I have to start by saying that Daizen Maeda is a superb player, one who gives nothing but one hundred percent every time he pulls on a Celtic jersey, and has contributed massively to our success in recent years…
Daizen Maeda – Crvena zvezda vs Celtic Glasgow UEFA Europa league match at Rajko Mitic stadium, Belgrade 24.09.2025Belgrade Rajko Mitic stadium Serbia. Photo: VM/MN Press
However, it’s abundantly clear that something is quite off, and the reigning player of the year is very much showing all the signs of someone with the world weighing very heavily on his mind at this moment in time.
Daizen’s recent revelations about wanting to move on during the summer came as something of a bombshell, and it’s only natural that he will be feeling the effects of what he believes, and is most probably right about the club denying him that opportunity to further his career.
Daizen Maeda at Firhill. Partick Thistle v Celtic. Premier Sports League Cup. Sunday 21 September. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)
I wrote recently about Daizen being the ultimate professional and how he would put his grievances aside when he stepped on the pitch, and to his credit he’s done his best, but it’s very clear that he’s just not the same bubbly player we all know and love.
Daizen was hooked at the interval in last night’s 1-1 draw in Belgrade, and he really could have no complaints. The amount of times he was caught offside in decent positions was baffling, and he was very much holding us back in an attacking sense.
Brendan of course like the rest of us noticed this, and was vindicated in introducing Kelechi Iheanacho who scored the vital goal, whilst providing us with a more potent attacking threat. Indeed on another night he could have had a hat-trick such was his immediate impact on the match.
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Going forward Brendan has a big dilemma on his hands. Daizen is vital to our style of play, but unfortunately his head just isn’t in it at this moment in time. He is also seeing new arrivals come into the team like Sebastian Tounekti on the left wing and Kelechi Iheanacho through the middle and Daizen could find himself playing on the right wing ahead of Yang or even dropping to the bench.
That’s where he was on Sunday at Firhill and we all reckoned that he was being rested with Belgrade in mind. It will be interesting to see where Brendan uses Daizen at the weekend, left, right through the middle or on the bench.
Daizen Maeda poses with his Scottish Premiership winners medal after the season s final league match against St. Mirren on May 17, 2025. Photo IMAGO
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Daizen Maeda of Celtic reacts to missing an opportunity Kairat Almaty v Celtic, UEFA Champions League, Play-Off Round, Second Leg, Football, Almaty Central Stadium, Almaty, Kazakhstan – 26 Aug just 2025Almaty Almaty Central Stadium Kazakhstan Photo Nikita Bassov/Shutterstock
For Daizen, it looks like January can’t come quickly enough for him despite his honourable intentions to do his best for the club while he is still here.
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Keeping hold of a player who has mentally checked out of a club, is always a dangerous ploy to play, with a signed contract in operation.
Personally don’t hold any blame to anyone, for wanting to keep hold of Maeda, yang and possibly a few others in place, all the while CL qualification games were in place imo.
A risk worth taking, as long as the right result was achieved.
Should have been, but wasn’t only increased the amount of chaos as a result imo?
Always going to be massive decisions taken over the summer, especially regarding Maeda and Yang, along with a few others, when a world cup is involved at the end of this season.
Easy to be critical after the event, but for Maeda and Yang that we know about, just how much has it cost them both financially with the decisions taken?
That’s without there places potentially in danger of even making a world cup squad for there country’s.
Would be amazed if Rodgers never had to much involvement in the decision making process that went on.
Will remain debatable as to where the blame lies for ending up with players, playing well within there means, especially if they are mentally not at the races whatsoever.