-1 defeat to Bayern Munich at Celtic Park (Feb 2025), and scoring a double from the bench in the 5-2 win over St Mirren (Mar 2025). The latter match was far harder than the scoreline suggested, as St Mirren should have been well ahead at half-time. Brendan Rodgers praised his performance:
“He scored his two goals and the one that was disallowed, but his pass for Daizen’s goal—to see it and then to execute it, wow, what a pass.”
Celtic had begun to experience an unexpected on-field decline, which accelerated beyond comprehension into the next season.
Season 2025/26 – The Turnaround
At the start of the new season, Yang was all set to move south to Birmingham, only for Celtic to pull the plug on the deal. Many felt sympathy for Yang, as it was widely believed a fresh start would have benefited him. In the end, he was kept on more out of necessity, as Celtic had botched the summer 2025 transfer window and desperately needed cover. Being forced to stay did not reflect well on the club’s management, especially as the mismanagement was entirely of their own making.
Many fans complained and were incredulous over the decision. Yet, incredibly, he was to win them all over in what was a tumultuous season that saw Celtic collapse and recover, with four managerial spells (including the disastrous Wilfried Nancy era).
You might expect such an atmosphere to hinder Yang’s development, but it actually provided him with opportunities he might not have otherwise received. He was always productive on the wing, if not always successful, and was one of the few players who undoubtedly progressed. He scored ten goals and provided a couple of assists, highlighting his contribution. Opposition defences were clearly finding him a handful, and he was physically developing. Celtic proved an ideal platform for him.
A bittersweet moment came when he scored a world-class goal against Rangers, starting with a mazy run in the opposition box before putting the ball into the net to give Celtic the opener. Everyone was in awe, but as this was during the short-lived Nancy era, Celtic duly collapsed in the second half—as was the pattern then—to lose 3-1 at home (Jan 2026). Yang had been excellent in the first half and deserved better. If anything, his goal was marked as possibly the only high note in Nancy’s 33-day managerial reign.
When he scored in the following game (a 4-0 win over Dundee United), the first match of Martin O’Neill’s second return as interim manager, everyone conceded their error in judging him. They were finally seeing what the coaches had always believed he could achieve.
In the long league title challenge, one notable appearance was his two-goal contribution in the 3-1 home win over Motherwell (Mar 2026), with the visitors one-nil up and many again writing off Celtic’s hopes. Yang stepped up, scoring the equaliser and the final goal in another vital win (as every point was at the time). The BBC headlined their report: “‘Sensational’ Yang shows impact as Celtic keep believing”—a fitting description for Yang. He repeated this feat with the equaliser in the 3-1 win over Rangers in the pivotal match of the league run-in (May 2026).
As Celtic went on to subvert all expectations, Yang may not have won everyone over, but he had proven the doubters wrong and shown he was a valuable member of the squad with a number of key contributions. He even won the Celtic Goal of the Season award at the annual ceremony, only for Maeda to upstage him with a flamboyant overhead kick against Rangers, stealing all the plaudits.
In any case, Yang signed a new four-year contract with Celtic in May 2026, and it was thoroughly deserved. He was next off to the World Cup in North America. He had a lot to be proud of and was truly deserving of all the silverware that Celtic incredibly won.
Season 2026/27
[….]
Quotes
“[Yang]’s ability to go past players is just terrific.”
Martin O’Neill (interim manager, Nov 2025)
“He was sensational, really, really great! Obviously, he scored the goals, a big, big boost. But it was the work that he did going backwards as well too. I wouldn’t know what sort of distances he covered today, but it would have been immense.”
“I don’t know what was happening before. The first time I saw him, he played wide left in a little seven-a-side game here. My first week or something, I guess, in the training session. He left the full-back for absolute dead, turned both ways, he could go both ways. In fact, I said to him, I thought that he might even be better on the left-hand side. He said it didn’t matter to him, in the way he played today, I’ll go with it.”
” I believe that he was about to leave the football club in August time, which was a wee bit strange, I must admit. What he’s done in my two spells here has been… I couldn’t have asked for any more, really. Not too far behind him was Daizen Maeda today. I thought he was great in terms of what he does for the team. Goes up and plays centre-forward in the first half, comes wide in the second half, but Yang’s performance was just, as I said, immense.”
Martin O’Neill after Yang’s double v Motherwell in 3-1 league win (interim manager, Mar 2025)
“I’m so happy to sign the new contract. I love this club and my future is here.”
Yang
“He’s done wonderfully well for us. He’s got big, big goals at big moments.”
Martin O’Neill (May 2026)
“There was something about him in training that he has a bit of something. He can go past players. Deal with the ball. All those particular things. Maybe just needed a bit of confidence boost as much as anything else. He has done wonderfully well for us.”
Martin O’Neill (May 2026)
–
Playing Career
[Table to indicate clubs played for, including dates, transfers and fees where known [e.g. soccerbase table]]
| APPEARANCES (subs) |
LEAGUE | SCOTTISH CUP | LEAGUE CUP | EUROPE | TOTAL |
| 2023-24 | 24 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 31 |
| Goals | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2024-25 | 23 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 34 |
| Goals | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| 2025-26 | 31 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 46 |
| Goals | 8 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 10 |
| 2026-27 | |||||
| Goals | |||||
| Total | |||||
| Goals |
Honours with Celtic
(Honours are marked below in which the player has played in at least one of the matches in the campaign.)
Scottish League
Scottish Cup
Scottish League Cup
- 2024-25, […]
Pictures
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Notes
- Hyun-jun is his first name but the convention for names in Far East Asia is putting the surname first, so you may see his name sometimes written in some articles as Yang Hyun-jun.
Articles
Celtic new signing confirmed as club post official farewell message to star
https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/celtic/celtic-new-signing-confirmed-as-club-post-official-farewell-message-to-star-4219949
Celtic have completed the signing of winger Yang Hyun-Jun from Gangwon FC.
Matthew Elder
By Matthew Elder
Published 15th Jul 2023, 11:46 BST
The news was announced by the South Korean club in a social media post on Saturday morning. The 21-year-old becomes Celtic’s third summer signing since the return of Brendan Rodgers as manager for a second spell following the arrivals of Marco Tilio and Odin Thiago Holm.
Negotiations have been ongoing for a number of weeks between the two clubs with Gangwon keen to hold onto K-League’s Young Player of the Year until their season finished in November. But the persistence of both Celtic and the player has paid off with Yang set to join up with his new Parkhead team-mates in time for the pre-season trip to Japan next week.
A Gangwon statement read: “Yang Hyun-jun’s transfer to Celtic has been confirmed. There is a goodbye to Yang after today’s game, everyone please stay with us until the end.”
Gangwon FC have confirmed the transfer of winger Yang Hyun-jun to Celtic.
Gangwon FC have confirmed the transfer of winger Yang Hyun-jun to Celtic.
Yang, who was the subject of a transfer bid from Minnesota in the MLS last year, recently said: “It is an opportunity that does not come easily (to join Celtic). I told the CEO, general manager, and coach that I wanted to advance. Europe is said to be easier to adapt to in the summer. Of course, the team is in a difficult situation, but when an offer came from the United States last season, the goal was to go to Europe.
“So I didn’t go to America and stayed with the team. Also, if an offer comes from Europe, the club said they would actively help. Celtic is a good offer, so I want to go. I have to do my best as a member of Gangwon. But I think the desire to go will still be there.
“I want to go to Celtic this summer. I hope Gangwon will allow me to transfer. If the transfer fee isn’t enough, I’ll even give my salary.”
Yang will join South Korean countryman Oh Hyeon-gyu at Celtic after the striker completed a move from Suwon Bluewings in January while Celtic are also said to be closing in on a move for Busan I-Park midfielder Kwon Hyeok-kyu – a player described in his homeland as the Rodri of the K-League, in comparison to the Manchester City and Spain star.
How Celtic plan to realise Hyun-jun Yang potential – overcoming language barrier, Harry Kewell role, attitude factor
Celtic have high hopes for the South Korean winger who opened his account for the club on Sunday
Matthew Elder
By Matthew Elder
Published 14th Nov 2023, 22:30 GMT
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers insists the club are prepared to play the long-game with winger Hyun-jun Yang as they look to develop the South Korean youngster into a first-team star.
The 21-year-old arrived from K-League side Gangwon FC in the summer for a fee in the region of £2m and has shown flashes of ability in his 15 appearances for the Scottish champions thus far, culminatng in his first goal for the club with a headed opener in the 6-0 win over Aberdeen on Sunday.
While taking a big step up the footballing ladder, Yang arrived in Glasgow with plenty senior experience already under his belt with 71 appearances for his previous club yielding nine goals and five assists.
Add in a K-League Young Player of the Year award for 2022, on top of winning his first senior international cap under head coach Jurgen Klinsmann in September, and it is clear there is a player with significant potential to realise.
And that is why Celtic and Rodgers are doing everything they can to nurture his talent with layers of support on and off the pitch whether he is starting games or sitting on the bench, on the training pitch or in the classroom.
“They know that if they play and then not do so well, it’s about constant growth,” the Celtic boss explained. “Sometimes you’ll play, come off at half-time, be on the bench or maybe not even be involved. But it’s a constant process that never changes.
“He’ll sit with the coaches, me and talk around his game and acknowledge how hard he works. He’s come from a different culture, half-way across the world and it takes time.
“The players do their lessons and English classes, so eventually they’ll get the language. Like everything, it’s about what you put into it. If ever I need to have clarity and be really clear so they understand we bring in the translator so everything is understood.
“The club is great with that because these boys can be easily left to just come in and have nothing, just be expected to get on with it and learn English. But it’s not as easy as that so they have that support.”
Rodgers has retained the coaching staff employed under his predecessor Ange Postecoglou which has ensured that Yang, and the rest of the Celtic wide men, can learn the nuances of the position from a former English Premier League icon.
“The process is on the pitch, he’ll sit down with Harry Kewell to go through the positioning of the wingers,” Rodgers said, explaining the role of the former Liverpool, Leeds and Australia superstar on his backroom staff.
“Harry speaks to me about our structure and then it feeds back. That’s the process. On the pitches, the football is the language and it’s universal.
“The analysis and the feedback is constant, all the players get that – and we feed forward to them too because you need that in order to progress.
“That’s where you hopefully see the building taking place.”
Rodgers has high hopes for Yang based not only on his footballing ability but also the mindset he has displayed since his arrival at Celtic Park.
“As a young player we know he’s going to develop but you need the right attitude to do that. He has that and he’s doing that,” he added.
“Sometimes it takes time to understand the things that are asked of you and it’s up to us to find how best you fit into the structure.
“I thought he was excellent the other night [in Madrid], he gave us energy and penetration that we’d lacked in the game.
“He was very good with and without the ball.”
The girl behind major Celtic turnaround – ‘let’s see if we can get her visa sorted’
By Ross McLeish
Published 1st Mar 2025, 23:19 GMT
South Korean winger continues excellent form in 5-2 win over St Mirren
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers had an interesting theory for Yang Hyun-jun’s upturn in form and praised the winger’s work-rate after his match-winning cameo against St Mirren.
The South Korean winger headed two goals and produced a brilliant assist for Daizen Maeda in the final quarter as Celtic won 5-2 in Paisley.
Saints had given as good as they got before Yang came off the bench along with Luke McCowan and Jota and changed the game.
The 22-year-old only scored once in his first 48 Celtic appearances but has now netted five times in nine matches.
“It has just been time with Yang,” Rodgers said.
“His girlfriend is here at the moment. I said to the guys, let’s see if we can keep her here and get that visa sorted. Everyone knows he’s in a really good mood and has been for a while.
“He scored his two goals and the one that was disallowed, but his pass for Daizen’s goal, to see it and then to execute it, wow, what a pass.”
Yang soaked up the post-match celebrations with the fans after Celtic went 16 points clear in the William Hill Premiership.
“I think he would have stayed there all night, to be fair to him,” Rodgers said.
“But it’s so good for him. He’s such a great kid. He works so hard every single day. He doesn’t moan, he doesn’t groan. He’s a tough boy, he’s physical.
“It hasn’t always come off for him because he’s adapting to the intensity and the pressure. But now you’re starting to see a young guy evolve as a football player and as a person, and I’m so, so happy for him.”
Jeffrey Schlupp and Arne Engels, from the spot, had each given Celtic the lead but St Mirren levelled twice through Declan John and Killian Phillips and had a number of other good chances.
Rodgers said: “This is one of my favourite results of the season. Why? Because we are coming to a team you can see are difficult to play against, the surface is very difficult and it’s on the back of a third game of the week.
“We needed the freshness, the energy of the players coming into the game. They made the football smile for us.”
St Mirren were right in the game until Maeda made it 4-2 in the 88th minute and had what looked a clear penalty claim rejected when Alistair Johnston took out Roland Idowu 60 seconds earlier.
Manager Stephen Robinson said: “It’s not a good claim, it’s a penalty. I don’t blame the ref (Matthew MacDermid) as it happens quickly.
“The ball has gone in a completely different direction from where Alistair has tried to make his challenge. He’d got a little nick on the ball and then followed through and the ball’s gone in a completely different direction from the tackle.
“There are a lot of key moments in the game. We had seven incredibly good chances that we didn’t take. Key moments in defending as well.
“There are key moments in the game of course and you need luck against top teams. But it wasn’t luck, it was just we didn’t get the decision we should have got.
“It’s 3-2 and everything to play for. I thought we were on top of the game at that stage as well.”
‘Sensational’ Yang shows impact as Celtic keep believing
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cqlgn6vk6rxo
Celtic winger Yang.Image source, SNS
Image caption,
Yang’s double helped Celtic to a vital three points against Motherwell.
ByAndy Coyle
BBC Sport Scotland
Published
14 March 2026
Sportscene
14/03/2026
Watch on iPlayer
If Celtic manage to come through what has been a tumultuous season and lift the Scottish Premiership trophy again in May, they may well look back on the hard-fought 3-1 win over Motherwell as a big moment in a remarkable story.
While the comeback after Elijah Just’s goal for the visitors was notable as another example of the attitude Martin O’Neill has instilled in his side, the identity of the key man in the victory is another surprise in a season that’s defied predictions.
If everything had gone to plan, Hyun-jun Yang would have been playing a part in Birmingham City’s Championship campaign after being deemed surplus to requirements last summer.
That move fell through and the player looked destined to remain as a bit-part player in Brendan Rodgers’ side, making only a few appearances before the Northern Irishman’s shock departure in October.
Despite being used as a wing-back briefly under Wilfried Nancy, the South Korean also seemed to be on the sidelines in the second half of the season as Celtic looked to the January transfer window.
Yang double helps Celtic to crucial win over Motherwell
Instead, Yang has scored six times in the league since Christmas, chipping in with goals as Celtic have kept in the title race.
Only three players: Tawanda Maswanhise, Youssef Chermiti and Yang’s team-mate Benjamin Nygren have more.
As Motherwell’s Maswanhise drew a blank in the showdown at Celtic Park, Yang struck twice, perfectly placed to coolly stroke in the leveller, and then racing through the middle to smack in Celtic’s third and ensure three points, effectively ending the Fir Park side’s slim title hopes.
“He was sensational,” Celtic manager Martin O’Neill said. “Sensational in every aspect of the game.
“Going forward, with the goals he scored, the energy and the willingness to work back, it was a monumental performance by him.”
O’Neill said that the 23-year-old was “on a high” in the dressing room after the final whistle, and Yang might feel entitled to celebrate after a spell that’s shown why the club lured him from Gangwon FC almost three years ago.
He might also think he’s starting to dispel any notion that Celtic will look to move him on again this summer.
The winger’s contribution has been far more than just a couple of eye-catching finishes at the right moment, with the stats showing how he has developed into a consistent threat.
Only Nygren has over performed his expected goals (xG) by more than he has with six goals from 3.82 xG.
And, perhaps surprisingly, Yang has the best conversion rate of any player in the league with 20+ shots, better than Nygren, Chermiti, Aberdeen’s Kevin Nisbet and Falkirk’s Barney Stewart, an argument that Celtic would be better off if they had played him more than they have.
There seems little doubt that O’Neill will continue to call on the attacker for what looks like a nail-biting run-in as they continue to hunt down leaders Hearts.
The manager has options to weigh up in every game as he looks to find the right blend up front but after a performance he described as “wonderful” he’ll be finding a way to keep Yang in his side, and in form.
The summer transfer collapse was a sliding doors moment for a player who has struggled to convince up to that point.
A few more performances like the one against Motherwell, and it could yet prove to be a significant part of a successful league season for Celtic.
Watch Martin O’Neill swipe ball from Hyunjun Yang in brilliant Celtic training clip
Martin Crawford
Fri 10 April 2026 16:00, UK
Martin O’Neill is often a quiet observer on the training field.
In fact, in the past, he’s been known to not be seen at the training ground at all.
But the Celtic boss is always finding new methods, working with a younger generation of players in interim charge of the Hoops.
He has got the best out of Hyunjun Yang across his two interim spells, and in a brilliant new training clip, the winger’s respect for O’Neill is clear.
Martin O’Neill gets involved with Celtic’s Hyunjun Yang in training
In the short clip via Celtic’s YouTube channel, O’Neill can be seen walking up from behind Yang and swiping the ball away from the winger.
Laughing, the 23-year-old turns around for an embrace with the Celtic manager.
Despite coming close to leaving at the beginning of the season, Yang has emerged as a key figure in Celtic’s attack.
He is currently the squad’s second top-goalscorer. Among those strikes were a sensational solo strike in an eventual defeat to Rangers, as well as crucial goals away against Hearts and Feyenoord.
After the sale of Nicolas Kuhn last summer, few would’ve expected Yang to have been the one trusted to replace the German’s 36 goal contributions last season.
But very little about this season has gone to plan. Not many could’ve foreseen Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain turning out for Martin O’Neill’s Celtic back in June, either.
He’s far from perfect, but Yang’s overall contribution from this campaign will give the club’s scouts one less headache for an inevitable rebuild this summer – and that’s a favour they could do with.
Speaking earlier in the season, O’Neill described Yang as ‘terrific’ after his man-of-the-match performance in a win over Kilmarnock.
The 74-year-old is reaping the rewards from Yang’s first two years of adaptation in Glasgow, during which he started exactly a quarter of the Hoops’ league games.
Counting only O’Neill’s spells this season, Yang has been almost ever-present.
Yang extends his stay with Celtic until 2030
https://www.celticfc.com/news/2026/may/22/yang-extends-his-stay-with-celtic-until-2030/
First Team
By Joe Sullivan
22 May 2026, 4:00 pm
Last weekend he was helping Celtic to a historic and thrilling 2025/26 title win over Hearts that has paved the way for Hyunjun Yang and his team-mates to go for the Double this weekend.
Now the South Korean winger has a personal double to celebrate as not only has he signed a new contract with Celtic, he has also been recalled to the South Korean squad for the 2026 World Cup.
The new deal will see Yang remain with the club until 2030, with his wing displays in making and scoring goals this term crucial in Celtic’s fighting run to the title.
Speaking to Celtic TV, Yang said: “I’m so happy to sign the new contract. I love this club and my future is here.
“I’m happy, and though the season was a little bit hard, we are Champions and hopefully next season it will be easier.
“I also want to show better performances in the European games.”
And in a personal message to the Celtic support, the 23-year-old, who was recently voted Young Player of the Year by the fans, said: “I know when I play, the fans always supported me and I’m really happy to be here, so I want to say thank you very much.”
Much of his breakthrough as this season entered the halfway stages of the campaign was down to the nurturing of Martin O’Neill, who displayed complete faith in the winger’s attributes over his two spells of recent Celtic management.
And although thrilled at Yang extending his stay with the club, the Irishman knows their paths nearly didn’t cross at all because of possible summer transfer action.
He said: “I’m absolutely delighted, because on transfer deadline day he was down at Birmingham City, so I’m pleased that didn’t go through.
“Obviously, I didn’t know him at that time, but there was something about him in training that you felt he’s got a bit of something – he can go past players, he can deal with the ball, all those particular things.
‘He maybe just needed a bit of confidence-boosting as much as anything else, but he’s done wonderfully well.’
“It’s how you deal with the situations. I think that confidence is a major thing and if you’re going into games with a lack of confidence as a wide player, and I know this myself, the last thing you want to do is lose the ball a couple of times.
“Because you just go into your shell and you don’t want to take people on in case you lose it again. What you’ll do is just do the safe thing and pass the ball back.
“So, a lot of that there definitely needs encouragement, but then when you know that you have it and you feel that people are on your side, that’s the lovely thing about it, and he’s done wonderfully well.”
The manager added: “The reason that he has done well is that he’s got big, big goals for us at big moments, and he’s brave as well.
“He takes the ball under pressure. The parts of his game that we talk about when we go through his clips each week, sometimes we ask, can you do this, can you do this.
“He’s super and he’s worked his way back into the South Korean squad.”
And on what Yang can bring to the Celtic team going forward, the manager said: “The very obvious thing is improvement.
“He tries to improve his game, he tries to visualise situations when he’s got the ball wide, when players are coming in to crowd him out, what does he do there?
“The last thing you want to do is come inside and flick a silly little ball to somebody that doesn’t exist.
“So those are the types of things that I think he definitely can improve in, but in terms of confidence, he’s got it this season.
“People believe in him and that’s very important, but the overall improvement in his game, I think he can take it a stage further, and obviously that’s what I’m hoping.”