Ange Postecoglou may have downplayed his achievements in Japan, but his latest comments about Daizen Maeda tell a different story.
The Celtic winger is currently representing Japan at the World Cup, and Postecoglou pointed towards Maeda as one of the people who was instrumental in his success in Japan.
For Celtic supporters, that is another reminder of how significant Postecoglou’s influence remains years after leaving Glasgow.
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Celtic are still benefiting from Ange Postecoglou’s work in Japan
When Celtic appointed Postecoglou in 2021, they were hiring a manager whose reputation had been built through years of success overseas.
His time at Yokohama F. Marinos delivered a league title and exposed him to players who would later help transform Celtic. Maeda remains the strongest example of that influence.
Maeda has developed into one of Celtic’s most important players, making Postecoglou’s latest comments an even stronger endorsement of the forward’s progress.
Speaking recently, Postecoglou reflected on his spell in Japan and characteristically downplayed what he achieved.
The former Celtic manager said, “No, well, I’m sitting next to guys [Roy Keane and Gary Neville] who’ve got plenty of silverware, so, I’ll leave that. But it’s just the experience of a different culture.
I loved my time there. I believe you grow as a person when you experience different cultures, and, I did happen to have a little bit of success there.
“And a couple of players, you know, Kubo and, Daizen Maeda were part of that group that I managed back then, so it’s great to see [them at the World Cup].”
Celtic star Daizen Maeda proves Ange’s impact went beyond trophies
Postecoglou may describe it as “a little bit of success”, but the reality is that his influence is still visible today.
Maeda worked under him at Yokohama before following him to Celtic. The forward has since established himself as one of the club’s most important attacking players and remains a key figure for both club and country.
Celtic supporters can still see Ange’s legacy today
Takefusa Kubo’s inclusion in Postecoglou’s comments was another reminder of the calibre of players connected to that period of his career.
Every performance from the Japanese forward serves as a reminder that one of Postecoglou’s greatest successes at Celtic was a player he already knew all about before arriving in Glasgow.
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