Hajime Moriyasu’s latest Japan squad announcement for the March internationals has reinforced a clear philosophy: for the Samurai Blue, work rate is often more valuable than temporary form.
Daizen Maeda’s domestic form for Celtic has been abject, and he has unfortunately played a part in the Hoops’ decline this season.
| Games | Starts | Goals | Assists | Total minutes |
| 45 | 39 | 8 | 8 | 3,415 |
But the all-action forward’s inclusion for Japan’s upcoming high-profile friendlies against Scotland and England suggests he remains a vital tactical pillar ahead of the 2026 World Cup this summer.
Reo Hatate was snubbed by Moriyasu, given his fall from grace at Celtic, and you expected the same to happen to Maeda, but the Japan boss’s comments ahead of those friendly matches perhaps indicate why that hasn’t been the case.
“Scotland and England are both high-intensity teams, and we will get two tough games,” said Moriyasu.
- READ MORE: Three Celtic players, including Reo Hatate, that Martin O’Neill can no longer start after the break
Who are you backing?
Why has out-of-form Daizen Maeda been picked by Japan?
Maeda swept the boards as Scotland’s PFA Player of the Year just last season.
Since that peak, his attacking contributions have seemingly fallen off a cliff, leading to significant scrutiny regarding his starting spot at Celtic Park.
However, Moriyasu’s recent focus on ‘high-intensity’ football ahead of the trip to Hampden offers a clear explanation for his continued faith in the forward.
Moriyasu expects Steve Clarke’s side, and then Thomas Tuchel’s England, to bring ‘World Cup-level intensity’ to the grass, and that is exactly where Maeda thrives.
While his clinical edge has vanished, his elite work rate remains untouchable. He has always epitomised the relentless, suffocating press everyone loves; it is his greatest strength and his ultimate tactical insurance policy.
The clash against Scotland will feel like a genuine homecoming for Maeda. Facing off against familiar foes, including a mouth-watering potential battle with Kieran Tierney, Maeda will relish the atmosphere in his second home.
Even if his Celtic form has dipped, his engine is the specific weapon Moriyasu needs to nullify Scotland’s counter-attacking threat. In the eyes of the Japanese boss, intensity beats form every single time.
“Scotland and England are both high-intensity teams, and we will get two tough games,” said Moriyasu, as quoted by The Glasgow Times.
“I think we will be able to experience World Cup-level intensity in both Glasgow and London. I hope that we can continue the way the team has been playing, while also trying out some tactical changes.
“Scotland, based on what we have seen in the qualifiers so far, basically creates a block, stops the opponent’s attack, and then launches a quick counter-attack.”
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