Daizen Maeda has claimed he is looking forward to the day he will be able to line up alongside the other three Japanese players currently at Celtic Park as he talks about how much he is enjoying playing attacking football under Ange Postecoglou.
The 24-year-old forward, who was joint top scorer in the J League last season, is one of three Japanese players to have signed for Celtic on the opening day of the January transfer window, with Reo Hatate and Yosuke Ideguchi also joining the Hoops.
With star man Kyogo lasting only 15 minutes against St Johnstone on Boxing Day after a reoccurrence of the hamstring injury that had kept him out earlier in the season, the full Japanese contingent are yet to all play together with Kyogo said to be still a few weeks away from a return.
Yosuke Ideguchi has also spent time on the sidelines following a terrible tackle by Mouhamed Niang as Celtic took on Barry Ferguson’s boot boys Alloa in the Scottish Cup last month. It’s believed Ideguchi could possibly make his return today in the next round of the same competition against Raith Rovers at Celtic Park.
Maeda previously played under current Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou at his former club Yokohama F Marinos and explained he has a good relationship with the Australian. He states he is enjoying playing the attacking style that the manager insists on and it’s something he is really familiar with from the time they spent working together in Japan. As reported by The scotsman, Maeda said:
“I was looking to play in the same system and style I’d played in before and there is no difference how we played in Japan and playing here. I like attacking football, which we had at Marinos, and I am enjoying it right now in this style here. We have a good relationship together [with the manager]and we work very well together.
“I feel good to have three other Japanese players and I would like to play with the four of us together very soon. They are great people.”
Maeda has appeared five times already since joining Celtic six weeks ago, and has scored twice in that time including last weekend against Motherwell at Fir Park. The striker has impressed Celtic fans already, showing an exciting turn of pace that will leave plenty of Scottish centre backs having nightmares.
Celtic lost Maeda recently when he was called up by his country to take part in a couple of World Cup qualifiers but the player made a surprising return before the Glasgow Derby last Wednesday. Having only played briefly against Saudi Arabia the day before, he rushed back to be part of the 3-0 win inspired by countryman Reo Hatate, and now he is hoping for more success in the Scottish Cup with Raith Rovers visiting Celtic Park today vying for a place in the last 16.
“I was talking with the manager and saying that I wanted to play in (against theRangers). The club was very helpful so that I could come back before the match and play. The experience itself was amazing, to play in such a great atmosphere in the stadium.
“No matter if it’s a league game or a Cup game we are always looking for the victory. Not only the players but the team staff want to win every game we have. We just play hard to have a victory.”
I thought Maeda wasn’t quite at his best midweek against Aberdeen so if he starts today against Raith Rovers let’s hope he takes his opportunity to impress once more. It will be interesting to see if Ange prefers the pace of Maeda today or the strength of Giakoumakis up front against the Championship outfit, with the possibility of both playing but Maeda being utilised out on the wing as he has done in previous matches.
Conall McGinty
