There’s a lot to enjoy about new Celtic signing Daizen Maeda. From his first press conference, where he gave hilariously short and affirmative answers to long questions [Celtic FC], to his suitability for Ange’s tactics, and his overall demeanour.
Beyond being an excellent player, the Japan international just seems like a sound guy.
But there’s a lot to Daizen Maeda that’s legitimately interesting. There’s obviously the pace, which is well-reported. That and his goalscoring heroics for Yokohama F Marinos this season, and turning up the J League Player of the Year Awards in an immaculate Kimono [Sun].
Ange Postecoglou has picked up some interesting personalities for his Celtic side, from the likeable Joe Hart to cheeky winger Jota.
Maeda, too, seems like a character that Celtic fans will enjoy on and off the pitch. Just as we have with his countryman Kyogo Furuhashi, and new Bhoy Yosuke “Gucci” Ideguchi.
What else is there to Daizen Maeda, though? Here are some interesting things you might not have known about the new Celtic signing.
Daizen Maeda, a Japan international, has played in the Copa America
Yep.
To outsiders, the Copa America is just that; a competition for South American countries to take each other on. Constant drama, fantastic players, shocks and potentially generational talents popping up every tournament to get scouts’ antennae twitching.
Since 1993, though, the COMNEBOL have invited guest nations to participate in the Copa America. That’s included Japan, who took part in 2019.
Hajime Moriyasu picked Daizen Maeda to take part [JFA]. It wasn’t without controversy, however; the Japan manager was criticised for picking an all U23 squad, showing a lack of respect for the competition, according to Venezuela coach Rafael Dudamel [Fotmob].
In the end, it didn’t matter. Japan didn’t make much of a mark. But not many Japanese players can say they were at the Copa America!
Daizen Maeda out-sprinted his Dad… when he was in nursery
It’s not unusual for a child to become more athletic than their parents as they grow up. If anything, it’d be unusual if they didn’t.
But to beat your Dad for pace when you’re a toddler? Daizen Maeda can honestly say he did it. Maeda considered a career as a sprinter, which makes a great deal of sense watching him play. But he detailed a bizarre incident when his Dad was outflanked with Maeda being just a toddler.
He said [Sportiva Shueisha]: “I’ve been fast since I was a kid. I’ve always been in first place so much that I don’t remember taking second place. Maybe because my parents were all around sports, I think it was inherited.
“My dad was pretty fast, but when I was in the nursery, I ran ahead of him!
“I like to be able to run all year round, even in the summer, but I think that [my] physical strength and speed were probably cultivated when I was a kid.”
It must’ve been a tense dinner at the Maeda household after that.
He wanted to be a gymnast
Again, Daizen Maeda has a skill-set that should make the rest of us feel inadequate. Perhaps that’s projection on my part.
But if his sprinting wasn’t impressive enough, Maeda actually had a different goal in mind. Disillusioned with his path in football, the Japan international thought about packing it all in to become a gymnast.
The number of Celtic players who could also be Olympic gymnasts would probably fit on the handle of a pommel horse. Yet, it’s true; Maeda had aspirations to represent Japan in a different sport altogether.
He said in an interview [via the Sun]: “When I was going through my education, I was watching the Olympics and I really enjoyed it.
“Football wasn’t going well for me at that time so I decided I would quit and do gymnastics instead.
“My aim was always to go to the Olympics and represent Japan in the gymnastics events. But I gradually realised my body wasn’t flexible enough to be a gymnast, so from there, I tried to be a sprinter and worked on my speed all the time.”
Since then, he’s obviously become a player of significant repute. Thankfully, he was talked back into embracing football, and Celtic fans will be hoping to see the wisdom of that decision first-hand before too long.
Read more: Kenny Shiels “can’t understand” SPFL clubs’ approach vs Celtic; enjoys watching Ange’s Hoops
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