Every Celtic fan loves the fact that Martin O’Neill is in the dugout.
The one negative from it all is the fact that Celtic are yet to appoint a new manager, after Brendan Rodgers’ resignation last month, and the January transfer window is around the corner.
Celtic’s injury list is worrying, and it will need to be addressed by players coming in because there are several long-term issues.
Then you have the Daizen Maeda situation. Everyone knows about the fact that Maeda, who was signed by Ange Postecoglou in 2022, wanted to leave in the summer, so that also needs to be sorted, and it won’t happen without a new face in the dugout.
How much would you sell Daizen Maeda for? 
Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty ImagesCharlie Mulgrew questions who didn’t allow Daizen Maeda to leave
Last January, Kyogo Furuhashi expressed a desire to leave. He got his wish and joined Rennes midway through the season.
Speaking on Go Radio, Charlie Mulgrew stated that he would love to know who made the ‘final decision’ on telling Maeda that he won’t be going anywhere.
The former defender suggested that the time could be up for Scotland’s 2024/25 PFA player of the year to head for the exit door.
“Maeda is a big one,” said Mulgrew. “If the new manager, does he keep Maeda? Is he getting let go?
“Martin O’Neill seems to have sort of got a tune back out of him. Got him working hard. Back to his old self.
“But you can’t keep a player for too long if they don’t want to be there, and you shouldn’t, because you won’t get the best out of him, anyway.
“I think, if he doesn’t want to be there, that’s a conversation that needs to be had. If he doesn’t, you should let him go and reinvest the money in more players like that.
“Who made the final decision not to let him go? It would be interesting. But he is a player, we said at the time, ‘he can’t go anywhere.’ It’s not like any of us thought that he should have gone.”
Maeda coming to a ‘dead end’ at Celtic
Maeda’s performances have been largely poor, but that doesn’t mean the new manager can’t change matters because you never know what happens in football.
But as Craig Moore also touched upon, it does feel as though the Japan star has come to a ‘dead end’ in the famous green and white colours.
“He has got goals in him,” stated Moore. “He has shown that. He can be an important player, but again, I touched on Johnny Kenny in terms of the contribution he has made and the confidence he would have.
“But Maeda is going to be a loss for Celtic. There is no doubt about that. When he leaves or if he leaves. I think the energy and the work that he provides for the team.
“But I don’t know if he is or he isn’t invested still within the football club. But you have that feeling as if it’s coming to a dead end, and it’s time to move on.”