Ange Postecoglou turned ITV's World Cup coverage into a glowing review of Celtic, praising Martin O'Neill for reigniting the career of 'freakish' forward Daizen Maeda.
Postecoglou joined Roy Keane and Gary Neville on the panel for the Netherlands vs Japan match, and as an expert on Japanese football, he dominated the conversation. He wasted no time in hyping up Maeda, whom he signed for Celtic in 2022.
Host Laura Woods noted that Japan would miss injured star Kaoru Mitoma, but Postecoglou insisted Maeda ensures they remain dangerous. He said: 'Daizen Maeda is just a pressing machine. Physically, he is absolutely elite. If the Dutch are sleeping on the ball, he'll close them down. He's an absolute freak of a physical specimen, with a real appetite for closing down.'
Woods highlighted Maeda's season of two halves, struggling early before exploding into form to help Celtic win a Double. Postecoglou credited O'Neill for the turnaround: 'Martin put his arm around him and got the best out of him. Maeda was going through a tough time, but at the end, he was unbelievable. He scored an overhead kick against Rangers, showing his freakish ability.'
Postecoglou added: 'I'm really looking forward to seeing him play tonight. He won't be daunted at all. He knows his physical capacity and will match himself against anybody.'
