Japanese Bhoy Maeda owes Harry for Qatar call
Celtic’s Daizen Maeda believes an Australian influence has given him a World Cup boost.
And, for once, this isn’t a Parkhead player giving all the credit to Hoops’ boss, Ange Postecoglou.
Maeda has enjoyed working with another man from Down Under, former Liverpool and Australia winger, Harry Kewell.
Hitting the back of the net was proving a bit of a problem for Maeda at the start of this season, but he has worked hard to rectify that with Celtic coach Kewell.
That training ground practice has seen him score twice in his side’s last two Premiership games.
Maeda hopes that will help when he turns out for Japan against Germany, Costa Rica and Spain in World Cup Group E over the coming days.
The 25-year-old said: “I had some difficult weeks and months, but I had some very good support from our coaching staff.
“I have been working on it with them, and I really appreciate what they are doing for me.
“Each of them has supported me, but especially Harry Kewell.
“He has been sharing his experience with me, and we have been having sessions – including watching videos together – and this is something which helps me a lot.
“Throughout my professional career – and indeed my whole time in football – I have not met a coach like Harry.
“So it’s thanks to him that I’m really enjoying my football, and also improving my skills.
“It’s down to Harry that I started to change my approach, and began performing better.
“He is very good at establishing relationships with the players. He can verbalise clearly our good points and our bad points.
“We’ll sit and watch the videos, and he will explain to me very clearly where I can be better, and what I need to do.”
There was widespread surprise that Maeda was the only Celtic player to make Japan’s World Cup Finals 26-man squad.
Reo Hatate and Kyogo were left to go on their club’s trip to Australia, instead of heading to the Middle East.
Maeda added: “I feel sorry for them both. “It’s a shame they are not going to the World Cup, but I will do my best on behalf of them in Qatar.
“The first game against Germany will be very important for us. We are targeting victory in that match, and hopefully that will put us in a good rhythm.
“Celtic and the national team have very different playing styles, so I need to adjust my game.
“It puts different demands on me – mentally and physically – but I need to adapt to play well.”
There are other players from the Scottish champions in Qatar. Cameron Carter-Vickers is there with the United States, Aaron Mooy will represent Australia, and Josip Juranovic was picked by Croatia.
Success for their nations could mean more matches before they are back for the return of the SPFL Premiership next month.
Celtic’s next league game is against Aberdeen at Pittodrie on December 17 – the day before the World Cup Final at the Lusail Iconic Stadium.
Maeda said: “We are all in different groups, so I think we will be wanting each other to do well.
“Hopefully, we can all qualify and we will get a chance to play against each other in the later rounds.
“It would be very exciting to make it through the group stage and come up against one of my team-mates.
“Hopefully I will still have plenty of energy for the games when I come back.
“But I am not thinking about that too much at the moment.
“Once I finish international duty, my focus will return to Celtic.”