Kris Boyd’s clueless Daizen Maeda claim says everything about Celtic man’s treatment in the media

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There is plenty of conversation about Daizen Maeda currently.

Initially a player who split opinion among Celtic fans, Maeda emerged as one of the side’s main players last season, hitting serious form under Brendan Rodgers.

Amid clamour for him to extend his Hoops contract, there wasn’t much noise surrounding him this summer, until the window was closed when Maeda revealed he had wished to leave Celtic.

This put the spotlight back onto the Japan forward, who hadn’t started the new season in top form.

Now, with the additions of Sebastian Tounekti and Kelechi Iheanacho intensifying competition in the Hoops’ attack, one pundit has decided to write off his form from last season.

Kris Boyd’s claim about Celtic’s Daizen Maeda

Maeda may not have set the world alight so far this campaign, but he has still managed two goals and two assists.

Many may have expected him to be named on the bench in Saturday’s stalemate with Hibernian, after he was hooked at half-time against Red Star Belgrade in Serbia.

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Speaking on the Go Ballistic podcast, Boyd was dismissive of Maeda’s form from last season.

He said: “Maeda in the summer would’ve thought it was his time to go, but I don’t think Brendan Rodgers would’ve wanted to lose Daizen Maeda because of what he brings.

“But it will be a challenge for Brendan to try and get the best out of Daizen Maeda. There’s no doubt that the season he had last year probably a one-off. I don’t think he’ll have another one of those in his career.

“I think you’ll see Daizen Maeda go back to what he was, the player before, which was still a very good player which still caused teams problems, but a lot of it was running in behind from that wide area.

“He’s on the right hand side now, so he’s coming inside on his left if he’s coming inside. I don’t think crossing’s ever been his strongest point. Whereas if he’s on the left hand side, his touch was taking him back onto his right foot and he was using that to finish.”

Daizen Maeda and Celtic’s forward options

The arrivals of Tounekti, Iheanacho and Michel-Ange Balikwisha have created a new level of competition for Maeda. He cannot take his starting spot for granted.

But the idea that Maeda’s form from last season is a one-off is laughable. This is a player whose dedication and determination are central to his game, and has done nothing but improve since joining Celtic.

He had a better team around him last campaign, with the likes of Nicolas Kuhn and Kyogo Furuhashi joining him in a formidable attack. He is clearly operating in different circumstances this season.

The impact of the summer transfer situation undoubtedly has an impact. But it does not erase the progress that Maeda has made as a player.