“If it affects a player like him, then you know how deep it goes,” Brendan Rodgers | OneFootball

Brendan Rodgers praised Celtic match-winner Daizen Maeda and the Japanese striker grabbed a stoppage time winner against Motherwell at Celtic Park yesterday afternoon…

Celtic Manager Brendan Rodgers during the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic FC and Motherwell FC at Celtic Park, on 5th October 2025. Photo Mark Runnacles IMAGO/Shutterstock

Motherwell turned around a 1-0 deficit to take the lead early in the second half and Celtic were at that stage staring in the face of a second home defeat in row as Jens Berthel Askou’s side looked to be comfortably in control of the situation.

Brendan Rodgers made some changes with James Forrest, Benjamin Nygren Arne Engels and Michel-Ange Balikwisha tasked with sparking a Celtic fightback. Nygren was first to make his mark, taking advantage of a goalkeeping error to level the score.

Then deep into injury time, with the scores level at 2-2, Engels played his part cleverly finding Balikwisha who fired low and hard across the six yard area where Daizen Maeda was first to react – now playing as a striker rather than taking one for the team on the right wing – and the Celtic talisman dived to head low into the corner of the Motherwell net as Celtic Park erupted in celebration.

Daizen Maeda of Celtic scores a late goal during the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic FC and Motherwell FC at Celtic Park, on 5th October 2025. Photo Mark Runnacles IMAGO/Shutterstock

No wonder Brendan Rodgers was pleased with the Celtic star. “He just deserves so much credit,” the Celtic manager said at his post-match media conference.

“This is a guy that I’d seen before I came in here, then for over two years now, he’s given his heart and soul to this club.

“Everything that happened in the summer is well-documented and that’s not easy. If it affects a player like him, then you know how deep it goes. But he’s still turned up every day,” Rodgers said.

“He’s playing in probably the third position if you asked him, because we have a gap on that side. He’s just got on with it.

Daizen Maeda of Celtic scores a late goal during the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic FC and Motherwell FC at Celtic Park, on 5th October 2025. Photo Mark Runnacles IMAGO/Shutterstock

“You see the difference the minute he comes over. His pressing, the intensity, everything changes for him. I just felt he’s the type that can nick you a goal. He gets in with a nice little move and he gets the goal.

“I’m so, so happy for him and his family because he’s given so much to this club and he will continue to do that.”

Maeda was having a game to forget on the right wing and truth be told he’s wasted out there. Hopefully that’s something that Brendan will be thinking too. Dazien Maeda will probably leave Celtic in January but while he’s here we really need to get the best out of him and that won’t happen out on the right wing.

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Celtic in the Eighties and Willie Fernie – Putting on the Style both by David Potter. Photo The Celtic Star

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Celtic 3-0 St Mirren, Scottish Premier League, Celtic Park, 15 May 1982.Celtic captain Danny McGrain collects the championship trophy as Roy Aitken looks on. Photo The Celtic Wiki

Danny McGrain signing copies of Celtic in the Eighties by David Potter. Photo: Celtic Star Books

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