Daizen Maeda left two days ago for Ipswich Town. He was one of three Japanese players who signed in season 2021-22. At the time, Kyogo and Hatate we’re rated above him. He leaves with five league titles, three Scottish Cups and two League Cups. His league career at Celtic being uniquely bookended by goals at Celtic Park against the Edinburgh clubs.
He had a poor start to last season, missing open goals in both Champions League qualifiers against Kairat Almaty, then missing a penalty in the shoot out. That happened when he was ready to leave for Germany but Celtic pulled out of the deal on deadline day.
His form didn’t recover until halftime at Ibrox when Celtic were 2-0 down. He was instrumental in pulling the game back and his play for the rest of the season decided the outcome of the title.
He terrified Newco, James Tavernier in particular. His overhead kick goal in May is comparable only to Henrik Larson’s chip against Oldco Rangers in 2000.
In the 87th minute on the final game of the season against Hearts it was inevitable he would be the man to change history. Watch it back, not the goal, but his movement to create the space he required to score.
We will talk about the last season for the rest of our lives, forever remembered for heroic performances, including many by Maeda. Good luck in England, Daizen.
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Chat on the earlier thread re ACL injuries.
About 10 years ago one of our U19s suffered an ACL injury during preseason training. Cue much anguish.
His father was a physio and sent him along to Gordon MacKay who had developed a (at that time) novel surgical approach to treating ACL injuries. It’s called Internal Bracing and you can read about it here: https://www.mackayclinic.co.uk/internal-brace-in-depth-the-knee/
Anyway, the boy was given that treatment. He was back training after 12 weeks, and resumed playing in the January – the bigger obstacle to his return was confidence in the repair rather than any physical or legacy issues.
HH
More signings today, please.
Thank you Daizen.
HH
38🫶💚
4½ seasons.
5 league titles.
Statistically … 1.1 league titles per season
Which is impossible.
“Delivering what others thought impossible”
… Could perhaps be an appropriate footnote for our Japanese buzz bomb.
Best wishes, Daizen.
One of the greats.
Daizen. You’ll never walk alone.
Worth a repost.
VAR not perfect but much better than back to the days of MIBs making crucial calls.
Tom McLaughlin on 27th July 2026 9:48 am
Watched Celtic v Milan on Celtic Pplayer.
Milan get a soft penalty.
Peter Grant watches replay and says, “It’s never a penalty.”
Commentator says, “And there’s no VAR.”
Grant replies, “I prefer it that way. If the officials get it wrong just get on with it.”
So he’d prefer that Maeda’s 87th minute goal v Hearts that won the league should’ve been left unchecked and offside.
Consistency was his “achilles heel”, but when needed bhoy he turned up, big time. Canny wait till you do the Paradise Windfall draw, it’ll be the quickest draw ever, you’ll be back in your seat before they’ve read out the winning number, por cierto
Maybe Peter had a bet on the diets to win the league and is still pure raging’. :)
Obviously not the case in reality.
Leftclicktic
Couldn’t believe my ears what PG came out with. Aye, the good auld days.☹️
An icon and a legend 🇯🇵
“He terrified Newco, James Tavernier in particular. His overhead kick goal in May is comparable only to Henrik Larson’s chip against Oldco Rangers in 2000.”
—————-
Who are newco and oldco, and how do they relate to one another?
Thank you Diazen Maeda. I will follow your progress in the EPL.
Hopefully a brand new two pronged strikeforce will galvanise Paradise in a season to look forward to.
We need quality, not quantity and I do feel we will get there.
As for the Wi fi mentioned on the last article this m9rning.
https://thecelticblog.com/2025/10/articles-and-features/glasgow-city-council-finally-owns-up-to-a-major-problem-at-celtic-park/
HH. The journey continues.
Sometimes, Daizen was unplayable. Other times? He was just unplayable
Loved watching him
Genuine best wishes at Ipswich
Farewell sweet prince 🇯🇵🇮🇪
ref this –
McInnes was interviewed in the dugout. He looked a little bit scared to me – out of his depth, terrified of failing in his last big chance, waiting for the pressure to come on top?
———————
despite going back to the 90s with his identikit Wardrobe and shoes, and a signing policy from the grand old days of yore, I too thought he looks terrified. For a guy whos management level was perenial runners ups or lower places, occasionaly beating a big team (I mean us), his acheivements are a league cup, and a promotion.
The bears will pile on after the first dropped points.
It is the hope that kills them.
If allegedly our strategy is to let them win now and again, and they couldnt do it last season, well McInnes and his purple hearted cousins of william are imho opinion allready in a losing position.
Did you know that Daizen likes to relax by playing tennis against himself ?
A modern Celtic great. Thank you, Daizen.
His performances against Kairat is why we should never again play want aways in these ties. Jack be nimble, Jack be quick, Jack sell and get replacements in before CL pay off rounds.
Good luck Daizen , a unique player the like of which I have never seen in over 60 years of watching Celtic
Best of luck to Daizen Maeda, a Celtic legend.
Daizen’s misses v Kairat (and several others) shows that being in the right place mentally/psychologically is as important as physical fitness and skill . A costly error which hopefully won’t be repeated
Daizen
Will be watching out for you in the EPL.
May your days be blessed.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c9d8eeqg6d2o
Subtle.
FOR SALE : One Raskin.
CONDITION : Used
A sign of how far we have fallen when terrifying James Tavernier is seen as some kind of achievement!
Good afternoon all from Glasgow Cross. High Street and Saltmarket looking grand as usual.
Afternoon, all.
Will the “bored” be vindicated if they sign Araujo, Baur, Taylor, Hassan, hmmmm
kingLUBO
I’m sure I remember years back – around when I mentioned Ange might be good for us – watching a Marinos game and seeing their baldy old winger who still had a bit pf pace and dig – yet heaps of errors – about him ;)
I didn’t realise ‘young Daizen’ wasn’t such an oldie after all.
Remember too; our coaches and managers helped develop and mature this fella; one of the EPLs latest recruits. It’s true Maeda san was good for us. And we, every bit as good for him and his career too.
Remembered more fondly than Kyogo mibby ?
MataAimashou CSC (See you again!)
Well, if Paderborn are going to be too stubborn and it’s not to be Mika Baur, why don’t we try for 6’3″ defensive midfielder Benjamin Tahirovic of Bronby?
i hope we are lining up a few more japanese players .
fabulous ethics.
i cant blame daizen for the kariet failure.
that was a collective failure all over the pitch for both games
Good luck Daizen, a privilege for us and Glasgow Celtic to have you here.
Hun-Batterer supreme !
While I mostly enjoyed Diazen and welcome the hearty good wishes on his departure, I feel the term legend is a bit OTT.
HH.
he is a celtic legend.
unique.
while also being an enigma.
a scorer of the most memorable goals.
a hun skelper.
did i mention he is a legend ?
Daizen will always be remembered fondly.
PG was never the sharpest tool in the box, VAR is the worst thing to befall Ibrox this century, other than Liquidation.
Without VAR no penalty at Motherwell and no 2nd Maeda goal v Hearts, dearie me Peter, you don’t half talk some rubbish at times.
Was Henrik the last legend?
Even if you don’t consider Daizen a legend, he definitely scored a legendary goal that will be remembered for a long, long time…
I reckon when it comes to pressing/closing down players Daizen was truly World Class & maybe best on the planet.
These days we don’t usually get players with qualities rated so highly. I know he could be less cultured at times but his effort more than compensated.
He’s a legend imho & a personal favourite. We’ll miss him. 🍀🇯🇵
mmccartney on 27th July 2026 3:15 pm
Your also forgetting his goal at Hibs that Ross decided was offside despite being three yards behind play or the red card from the same game.
I recently saw a table of overturned VAR decisions in the English Premier League, Brentford led the way with five for the entire season. We had THREE in that Hibs match and we only got two overturned. After the match the panel agreed we should have had a penalty for the push on Johnston.