I’m not ashamed to say, seeing Kyogo in the colours of another club this past week broke my heart.
His smile, his rapport with the fans, but most of all his goals brought so much joy to the Celtic support over the past 3 and a half years.
However, all good things must come to an end. Everything that has a beginning must, the laws of physics demand, also have a finite lifespan.
It’s only natural, that with someone as talismanic as Kyogo leaving Celtic, eyes looked outward for his replacement. A replacement which, for a number of reasons, we failed to bring in last month. However, from my time following Japanese football, I have long believed that the answer to our striking dilemma lies within our current squad. Events of the past couple of weeks would appear to validate that view.
A Perfect Storm For Daizen to Shine
The departure of Kyogo, coupled with the return of one of the finest wingers to play for the club in years, Jota, creates a perfect storm for Daizen Maeda to take his place as our main man in attack.
When Celtic signed Maeda at the beginning of 2022 it wasn’t the first time I saw him don the hoops. As early as 2018, I saw Maeda first hand in the green and white of my local team here in Japan, Matsumoto Yamaga. They may currently languish in Japan’s third tier, but when Daizen was there, Yamaga were battling to stay in J-1, the highest level of Japan’s J-League.
The truth is, Yamaga were a weak team, and Maeda was far and away their best player. He remains to this day the only Yamaga player to have been capped at senior international level for Japan.
Under constant pressure for almost 90 minutes every week, Maeda played as Yamaga’s lone striker, and primary out-ball for the defence.
A Celtic Winger, An International Striker
It speaks volumes for his character that not only did he score goals in this difficult scenario, but he also did so often enough to get called up to Japan’s Copa America squad that summer.
Yes, Japan sometimes gets invited to play in the Copa America. That’s a long story, and one best saved for a time when I’m struggling for new story ideas!
Anyway, the underlying point is, it was not Maeda’s lightning pace or incessant tracking back that earned him his first senior international cap, it was his capabilities as a striker. A goalscorer who could lead the line, and bring other, less capable team-mates into the play when the team were up against it.
This continued when he first worked under Ange Postecoglou, at Yokohama F-Marinos. There, Maeda played as part of a front two, ending his final season in Japan as his team’s joint top scorer.
Maeda has all the qualities Celtic are now searching for as they seek to replace Kyogo. However, the reality is, Jota may, in the fullness of time be a better option than Maeda wide on the left.
Daizen: The Ultimate Utility Player
Ange changed the role Maeda played when he signed him for Celtic. He made a superb striker into a fantastic left winger. Amongst most Celtic fans I speak to, in terms of outfield players anyway, it’s a toss-up between Callum McGregor and Daizen Maeda as to who needs to be the first name on the team sheet every week.
So dropping Maeda isn’t an option. We changed his position when we signed him to accommodate Kyogo. Maeda hasn’t just adapted, he has evolved as a player in his time with Celtic. Could we move him again, to accommodate the return of another, equally enthralling talent in Jota?
I think we could.
Kuhn, Maeda, Jota? Yes Please!
Adam Idah has come in for some stick of late, but I still believe he can and will make it at Celtic. His spectacular goal against Dundee United this past weekend is testament to his obvious talent.
For the time being however, who wouldn’t want to see a front three of Kuhn, Maeda and Jota unleashed in the SPFL sometime soon?
I was there the last time Celtic started Maeda as our main frontman, in Yokohama back in the summer of 2023. Daizen scored a hattrick that night. I see no reason why he couldn’t do the same in Scotland.
But then again, I’m not Brendan Rodgers. I’m sure he has a plan for Celtic’s forward line, and whatever it is, you can be sure Daizen Maeda will have a vital role to play. It remains to be seen though, just what that role will be.