Tomoki Iwata has opened up on his move from Celtic to Birmingham City last summer.
The midfielder completed a deadline day switch to the English third-tier outfit.
Iwata has thrived in his first year south of the border, scoring eight goals and finding himself nominated for League One's Player of the Season award.
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He recently lifted the lid on his Celtic exit, admitting that he had no knowledge of Brendan Rodgers when he rejoined the club.
"Manager Rodgers was a famous coach in Scotland, but I didn't know of him at all," Iwata told Soccer Digest Web.
"At first, I wondered, 'What kind of person is he?' The team actually got going, and the football they were trying to play was interesting.
"But there were some areas where I wasn't able to fully showcase myself. It was partly because there was an absolute player in Callum McGregor in the same position, but honestly, I feel like I could have done more.
"For players in the front line, the numbers are clear, but my strengths are my one-on-one strengths and my ability to steal the ball.
"At Celtic, it's difficult to show that. The teams that are overwhelmingly strong in Scotland always have the ball and take the lead.
"I would take it positively that I was able to concentrate on the offensive side, but I can't show my strengths much and I don't get much playing time.
"The level of the Scottish first division is a little lower than the top five European leagues, so I often felt that it was a difficult environment for me."
The 28-year-old's lack of minutes, along with his family life, was a key factor in his exit: "I wasn't impatient, but more than that, I couldn't help but feel the regret that I, a soccer player, wasn't playing in the games," he said.
"At that time, I had a very strong desire to play soccer. Seeing my wife taking care of our children in a foreign country where I was not familiar with them, cooking meals and doing housework, I couldn't help but feel the emotion.
"Birmingham made me an offer as soon as the off-season began, and they patiently waited until August 31st, the final day for transfers.
"I thought to myself, 'If they feel that way about me, I want to go,' and immediately packed my bags and headed for my new home. I didn't have any negative feelings about it being in the third division, and my biggest motivation at the time was wanting to show my family that I was working hard.
"In addition, the manager, Chris Davies, had previously been a coach at Celtic and had recently been a coach under Ange at Tottenham.
"The two managers had heard about me and offered me the position with confidence that we could work together, so I was able to go with peace of mind."
Birmingham won League One last term, and Iwata will play his football in the Championship in the forthcoming 2025/26 season.
