Despair for Daizen, let’s hope he sees his future in Glasgow…
It was despair for Celtic striker in Japan’s round of 32 World Cup clash with Brazil yesterday in Houston, as the Samurai blue crashed to an agonising last gasp 2-1 defeat, to exit the tournament at the expense of the five times World Champions, despite taking a deserved early lead through Kaishu Sano.
Daizen started the game, and as always he gave a spirited one hundred percent committed display, but sadly to no avail, as the Brazilians just about did enough to advance to the next round.
Daizen Maeda will now head for a well earned break with his family, before the question over where he will play his football next season will be answered. At the moment it’s very much anyone’s guess, due to his much publicised feelings about where he sees his future.
However, during a recent interview, the Japanese striker hinted that he way be staying put after all, giving us all a glimmer of hope that he could extend his stay in Glasgow, although it’s still very much in doubt.
His post match comments on Instagram are the devastating defeat to Brazil suggest that he will be leaving Celtic as he seeks to establish himself at the top level of the game. No-one at Celtic will grudge him that chance if he wants to take it.
Here’s how Dazien reacted on Instagram after Japan’s World Cup heartache:
“I’m so sorry I didn’t meet your expectations. I’m just proud of what I’ve built up to this point with players, staff, family and fans and supporters in the past 3.5 years since the Qatar World Cup. Thank you very much for all your support.”
Daizen clearly acquitted himself well in the tournament, not that we should be surprised, and will now deservedly put his feet up after a demanding and draining campaign, both at club and international level.
It’s not been forgotten that Daizen was poor for a period of last season’s lacklustre campaign, but then again, who wasn’t?
With his below par performances in a big way down to his mind being elsewhere, due to the club going back on their promise to let him move on to Wolfsburg on deadline day.
He had even cleared his locker at Lennoxtown and said his goodbyes to his teammates before Celtic were forced to pull the deal after the failure to get signing targets over the line.
But when it came to the crunch, Daizen rose to the occasion, and was the undoubtedly the biggest contributor to Celtic’s dramatic double win.
Scoring vital goals in the post split fixtures, and grabbing the opener in the Scottish Cup Final win over Dunfermline, went a long way in clinching at what one point looked like an impossible task.
Now his World Cup is over, let’s hope Daizen sees his future in the colours of Celtic. If that’s not the case he’s leave with our love and respect. He’s one of a kind, we’d never see his like again.
🗣️ "It made me realize that I can't stay at my current level and that I need to become a better player"
What does the future hold for Celtic's Daizen Maeda? The forward hinted that he may need to move this summer to keep improving ⤵️🔗 pic.twitter.com/eHd5qZw6EB
— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) June 30, 2026
Just an Ordinary Bhoy
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2 Comments
Well said.
Unfortunately for ourselves, when a player can catch the eye upon the biggest footballing stage, available like a world cup. It’s only natural for interest to grow within him as a player, even more so, with his current situation at our club?
Wouldn’t say that we are totally out of the picture, regarding the future of Maeda, as hopefully his family values, means something and sees Scotland as being the place for them as a family, for the time being?
Maybe a longshot, with some of the financial packages that could be heading his way?
Personally, I believe that if such a financial package was offered to Maeda, that we could match, then it should be considered, even if it means, he becomes our highest paid player imo?
For MoN, the outcome of the decision of Maeda, will have a massive impact upon the plans of MoN and his squad building process.
Total longshot that we can even get close to replacing Maeda, in what he offers for our team, especially within the markets we operate within?
The profile of Maeda as a player, with his duel attacking role, makes himself irreplaceable for ourselves, with potentially having to restructure our whole attacking play and options within it imo?
There’s the levels of importance he has become to ourselves, especially over the past 2 seasons imo?
Keeping hold of him, with an improved contract, would be our biggest signing of the summer imo?
Longshot maybe, but wouldn’t say that our club is totally out of the picture just yet imo?
Needs to move to a better league and earn himself a better contract