Daizen Maeda’s latest interview was released this morning in Japan, so I will share it. He looked back on his experience in Qatar World Cup and his own development in SPFL this season, and talked about his future goals…

Blink and you miss him ☘️🇯🇵 pic.twitter.com/gEyNNb6WMQ

— ジェームズ ☘️ (@MaedaMealOfThat) June 12, 2023

The Celtic attacker talked about his experience at Qatar World Cup with Japan at the end of 2022. .

“To be honest, I don’t remember much about Qatar World Cup anymore, and I only remember it when someone asks me about it in interviews like this. I feel like the World Cup is really a long time ago,” Maeda said.

“Since our team lost the game against Croatia in Qatar World Cup, I think all players of our team has been doing what we should for next World Cup. We can’t move forward if we can’t get over that experience.

“Throughout the World Cup, I felt that while the strength of our team is that can play faithfully to our tactics, we can’t win games in the World Cup without developing more skills. I’m taking that reality seriously now and thinking about what we can do as a team from now on.

“So, it may cause a misunderstanding to say that I have already forgotten my frustrating experience at the World Cup, but I’m sure I’ve been moving forward with getting my head out of the clouds.”

And, it seems that Daizen started a new challenging at Celtic after the Qatar World Cup. He talked about it while looking back on this season.

“In this season, I initially have a goal of 10 assists and 10 goals, but I couldn’t achieve it. I feel that I still have to develop,” the Celtic star admitted. “In fact, after the Qatar World Cup, I have challenged to do thing that are different from what I have done so far at Celtic. To be honest, I remember it more than any results of games and any goals in the league.”

“I’ve been focusing on improving my crossball and skills of one-on-one from the side. That part is the biggest change that happened to me after the World Cup.”

Daizen also talked about the specific coaching he has received in one-on-one guidance from Celtic coach Harry Kewell throughout this season and revealed that the two would analyse Maeda’s play together while watching videos after each game. Daizen talked about great impact on him from Kewell’s assessment of his play.

“Kewell told me to battle against opponent ‘s players without hesitation if it was one-on-one situation against opponents.

“Until he told me that, I tended to choose to pass the ball under such circumstances. However, with his guidance, I was able to challenge one-on-one battle against opponent’s players first without fear of being deprived of the ball by opponents. Now I keep that in mind during games,” Daizen said.

“I also learned from his coaching guidance how to effectively use my sprint technique, which is my own greatest strength. If I keep running at 100% speed all the time during games, it will be easier for opponent’s players to deal with my movements. Instead of just continuing to run at the same speed, I started training with the awareness of increasing my speed suddenly after stopping. By doing so, I have been able to make use of my sprint technic more effectively than before,” Daizen Maeda explained.

It seems that it was a big event in his career that Daizen has was able to develop as a player under the guidance by Harry Kewell. He has always insisted that wants to play as FW since the days at Yokohama F. Marinos, but he said that his way of thinking has gradually changed at Celtic.

“As FW, I often try to play aggressively against the backline opponent and move behind the opposition’s defender, but as winger, I have many opportunities to face situation that I battle one-on-one. As winger, I feel the pleasure of playing when I can dribble over opponent or give good crossball to my teammates from side. I used to want to play as FW, but now playing as winger has also become a lot of fun. I want to continue to do my best in the position given to me by the manager.”

Based on these, he talked about his future goals in Japanese national team, which has many opportunities to play as centre forward, as follows.

“I have many FW rivals in the national team, but I don’t hate the competition with them. I only focus on myself and do my best. And I want to develop more, and want other players who compete with me to develop too. By doing so, I think Japanese national team can become even stronger.”

“I felt that Qatar World was over in no time for me. I want to be there more. My desire to play in World Cup again has become stronger.”

That’s all. The training of Japanese national team in Japan started today. Daizen is there to play as centre forward.

クロスからのシュート練習をまとめてみました👀

🏆#キリンチャレンジカップ 2023
🗓️6.15(木) ⌚️19:10(🇯🇵)
🆚エルサルバドル🇸🇻
🏟豊田スタジアム
📺#フジテレビ系列にて生中継
🔗 https://t.co/zv3kKzeO2I #夢への勇気を #jfa #daihyo #SAMURAIBLUE #サッカー日本代表 pic.twitter.com/B8IRGPlP6S

— サッカー日本代表 🇯🇵 (@jfa_samuraiblue) June 12, 2023

Finally, after reading Daizen’s words in my article, I want you to see this goal after the World Cup again. Kewell’s guidance and his evolution are condensed in the process to this goal. His evolution never stop…

Daizen Maeda, WHAT A GOAL! 😍☄️ pic.twitter.com/zLxSbyDJFY

— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) December 28, 2022

Yatao

One more Kyogo’s photo in the training. https://t.co/gLgdhIgGNL

— Yatao (@yataoda4) June 12, 2023

Kyogo, Reo and Daizen🍀 https://t.co/Yq4NIOrYEO

— Yatao (@yataoda4) June 12, 2023

I am a Content Creator and Origami art Creator, Analyst working for think tank in Japan and I joined this team in May 2023 and started to write articles as Japanese Celtic author for The Celtic Star. I live in Kobe(Japan) and have followed Celtic after 14 October, 2006, when I had watched the game against Dundee United FC – Shunsuke Nakamura scored a hat-trick. Also I am an enthusiastic supporter of Vissel Kobe, and I am familiar with various information and history of J-League. I have been posting threads on trajectory and background of Celtic Japanese players on Twitter mainly since summer of 2022 in order to further deepen the bond between Celtic and Japan. This time, I’m so proud to be more committed to Celtic by joining The Celtic Star team. I’m good at changing of viewpoints, so please expect my articles written from fresh perspective.

Celtic Japanese bhoys started training in Japan as Japanese national team players an hour ago.pic.twitter.com/Z60aUogzgf

— Yatao (@yataoda4) June 12, 2023

Reo Hatate is there🦖pic.twitter.com/kbYhpbdJPP

— Yatao (@yataoda4) June 12, 2023

🇯🇵 | Reo Hatate – Attracting Interest

Tottenham Hotspur are monitoring Celtic midfielder Reo Hatate.

The 25 year old was signed by Ange Postecoglou at Celtic who could now return to take him to the Premier League if a work permit can be secured.

[@SamiMokbel81_DM] pic.twitter.com/A1JQWTUveP

— Everything Celtic (@aboutceltic) June 12, 2023

HUGE SAVINGS IN THE CELTIC STAR’S FATHER’S DAY SALE! BECAUSE YOUR CELTIC DA’S WORTH IT!

The Celtic Star’s Father’s Day Promotion is in full swing with hundreds of books already on their way destined for Celtic Dads and Grandads on Sunday 18 June. We’ve reduced all six books currently available from their usual retail price of £20 and prices are as low as £6 (see below).

All books are high quality hardback, with some signed by the author. And it’s also worth noting that you only pay postage on one book, so it’s free for the second, third and so on. ORDER HERE or click on The Celtic Star image above…this is how it feels to be Celtic!