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Daily Record
12-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Record
Daizen Maeda is priceless Celtic crown jewel they can't sell if Brendan the builder is to get them up to spec
Maeda is now into the final couple of years of his contract and the Hoops could do with bolstering their insurance policy It could be that Daizen Maeda is just a hard man to pin down. Ask Premiership defenders how tough it is to shackle him. Perhaps it's the same for Celtic chiefs when it comes to this new contract offer that is due to be drafted. Maybe Maeda has been in too much of a hurry in pre-season, building up the kind of super-human levels of fitness that get him through a campaign. But this is an important part of the Any Other Business Celtic do need to get done – and sharpish. It might be like refuelling a jet plane while in the air, but, either way, they need to dock with the attacker and get pen on paper sooner rather than later. Maeda is now into the final couple of years of his contract and the Hoops could do with bolstering their insurance policy with the Japan star. Yes, it's been a bit quiet in terms of speculation surrounding his future. Maybe too quiet. Given the form he showed last season, a stampede was expected outside Parkhead. Brendan Rodgers admitted himself a few weeks before the end of term he was fully braced for serious interest in Scotland's player of the year. The bids haven't landed yet but that doesn't mean they won't come. Supporters are running around with their hair on fire demanding multi-million pound signings, but in reality, there is a long way left in the transfer window and a heck of a lot that can happen. And that includes vultures circling Celtic's top assets. A few months ago plenty of punters would have been resigned to seeing Maeda go this summer. He's done a decent stint of three and a half years, another challenge would come along, probably with more money, and that would be it. Sayonara. It would break a few hearts but he'd depart a hero and leave a legacy – in exchange for a huge pot of money. But that was before Nicolas Kuhn jumped ship. The German clearing out for Como was a fine piece of business given the winger's slightly sulky second half of the season. Yet he was still a major part of the side and is a big loss from a playing perspective. Meanwhile, it might sound harsh, but Celtic need to forget about Jota for the foreseeable. Who knows when he is going to be fully operational again. The winger was just about getting there after 18 months twiddling his thumbs in Saudi Arabia and France. Chuck in another year on the sidelines and it's going to be a long way back for the Portuguese. If he can get back on the pitch and look effective in a few games before the end of the season he'll be doing well. And that takes it back to Maeda. Celtic might have been ready to consider selling him for the right price. Now? There is no right price. Celtic simply cannot afford to sell Maeda. That's why they need to dangle a big juicy contract under his nose – even if it convinces him to stick around for another season. Another big name departure would further take the legs away from a manager who has already had to lose Matt O'Riley, Kyogo and now Kuhn. Rodgers knows how it works at Celtic when it comes to cashing in on the crown jewels. The crucial part is timing and shifting two of them in the same window is not part of the deal. Rodgers returned because he wanted to build something at the club but it's a tough gig when the foundations get whipped out every time the window opens up. In the meantime, the focus will all be on new signings and Celtic fans will be cranking up the pressure on their club to splash the cash. It's understandable. They've stuck more than £20million in the coffers in season book sales this summer and the Hoops have also pocketed £17m for Kuhn. There's been another couple for Gustaf Lagerbielke and a chunk from Jeremie Frimpong's sell-on clause. They've only spent spare change so far so it's once again coming up to chequebook time for Celts. But a decent whack of the dough should be on the table for Daizen.
Irish Independent
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Independent
Cork camogie players receive full support
The message of support for the Cork camogie players was provided by Cork County Councillors at Monday's full council meeting. The Camogie Association has scheduled a ¬special congress for Thursday, May 22, which may yet ¬resolve the matter in a way that satisfies the players' legitimate concerns. In a move to end the crisis, Camogie Association president Brian Molloy issued a special congress note, sent to all clubs and secretaries confirming that he supports the proposal to add the option of shorts for players. Two similar motions were defeated at last year's congress — but the motion that will be put will give individual players the option to wear shorts or skorts and a team will not have to adopt shorts en masse. The rule amendment reads: 'Uniformly dressed means players can chose to wear skirt/skort/divided skirt/shorts on an individual basis, with no requirement to wear the same item as other players in the team, as long as they are the same colour and similar design.' A two-thirds majority will be required by delegates to pass the new motion. If the motion is passed by delegates, the new rule will take effect from Saturday, May 24. The controversy escalated last weekend after the Munster senior camogie final between Cork and Waterford was postponed just 16 hours before throw-in after players had threatened to walk off the pitch if they couldn't wear shorts instead of the mandatory skorts in line with the rules of the Camogie Association. The Munster final will now be played at a later date. In a joint statement, the Cork and Waterford senior camogie panels expressed their disappointment that the final was postponed: 'It shows scant regard for the preparation of players both physically and mentally to be ready for a provincial showpiece, to make this decision just 16 hours before the scheduled throw-in.' ADVERTISEMENT The issue was raised under Any Other Business (AOB) by Fianna Fáil councillor Ann Marie Ahern who requested that Cork County Council write to the Camogie Association and the Cork Camogie Board giving full support to the Cork camogie team on the progression of moving from skorts to shorts. 'I do want to fully stand behind the players on this and their choice to be allowed to wear the sports wear appropriate to them when representing their county.' Fianna Fáil councillor Gearóid Murphy who seconded the motion said: 'It has become abundantly apparent that whatever might have been decided at the congress of the camogie association last year, the strong preference of the players at all levels is for an option to wear shorts while playing competitive games. 'Any other possible arguments supporting a skort as part of a uniform kit become irrelevant in light of this fact. I do believe the congress of the camogie association will make the right decision next week,' he added.
