Last night, a guy at the game turned to me shortly after Daizen Maeda scored his superb goal and said something that made me laugh.
It was funny because it was so unusual, and funny because it hit on a truth about how some people see him. He said, “Maeda is the best worst player I’ve ever seen.” I knew instantly what he meant. I’ve heard that expressed by others. There are a lot of our fans who don’t realise how good a player we have here.
So here’s the thing about the guy’s statement: it’s not true. Not even remotely.
Maeda isn’t a bad player. In fact, he’s a very good one. Yet, he’s still underestimated by many in our fanbase and, for some, incredibly frustrating to watch. And honestly? I can’t wrap my head around it. I’m one of his biggest supporters—his ultimate superfan. Regular readers will know I’ve nicknamed him Danger Mouse after the cartoon hero described in the theme song as “the strongest, the quickest, the best.” And yes, there’s another reason: the “DM” on his outfit matches Maeda’s initials. It’s a fitting moniker for a player who embodies bravery, speed, and a relentless drive.
Maeda is a unique footballer who defies categorisation. If pressed, I’d call him an inside forward, but he’s not really one of those either in the traditional sense.
Traditional inside forwards stay up the pitch, collect the ball, and drive into the box. Maeda, though, is everywhere—covering every blade of grass, chasing back, popping up all over the field. His energy levels are astonishing, and as an athlete, he’s a marvel.
He’s also incredibly brave.
I’ve never seen him shy away from a challenge or duck responsibility. Even when things aren’t going his way—when his passes go astray, or the game isn’t coming together for him—he never hides. He wants the ball. He demands it. And he’s capable of producing moments of magic.
What stands out most, though, is his awareness. His ability to stay switched on is extraordinary. He always knows where the ball is, where the danger is, and where he needs to be. That’s why he scored after 21 seconds at Ibrox last season. Defenders across Scotland—and now Europe—are terrified of him. With three Champions League goals this campaign, including our consolation against Dortmund in Germany, he’s proving his worth on the biggest stage.
Maeda now has 10 goals this season, just one behind Nicolas Kuhn, who has been the headline-grabber. Yet, Maeda has been every bit as effective, every bit as crucial, and every bit as good. He signed a new deal in 2023, committing to the club for the next three years, and I hope by then our entire fanbase will have come to appreciate him for what he truly is—an exceptional talent.
He’s one of those players we’ll be talking about for decades. That’s how highly I rate him. He’s too good a player to slip under the radar even if people aren’t paying attention, and I find the lack of big interest him perplexing although it’s definitely for the best. If the world fully understood what we’ve got here, there’d be a stampede for his signature. Even now, if he added just a touch more to his game, the clamour for him would be unstoppable.
Some of our fans don’t seem to know what they want from Maeda. What they’re already getting, though, is very impressive. He’s elevating this Celtic team, taking it to a different level. I’ve seen players who scare the opposition, players who can change a game, but Maeda changes the way teams prepare to face us. Look at the Ibrox club—they’ve altered their entire style over the past three seasons to try and cope with him … and all in vain as that goal last season at Ibrox showed. That’s the measure of his impact.
Last night, as usual, he frustrated some fans. But also, as usual, he delivered. He was in the right place at the right time, and his goal was wonderful. I love watching him. I love that Celtic has such a special player, and I hope he’s with us for years to come. More than that, I wish he got half the credit from the rest of our fans that he deserves.
I understand where you are coming from but I also know what the guy at the games means. If Maeda didn’t have his pace he would lose 60-70% of his effectiveness. Obviously he does have it though so he is effective but his touch, decision making & finishing can all be questioned. He has 10 goals this season but how many could he have had if he was a better finisher?
His work rate is exceptional & I think he is indispensable to the team because he forces the opposition to keep someone back to cover the long ball counter that he will get on to if it’s a sprint to the ball but he definitely has areas where if he was better he would be the headline grabber.
Kuhn is getting passed players in multiple ways. Sometimes he does out pace them as Maeda does but he is also so capable of changing his direction & putting the defender off balance & leaving them behind in that manor too.
Maeda isn’t one for twisting & turning to put the defender off balance. He can just kick the ball past them & go past them with his pace. He is of a similar irk to Adama Traore but more effective because he isn’t as one dimensional as Traore is.
His main hinderance for me though is his discipline, sometimes he gives away daft daft fouls, he was lucky not to pick up a booking early vs Hearts at the weekend & his tracking back becomes less effective once he is booked.
Hi all, Maeda to me is my first choice I would pick for our best 11! I firmly believe he is one of those ‘wonder’ players I will talk about until I am 10 feet under.
Even off the field he comes across as a pure gent. If it is possible I would have him signed up for the rest of his career with us. He deserves an exceptional contract to remain with us! I just love this guy!
I love having Maeda, his work rate is incredible as is his quality at times. He is a unique player though, when he is having a bad day his first touch is possibly the worst I have seen in the professional game, the ball bounces off him, he kicks it far too far in front of himself and his crosses and finishing go haywire. Next game though, he can be world class. I find it very strange
I’m in the super fan camp. I’ll be amazed if there’s not offers for him in the summer but Rodgers won’t want to lose him, he knows what he’s got
Vital Vital player for Celtic !
For me, with a more traditional full back behind him he would offer us so much more. I see him checking whether he will need to cover for GT and restricting his forward runs at times and expending so much energy doubling up with defensive duties. Yes, he is an incredible athlete but our weakness at left back takes away some of his attacking threat.
If I’m an opposing player the last person I want to see in the tunnel is DM.
He’s brilliant.
Quite simply, Celtic are a better team and Paradise is a far better place, with DM around. A wonderful team player and fantastic athlete. Hope he’s here for many more years to come !