Daizen Maeda. Dundee United v Celtic, 26 April 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)
LORD KATSUMOTO – 7.5/10 – What? Five, and Daizen didn’t score? What’s that you say? – Ate too may tangerines and had a sore tummy? But two great assists and that 100% commitment keeps him beyond reproach. The delight of a Daizen close-down is to witness the defender/keeper’s alarm as he appears to spawn into the game mere yards from them moving at Roadrunner velocity; a compilation vid is required, Celtic media, to be sold with green & white popcorn.
Nicolas Kühn of Celtic celebrates after scoring his team’s second goal during the SPL | Premier League match between Dundee United FC and Celtic FC at Tannadice Park on April 26, 2025 . (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
TAKINTE – 8/10 MOTM – Superhero reboots have been all the rage in movieland, and we are getting ours now with The Return Of The Kuhn. A spell in the doldrums since the misery of Munich’s last-gasp witchcraft looked to have finished his season, and perhaps his time in The Hoops. But here he was, back to his zippy, gliding, dinking, swashbuckling best to kill the game before the break and have backsides off seats once more every time he got on the ball with kinetic intent.
I’m pretty sure he’s going to be off in the summer, for a huge fee, as he’s got unfinished monkey business in the Rhineland that rejected him so cruelly after setting him on a youthful plinth. So let’s hope his memorable swan-song will come next week and the German Jinky will live long in the memory.
Jota celebrates. Dundee United v Celtic, 26 April 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)
NOTEBOOK – 6/10 – Oh, hell – is he never gonna dance again, guilty knee had crocked his rhythm? No idea. But I’ll wager you winced too as he appeared in a brace and crutches. All seemed as-per before the nasty jarring incident
– classic Jota popping into the game in dramatic style, probably claiming the first, which looked as if it might set him off on a rampage. Then the fall and suddenly the world tour’s in jeopardy. Who’s going to break it to Ridgeley? (Who now makes a living doing Henrik Larsson lookalike appearances…).
Andrew John Ridgeley (Photo The Big Issue)
Sandman’s Definitive Ratings continue on the next page…
Good stuff Sir, and for the season, thank you.