The lack of clarity over Brendan Rodgers’ future isn’t the only contractual issue adding to the overall mood of uncertainty at Celtic right now.
For some while there has been talk surrounding the club’s desire to tie Daizen Maeda on a new deal without anything concrete actually forming.
He still has just under two years left to run on his current agreement but, securing important assets at this stage in affairs – or deciding to sell for top dollar – is good business practice.
There was interest in the Japanese in the wake of his Player-of-the-Year heroics last season and there must still be a concern that someone might have a nibble before the window closes at the start of next month.
Whether it has had an effect on Maeda or not is a matter for discussion. Used almost exclusively back on the left flank this term, he hasn’t quite performed at his very top level.
He has pitched in with a couple of assists, against Aberdeen and in the 3-0 win over Livingston on Saturday, but his only goal so far came against Falkirk in the Premier Sports Cup.
Celtic have been left with little choice but to lead the line with winger Maeda in Kazakhstan
Maeda makes a nuisance of himself during Saturday’s 3-0 win over Livingston at Celtic Park
Maeda and team-mates applaud the fans after victory over visitors Livingston
Cometh the hour, though, cometh the Maeda. With a £40million-plus Champions League windfall on the line against Kairat Almaty tomorrow, there’s a lot to suggest that Rodgers should go back to his big-game European playbook from last season. That means adapting to challenging times by sticking the 27-year-old back through the middle as the central focus of attack.
Yes, Maeda did play there for a bit in the goalless first leg, after Adam Idah had been hooked at half-time, and didn’t quite set the heather on fire. After Shin Yamada had been brought on, he also had a terrific opportunity in the closing moments coming in off the left and putting an effort straight at the keeper.
He’s not what you would call a natural finisher. Left wing is, undoubtedly, his best position. Yet, with everything on the line in Kazakhstan, is there really a better option?
Idah missed the win over Livi with a knee problem, but has failed to nail down the centre-forward position following the sale of Kyogo Furuhashi to Rennes in January. He had his chance and blew it.
Bayern Munich at home in last term’s play-off for a place in the last 16 was his sliding-doors moment. Taken off after 65 minutes, he looked on as Maeda moved into the centre and scored to put life back in the tie. Left on the bench as his team-mate got the call to play up front again in the Allianz Arena, Maeda set the tone with his harrying and energy and then set up Nicolas Kuhn for a stunning opener thanks to his never-say-die spirit.
Idah did get further chances. Maeda did flit between centre forward and out wide as the season reached its conclusion. However, the latter still feels like someone you would be more inclined to hang your hat on in the major matches.
Yamada was given another chance to show his mettle against Livingston when being awarded with his first start in a much-changed starting line-up. He didn’t do badly, but didn’t offer enough to convince that he should keep his place for a match with so much riding on it.
He was caught offside early doors when moving onto a chipped pass from Paulo Bernardo. On 13 minutes, after the first chants of ‘Sack The Board’ started ringing round the ground, he popped the ball into the net from close range – only to discover Arne Engels, who set him up with a cross ball, had been flagged off.
Shin Yamada came close against Livingston but he couldn’t get on the scoresheet
Johnny Kenny scored Celtic’s third goal in the Premiership win at Parkhead on Saturday
At the end of the first half, Yamada also had a clear sight of goal when moving onto an excellent pass from Dane Murray. However, he sclaffed his effort badly and then found himself taken off for Maeda just before the hour as Rodgers brought on the cavalry following Benjamin Nygren’s 47th-minute opener.
Nygren did well on the right in the second period, scoring again on 71 minutes before substitute Johnny Kenny wrapped it up late on after being set up by some tigerish work from Maeda in the area.
The Swede could remain out wide for the Kairat return or move back inside to make way for Forrest. On the left, why not go again with Yang Hyun-jun? Yeah, it sounds crazy putting so much responsibility on the South Korean, but crazy is as crazy does.
Celtic’s inertia in the transfer market has left them in a situation where they are going to have to find unusual solutions in the forward areas. Rodgers needs two wingers and a centre-forward, but he hasn’t been given them and, so, something has to give.
Yang changed things when replacing Idah at half-time in the first leg. Not dramatically, but the second period was nowhere near as awful as the first. He was fine again when starting against Livingston as well.
He was denied by a wonder save from Jerome Prior at the end of the opening 45 – a remarkable push onto the crossbar from a spectacular flying header – and it was his shot that led to Nygren breaking the deadlock after the keeper had only been able to parry.
Yang on the left and Maeda through the middle is not perfect by any means. Yet, Celtic’s squad isn’t perfect by any means.
Brendan Rodgers thanks the crowd after his team emerged with another three points
Swedish star Nygren fires the champions into a 2-0 lead over the visitors at Parkhead
If Maeda was capable of giving Bayern a hard time as the central striker, he has the capacity to repeat the dose against Kazakhstan’s champions – no matter how well-drilled and resolute they were in Glasgow last week.
Their 17-year-old talisman Dastan Satpaev is suspended. Goalkeeper Alexander Zarutskiy is also believed to be out after being injured at Parkhead.
For all the negativity hanging over Celtic like a black cloud at the moment, and the noise being created by supporters who have the board in their crosshairs, they should still have enough in the locker to get the job done.
Maeda was the man they looked to lead from the front when it came to the crunch in Europe last season. He’s their best hope again.
