Daizen Maeda has had a phenomenal season for Celtic.
The Japanese forward notched his 30th goal of the season in Celtic’s win over Hearts as he continued to wow supporters this season.
Maeda has stepped into the Kyogo-shaped shoes that were left when his fellow countryman left Celtic to join Rennes and since then, he has never looked back.
However, it hasn’t always been that way for the winger as often Maeda was much-maligned for his erratic performances on the Celtic wing.
But playing as the sole striker has brought out a new lease of life in the 27-year-old and what Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers told Bobby Petta about Maeda before his goalscoring streak may well explain the Japanese winger’s amazing turn of fortune.
Bobby Petta admits he was confused by Celtic hero Daizen Maeda
Petta is a huge fan of Maeda but admits that when he first watched the Japanese winger play, he left him feeling very confused.
Petta told The Warm Up, “To be honest, at the start. I was a bit confused because of his running because he’s super fast.
“And now he’s got a little bit more freedom being in the centre of the park. I think he has always been a striker.
“I remember speaking to Brendan Rodgers in one of the charity games at St Roch’s, and I said, ‘Can I ask say something [about Maeda]? I’d love to work on his movement. He’s super fast. The timing of his running is just a bit stuck. He needs to work on his movement. Come short, come long, because a lot of times he’s standing here, I want him to go. He outruns everyone. He’s got more momentum to do something with that.’
“Now he says, ‘But he’s a striker. Now you see him, a different change; now he runs on’.”
Petta’s Maeda message to Celtic winger Nicolas Kuhn
Petta also believes that Maeda’s work rate should be an inspiration to his Celtic teammates but singled out Nicolas Kuhn and urged the German winger to learn from the speedy winger.
Petta continued, “You have a Japanese guy who is running his socks off. And I like to think that he would spur everybody else on who might not have it.
“I’m looking at, for example, Nicolas Kuhn, for example. There’s a lot more to give. Watch him. Just work hard and your moment will come. It might not be pretty, but that’s just what the fans want to see as well. You’ve got to work hard.”
Maeda is on course to hit 40 goals this season and matched an 11-year Celtic record with his goals against Hearts.
Scoring on Saturday meant that Maeda is the first Celtic player to score in eight straight league starts since 2014 and with the league title closing in, fans will be desperate to see that run continue in the final two games before the top-six split later this month.
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