Brendan Rodgers, Daizen Maeda and Hibs winning at Ibrox

In partnership with

The Celtic Star

·5 aprile 2025

Brendan Rodgers, Daizen Maeda and Hibs winning at Ibrox

Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers has emphasised that Daizen Maeda’s ability to learn quickly has been key to his development into Celtic’s standout performer…

Daizen Maeda, POTM again! Photo SPFL

The striker was honoured as the Scottish Premiership Player of the Month for March yesterday, after surpassing 30 goals for the season across all competitions.

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The Japan international continues to lead the top-flight’s scoring chart, with Dundee’s Simon Murray and Dundee United’s Sam Dalby behind him on 13. Rodgers praised Maeda as ‘very coachable,’ crediting this attribute for the best campaign of his career to date.

“It’s a remarkable few months he’s had, but also a remarkable season,” Rodgers said. “Primarily, he’s played as a winger, aside from February when we put him in as a striker.”

Daizen Maeda of Celtic scores his opening goal during the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic and Hearts at Celtic Park on March 29, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

“He’s everything that I want to see in a central striker with his work rate, intensity and movement that he makes for his goals, like the first last week – brilliant.”

“He’s so instinctive but also his reading of situations has improved, as has his technical level of finishing, which comes with confidence as well. When you play through the centre, you feel he’s going to get goals and create goals for others. I’m very happy for him.”

“The situation was that Kyogo was the central striker here, along with Adam [Idah]. He played a lot of games off the side and was still effective there. But of course, even when you trace it back to when he played in Yokohama, I feel he can play in that position up top.”

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)

Rodgers added: “In January, I didn’t want to have to play him in that position because I want the squad to be as strong as it can. But I felt that if we couldn’t get a striker in, then there’s no doubt he could play there. Hopefully, he’s shown why that is with his movement, pace, technical ability but also the hunger in his pressing, which is massive for my team.”

“He’s very coachable – he’s a great learner. That’s what you want from your players. “You can have very good players but they’re not coachable. His ability to learn is also what has helped him. That’s always a good sign.”

Daizen Maeda celebrates. St Mirren v Celtic, Scottish Premiership, Saturday 1st March 2025. Photo: Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

Brendan Rodgers is now two wins away from securing Celtic’s 13th title in 14 years so a win at McDiarmid Park Sunday lunchtime followed by a victory over Kilmarnock at Celtic Park next Saturday will delver a title triumph at Paradise which in itself is rather unusual.

Next up for theRangers is Athletic Club in the Europa League on Thursday night. If that goes badly that their season will be over and so too in all probability with Barry Ferguson’s tenure as theRangers manager.

As it’s Saturday night, time for a song?

Conor Spence

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