Daizen Maeda after scoring during the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic and Hearts at Celtic Park on March 29, 2025 (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
Q: Is that where you see him going forward now? He’s obviously used to being winger and play sometimes through the middle. Has that switched a bit?
Brendan Rodgers: “I think the situation was that Kyogo was the central striker here along with Adam Idah. He’s played a lot of his games off the side and was still effective there. You trace it back to when he was in Yokohama. I really feel he can play in that position. In January, I didn’t want him to have to play in that position because I wanted the squad to be as strong as we could. But I felt that if we didn’t get a striker, there’s no doubt he can play there. He’s hopefully shown why that is. His movement, pace, technical ability, but also the hunger in his pressing is massive. He’s played ever so well and consistently well.”
Daizen Maeda of Celtic is seen during the Scottish Gas Scottish Cup Quarter-Final match between Celtic and Hibernian at Celtic Park on March 09, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
Q: Consistency in his finishing is one of the biggest factors recently. It looks like he’s been scoring every time he gets a chance. Is that in his mindset, just relaxing a bit more? Or is it just a case of you see him out on the pitch every day working on it as well?
Brendan Rodgers:“There’s a wee bit of everything there really. I think that he works closely with Jack Lyons here, one of our young coaches. He’ll focus individually on some of the details on that. What we see in him, he’s very coachable and he’s a great learner. That’s what you want in your players. You can have players that are very good players but they’re not very coachable. His ability to learn is also what has helped him. He gets pointed out items with all the coaches and what we’ll speak to him as a manager. Jack will do specific stuff with him as well. All of that he’s shown an ability to learn. That’s always a good sign. Then I think confidence, like you say. Being in the middle of the goal means he’s making different runs. He’s ended up crossing a lot on the left-hand side. He’s not always in the positions that he would be as a central striker. I think we’ve seen that he can make all the moves and do everything you want in that position.”
Adam Idah of Celtic celebrates after scoring to give them a 2-0 lead Celtic v Hibernian, Scottish Gas Scottish Cup, Quarter Final, Celtic Park, – 09 March 2025. Photo Stuart Wallace/Shutterstock
Q: Have you had to manage Adam Idah as a consequence. Maybe he might have assumed or thought that he might be the first choice with Kyogo moving on, that’s not quite the case. Have you had to manage that situation with him?
Brendan Rodgers: “I think it’s all the players. It’s recognising and acknowledging that here there are a lot of games to play. I think with Adam, Adam trains really well. He’s very focused. He’s had some really, really big moments for this club. I’m really happy he’s here to be one of a number of strikers because it gives us something different. He’s always looking to improve his game. His finishing is really, really good. But of course, Daizen going into the middle has meant that he’s played a similar role to what he did with Kyogo. But it can also be the type of game that we need. Adam is hungry to always show what he can do. As is Daizen, as are the other players. I look at young Johnny Kenny. I see Johnny Kenny every day. I look at the work he puts in. Whether he’s off the side, whether he’s through the middle, his movement is great. He’s a fantastic finisher, 25 yards in. He’s really, really good and he’s hardly had any game time. I recognise with all the players, if you’re not playing, especially at this time of the season, which is one game a week, it can be a challenge. But their attitudes have been first class. They’re all supportive of each other and the spirit is very strong.”
Conor Spence
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Still believe that the hardest part of our summer, is going to be keeping hold of Maeda imo?
Certainly warrants an improved contract, but that only enables ourselves to get a bigger fee for him really, and wouldn’t put the bigger clubs off from approaching him either?
Hopefully we can keep hold of him as a very valuable player for ourselves.
Yet it has thrown up the problem for Rodgers in how he might intend to set up the attacking areas within the squad for next season?
Don’t see Rodgers changing from the 3 attacking front line.
This season with 7 options within the 25man squad, at a split of 5 wide and 2 strikers, with Maeda as the 3rd choice striker option.
With Maeda currently our 1st choice striker now, could be interesting to see how Rodgers intends to make up our attacking options for next season, especially if kuhn should depart as many are expecting?
Kenny is possibly still going to struggle for game time in the remainder of this season as a 3rd striker option at present?
So are we going to be looking for more wider options for ourselves now, with the striker roles already filled?
Which in turn might have ourselves increasing to 8 attacking options than this season 7 that was originally put in place for ourselves?