To our eternal confusion, when Daizen Maeda got to the World Cup in November, he was used as a striker, a role he only fulfilled at Celtic when there was literally no one else available for the task. It was not madness on the part of manager Hajime Moriyasu, who left the brilliant Kyogo back in Glasgow.
Daizen is not as accomplished a striker as Kyogo, but Japan were in Qatar to play a different way than Celtic, they were prepared to concede possession for long spells, so needed someone who could press defenders at an elite level. There is none better for that role than Daizen.
At 25, I don’t think we have seen the best of him yet. The vast majority of games he plays for Celtic provide little scope for his natural game, as active space is so contained in Celtic’s attacking third. It is perhaps only against Newco, who vainly try to go toe-to-toe with the champions, where he can really turn it on.
His goal at Ibrox in January, when he spooked Tavernier is a perfect example, as was his Scottish Cup semi-final move, when he won a ball he was third closest to, before whipping in an inch-perfect cross for Jota to nod home.
“Another four years” is perhaps a bit misleading. Sure, he’s contracted for that long, but I expect bids for him in 2024 or 2025. His physicality, speed and perpetual motion is made for the dozen-or-so teams that regularly counter-attack in the EPL.
You can imagine the goings-on at Celtic this week. “We’ve all this money, do we need to tell the stock market?” It reminded me of an old Dave Allen joke:
A man sits in a confessional and says, “Father, I’m having an affair with a gorgeous young thing that lives down my street.”
Priest, “That’s not how a good Catholic should live.”
Man, “Oh, I’m not a Catholic.”
Priest, “Well, why are you telling me?”
Man, “I’m telling everybody!”
Football is a hard enough business, if you have a good story to tell, tell it.
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Huv we no’ signed embdy today? I need something to celebrate. 😉
BIGRAILROADBLUES on 10TH JULY 2023 9:33 AM
“Huv we no’ signed embdy today? I need something to celebrate. 😉”
Naw ye don’t!!! :))) por cierto
Good morning from a bright North Staffs.
Good news CCV is with the squad in Portugal
BRRB
Very happy unbirthday to you – now go celebrate.
MadhatterCSC
Greenpinata, of course it is racist. How can you not get that and still support Celtic. Are you of the opinion that the “No Irish, No Blacks” signs were only half racist. Racism does not only apply to the colour of your skin but also your nationality. Look it up if you don’t believe me.
Re booing of Azerenka
A few words about the crowd in Paulstheoughball88’s post nailed it for me
“as they weren’t aware”
Ignorance is always the foundation of this kind of behaviour?
Why deploy your brain, gather the facts and form a view when you can lazily make the same noise as the creatures around you.
“Baa”
“Moo”
“Boo”
All the same.
Por Cierto
Gene
I’m on the case lads. 😂😂
Victoria Azerenka and Elina Svitolina will have known each other from the tour for more than a decade.
Their personal views about each other will have long been established.
Then politicians come along and do their thing …
… which includes an over simplified emotional blackmail of sportspeople who, by dint of their profession, are typically global in their outlook.
Both players are victims.
CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC COVID UPDATE
Monday approx 6am est
Feeling stronger. Better disposition. Swallowing better. Blood spitting up easier.
Lungs feel clearer. Slept easier. Peed with assistance.
Family been PARTICULARLY helpful supplementing nursing effort.
Waiting docs for creatinine results and X-rays
WE KEEP GOING
GG
All good 👍 👌
GG
Awrabest 👍
Callum has extended his contract for another few years.
Celtic are delighted to announce that Callum McGregor has signed a new five-year contract which will see him remain at the club until the summer of 2028.
The Celtic captain joined the club’s Youth Academy as a nine-year-old and has now spent over 20 years with the club, winning 20 trophies to date including five domestic trebles – more than any other player in football.
Since making his debut on July 15, 2014, scoring the only goal against KR Reykjavík in a UEFA Champions League qualifier in Iceland, Callum McGregor has gone on to make 420 appearances for Celtic, scoring 62 goals.
And since becoming captain at the beginning of the 2021/22 season, he has led the team to five trophy successes, including last season’s memorable Treble – the eighth in Celtic’s history and a new world record.
Now, as the team prepare for the 2023/24 campaign under Brendan Rodgers’ leadership, Callum McGregor is delighted to have signed his new five-year contract and is looking forward to more green and white success in the seasons ahead.
The Celtic captain said: “It’s amazing to extend my stay at the club. As I’ve touched on before, this club means so much to me and the success that we’ve had over the past few seasons has cemented that.
“I feel like the club’s in a great place to move forward as well, and when they came and asked me to extend my stay I was absolutely delighted.
“Brendan’s a top manager and I had the pleasure of working with him before and seeing what he did with that group of players, especially a young, hungry group similar to ourselves, and the way he progressed us and took us on.
“His personality around the place gives the building another lift as well, so the club’s in a really strong place.
“We did some great work over the last couple of years but it’s important that we bank that and we continue to move forward because in football you always have to continue your progress and get even better.
‘I’m delighted that the manager’s back, I’m delighted that I’m going to be here long-term as well, so here’s to many more successful years.’
“I just want it to continue for as long as possible. I’ve spoken before about the trust that the guys have put in me at this club, and I want to repay that every time I go on the pitch. They’ve been amazing for myself and for my family. It’s given me a wonderful life and some amazing memories.
“Together with the Celtic fans what we’ve achieved are memories that will stay with me forever, and there’s only one place that I want to play football and that’s here.”
Really pleased for Callum. I hope within the next two years he retires from international football like Broonie did. He plays far too many games.
GG at 11:02
WE KEEP GOING is the new WE NEVER STOP. Well Done and, indeed, KEEP GOING!
Well done Callum. Wonder if we are doing this (extensions) as housekeeping, to prepare for a shift in our wage structure?
Can’t help but notice we didn’t do anything with Reo after Daizen & Kyogo.
Still think there’s more first teamers for the off.
HH
Hard to imagine Callum still playing for us in 5 years, seems an extraordinarily long contract.
GG
Good to hear you’re feeling a bit better
YNWA
Well done Calum. Well done GG.
Can I suggest the fix for all these site login issues is just to buy a Mac (a clean not dirty one!)
Deniabhoy
Much as I love Callum I agree that 5 years seems a bit generous given he’s 30 now.
Good news on the Callum front but even better on the update from GG
BTW – I’m not sure that Jota video isnae a deepfake one.
The swearing line is really off brand esp given his new cultural surroundings.
Something a bit off about it – production wise. HH
new article posted.
I watched the latter stages of the Azarenka v Svitolina match and I was unaware of Svitolina’s decision to not shake hands with her opponent until the commentators mentioned it.
Azarenka is a great tennis champion and was unlucky to lose but both players played well in the closing stages.
My observations:-
It was a minority, albeit sizeable, who booed Azarenka; the whole crowd should not be tainted by it.
Some of those who booed might well have been mistaken in thinking that Azarenka refused to congratulate the winner and was a sore loser.
However, there was a strong pro-Svitolina crowd during the match and I think some were happy to boo someone from a Russia-supporting state.
Finally, Belarus has a horrible government but Azarenka did not make it so and expecting athletes from Russia, Belarus or Kazakhstan to be denouncing their homeland before being allowed to play is a step way too far.
Azarenka handled the situation with as much good grace as she could muster. I would have told them to GIRUY.