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.
365 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- »
BRRB
Who asked you anyway?.
😂😂
PHILBHOY
A good few years back I recall big Paddy out for a warm up before the game.
A coach was constantly crossing for him and he only held around 10%.
Guy in the crowd shouts out, av never seen so many crosses drapped since the Pope was at Bellahouston Park.
Made me laugh anyway
KINGLuBO
The Jota leaving message really is something special. What a guy.
Not just cheap platitudes.
Real time and money invested in that.
!!BADA BING!! on 9TH JULY 2023 11:27 AM
Stephbhoy67- my Bhoy said we are interested in Spain U21 GK,he looked good last night
Hope your bhoy is right and we follow up our interest, love a cat in goals.
You mention legendary Celtic keeper and Pat Bonnar??
Shoorly shum mistake???
A big jessie of a keeper that never came for a cross ball in his life.
—–
to be fair he did come for crosses
its what happened when he got there that caused the problems!
4 weeks to our first league game. Plenty of time, but plenty of work to be done and all quiet as the team head to Portugal…
With a dent on Yurp needed. First-teamers for:
New GK
New LB
New CH
2 x CMs
1 x Winger
Getting the deadwood tae eff….
It’s too quiet…..
HH
I agree.
Packie came for too many crosses- then soared like Superman- 10 yards away from wherever the ball was.
The Jota message
https://twitter.com/detroitcsc/status/1678072237562142721?s=48
Latchford got injured and Bonnar stepped in. Still think the former was the better player………
BRRB
Nobody asked me anything unfortunately, hence posting random silly facts. Hope you are having a good one back in the old country. Family just left this morning after two brilliant weeks with me. Always sad when it is over. Live every day, right? Have a wee dram for me.
JACKIEMAC and TIMHORTON
Last English manager to win doon there was Wilkinson with Everton pre-Best League in World Premiership days.
SFTB
Brilliant
thanks aipple
Maybe it is because I am a wee bit emotional today since family just left but Jota message was smiles and a wee tear inducing. As other smarter folks on here have said, he did the job we paid him to do and then some.
HH all.
BRRB
Julie used to run our local in townhead and I can’ t understate how good a job she did .
She is sorely missed.
Her and shug know how to run a pub for their customers.
Many a great day and night in the Lee and great trips to mussleburgh for the ponies .
The Lee’s loss is the Argosy’s gain
HH
DAVID66
hope you had a great holiday
Safe journey home
HH
” SAINT STIVS on 9TH JULY 2023 3:22 PM
kenny miller talks absolute gibberish.”
Indeed he does.
His tone is hardly impressive either. I know not what qualities get him a job in broadcasting……oh, hang on a minute.
“SETTING FREE THE BEARS FOR RES. 12 & OSCAR KNOX on 9TH JULY 2023 5:36 PM
The Jota message
https://twitter.com/detroitcsc/status/1678072237562142721?s=48”
Thanks for that.
I was hoping he would say that he would love to come back some day but I can see why that might not go down too well with his new team and their supporters.
Some might think he is being false but , for me , he has always seemed a genuine guy.
Best description for Kenny Miller, the lights are on but no one in, or the wheel keeps turning but the hamster is dead!
Kenny Miller the only player to have played for all three old firm clubs.
Our Jota, always a celt.
Hope that horrible country doesn’t change him too much.
HH
But let’s talk about Kenny Miller. Aye.
KLV
Despite his goal against Benfica I wish he hadn’t played for us, I’m sure he feels the same.
Our squad is in decent shape but there is still plenty of scope for improvement for the new season and a lot of work to get through.
Goalkeeper – Hart, 1x goalkeeper, bain (new contract so staying)
sell – seagress, hazard
Lb – taylor, 1x leftback –
loan – Montgomery, bernabei
Rb – johnstone,1x new rb
Sell – ralston
cb – ccv, starfel, Kobayashi, new lcb
sell – welsh, scales, uragedia
Loan – lawell
Mc – mcgreager, reo, o’reiley, iwata, holm, 1x new cm
sell – mccarthy, soro, turnbull, shaw, gucci
Loan – summers
Attacking mid – Sead, adaba, m. Johnstone, tilio, forrest, new player
loan – vata
Forward – kayogo, oh, meade
Sell/ free – ajeti
loan – kennedy
…………
Move on 12 players
Loan out 6 development loans
Add 6 x 1st teamers
HH
I’d rather keep keep Welsh than that feather kobayashi.we need a left back 2 attacking midfelid class acts that can pass and create.another striker and a centre half that’s real quality
Kobayashi as a left back
He can play the ball and is a little too underweight/size for a centre half
But might make a good addition to our full backs
Anybody know a decent Dutch CB we might be in for?
SFTB,
21 year old Xavier Mbuyamba, 6’5 CH at FC Volendam.
HH
Sftb
Vigil van Dyke
Rodgers left backs are notoriously asked to bomb up and down the line. Overlapping from the wingers.
Kobyashi (a CH) nor Tylor, nor Scales fit the profile. Bernie is more the template but can’t tackle a fish supper.
I suspect we’ll spend a few bob there.
HH
Jota video = birthday card pish.
When did that become a thing anyway?
HH
Wavy
Yer a cynic
Was a touch of class that show’s the man that Jota is
I loved it
what stuck me most about rodgers initial interview, when asked about the squad. Quote – we need more power in the team! couldn’t agree more after rangers dominated us in too many games last season (although our quality and belief got us through)
Looks like they have strengthened and have more speed and depth
Waiting patiently for 3-4 1st team – experienced quality! current squad won’t win it
Jota speaks better English than Kenny Miller. Then again, so does my 10-year-old Spanish son 😂
stebhoy,
With all due respect, that’s ballix. We weren’t dominated in those games. They won the dead rubber and got a draw in a game we were hit bu illness. We won the rest, when it mattered, over 3 competitions.
They’ve lost goals & assists from Kent, Morelos, Tillman & Arfield. Their defence remains the same.
Their new signings are big lumps, either journeymen, a young punt or loanees. Our current team, with Jota, would beat them.
We’ll build too and blow them away.
HH
My mates description of Kenny Miller – “that guy runs about like a stolen motor” 😄
Jota’s wee video impressed me. He seemed genuine. He gets us and I would happily welcome him back some day (in 3 years time?).
Farewell Jota
https://youtu.be/j_Ig_bjceZ8
https://twitter.com/tamseiiicsoniii/status/1678116543912194048?s=48&t=LWvkYm4gbsw1DqCU0NAY6g
:-))
HH