Ross McCormack makes Daizen Maeda claim that ‘sounds ridiculous’ amid new Kieran Tierney partnership

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Daizen Maeda produced the season of his career last time out and deservedly earned all the plaudits.

Kyogo Furuhashi’s abrupt Celtic exit in January opened the door for Maeda to play down the middle and take his goalscoring exploits to ridiculous heights, as he struck 33 goals in all competitions for the 2024/25 campaign.

But following Jota’s long-term injury, and with the new season underway, Celtic’s all-action forward has returned to his familiar role on the left flank.

And Ross McCormack had some interesting comments to make about the Japan international.

• READ MORE: Who is Daizen Maeda? Meet Celtic’s energetic, free-scoring talisman

Daizen Maeda’s technique

With the two roles Maeda plays, on the left flank and down the middle, McCormack questioned the player’s technical ability.

Even though the former Scotland international acknowledged that it ‘sounds ridiculous’, and how Maeda is the PFA Player of the Year.

McCormack told Clyde 1 Superscoreboard that the versatile forward ‘isn’t technically great.’

“I am not saying it’s a problem,” said McCormack. “But with Maeda, I have always looked at him, and I have always thought, this is going to sound ridiculous, he was Player of the Year and scored all these goals.

“But he isn’t technically great, in terms of being an inside winger. A striker who would come deep and link the play. Have a great first touch. Great understanding of what is around him and stuff.”

Kieran Tierney and Maeda’s partnership at Celtic

Ever since Maeda joined Celtic in 2022 under Ange Postecoglou, he has mainly been used to Greg Taylor being behind him.

But now it’s Kieran Tierney, as McCormack shared that Maeda will have to adjust his game because of how differently the returning Celtic hero plays his game compared to Taylor.

“It’s different for him because it’s right that Greg Taylor and Kieran Tierney play differently,” added McCormack. “Greg Taylor likes to come into the pitch, which keeps Daizen Maeda wide.

“He is just going to have to get used to how Kieran Tierney operates. That’s not to say the whole team has got to be adjusted to accommodate Kieran Tierney. That’s not the case.

“But, for me, with Maeda, I don’t think he is that type of player who will become and drop into pockets. Taking it on the half turn and playing one-twos. It’s different.”