The players are clearly buying into Brendan’s plans

New deal for Daizen is yet more good news. The players are clearly buying into Brendan’s plans…

Daizen Maeda of Celtic celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Cinch Scottish Premiership match between Celtic FC and Hibernian FC at on January 17, 2022. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Following on from the news that Kyogo had signed a new four year deal, his fellow countryman Daizen Maeda also put pen to paper on a new four year deal yesterday to continue the feel good factor at the club. It came across in Matt O’Riley’s interview earlier this week and then again yesterday at Joe Hart’s media conference, see below…

“We’ve only been together a couple of days now but he’s an exceptional guy, I’ve had a few dealings with him in the past as an opponent and actually bumped into him on holiday a couple of times.

“He’s a very successful manager, he stood us altogether and told us how proud he was for what we achieved last year but that we need to build on it and keep going.

“You can tell he absolutely loves the club but he can separate being a fan to being a manager here, he’s made it clear we are here to work and be successful. I am looking forward to working with him.” Joe Hart on Brendan Rodgers

To have two vital members of the side commit their future so soon into the Brendan Rodgers era shows that the players are still happy at the club and are buying into the vision the Irishman has for the club. Brendan has no doubt sat down and had a thorough chat with both of them.

So much for the much floated theory about the Japanese exodus that was tipped to happen after the departure of Ange Postecoglou.

4 More Years of Daizen 🤩 pic.twitter.com/9wceOJriry

— ジェームズ ☘️ (@MaedaMealOfThat) July 6, 2023

This shows that as well as adding quality to our squad we are also determined to keep the quality we already have. Reo Hatate next? That would also be an excellent piece of business, but Reo is still contracted for a further three years so I wouldn’t count on it at the moment, but neither should we rule it out.

Daizen Maeda left celebrates with Celtic s Reo Hatate after Celtic’s third goal of the game during the cinch Premiership match at Tynecastle on Saturday October 22, 2022. Photo Jane Barlow

Meanwhile I’m heading along to Celtic Park this afternoon to attend the Celtic fan media conference with new signing Marco Tilio. I will of course be there representing The Celtic Star and I’m very much looking forward to it.

JustAnOrdinaryBhoy – follow on Twitter @ordinarybhoy