Celtic winger Daizen Maeda has opened up about his aspirations for a “higher stage” in his career, crediting his former boss Ange Postecoglou for inspiring these ambitions.
The 25-year-old Japanese international has worked with Postecoglou both at Yokohama F Marinos and Celtic, developing a strong professional relationship with the Australian coach.
Maeda was brought to Celtic on an initial six-month loan in January 2022 by Postecoglou, a deal that was made permanent the following summer. Since then, Maeda has had a successful stint in the Scottish Premiership, playing a crucial role in Celtic’s trophy haul under Postecoglou’s tenure.
However, with Postecoglou recently accepting a four-year offer to manage Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League, Maeda is set to adapt to a new managerial regime, with Brendan Rodgers currently the frontrunner to take over at Celtic.
Speaking to the Japanese outlet Daily, Maeda expressed his admiration for Postecoglou and his belief in his potential to progress further in his career, thanks to the foundation laid by his former manager.
He said:
“I think he is a great person and I think I can play on a higher stage because of what he has built up as a manager. I want to do my best to be as good as him.”
Maeda is a player who was very suited to Ange Postecoglou’s system, and there’s no guarantee that he’ll continue to be successful at Celtic if Brendan Rodgers comes in. The winger may well have this in the back of his mind this summer.
