Steven Naismith has come to the defence of Daizen Maeda as questions continue to swirl around the Japanese forward’s form and his blocked summer move.
Since then, the striker has been under the spotlight, with some critics suggesting his dip in form stems from frustration or a lack of motivation. That perception has only grown after Brendan Rodgers substituted him at half-time in the Europa League against Red Star Belgrade.
But Naismith has urged people to consider the wider context. The former Scotland international argued that Maeda’s openness about nearly leaving has been unfairly twisted into a question of his commitment.
Given Naismith’s past with Rangers, his defence of a Celtic player carries added weight. It shows a level of compassion for a player who has been scrutinised heavily at a time when he is still giving his all for the team.
He said: (The Warm-Up), “Is this narrative around Maeda come from the comments, where he’s probably just trying to be honest about the situation?
“Thought he might leave, looked as if he was going to leave, he doesn’t, but that then becomes the focus that is as if he’s a player that’s not happy.”
Naismith’s comments show how quickly stories can build around a player, often in a way that doesn’t help. Maeda was just being honest about nearly moving on, but those words have been used against him instead of taken at face value.
It’s also worth remembering what he’s already done for Celtic. His tireless running, pressing and unselfish play have been huge for the team, even if the goals haven’t come as often this season.
The fact that a former Rangers man has spoken up for him says a lot about how harsh some of the criticism has been. Naismith believes Maeda deserves patience while he finds his rhythm again.
For Celtic, the focus should be on using his work rate in the right way. With Rodgers backing him and even rivals asking for perspective, there’s every chance Maeda can get back to the level that made him one of last season’s top performers.
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