Nancy Must Axe Celtic Star Daizen Maeda After 2-1 Hearts

Wilfried Nancy endured a nightmare start as Celtic manager as he oversaw a 2-1 loss to Hearts, which moved the visitors three points clear at the top of the Scottish Premiership.

While his side dominated possession, goals from Claudio Braga and Oisin McEntee saw Hearts cruise past Celtic, who adopted a new 3-4-3 system in Nancy’s first game in charge.

Celtic lacked quality in the final third on Sunday, with only five of their 15 shots going on target, while Daizen Maeda’s display had to be a particular point of concern for the French manager.

Although the 28-year-old registered an assist for Kieran Tierney’s injury-time goal, Maeda missed two big chances early in the first half that could have given Celtic a much-needed boost in the opening chapter of Nancy’s tenure.

Maeda Delivers ‘Rotten’ Performance

Maeda was rated 4/10 for his performance on Sunday by The Scotsman, with the publication labelling his display ‘rotten’ after he squandered several clear-cut chances in the first half:

Maeda’s two first-half chances were the only shots he attempted throughout the contest, as the Japan international largely struggled against a well-drilled Hearts side that limited him to just 31 touches of the ball.

The 28-year-old has now gone goalless for the first time in three games after scoring in victories over Hibernian and Dundee under Martin O’Neill.

Maeda’s performance on Sunday will surely give Nancy something to consider ahead of their next match, a home clash with Roma in the Europa League on Sunday.

With Kelechi Iheanacho returning from injury and Johnny Kenny also available for selection, the French tactician must try something different up front following such a lacklustre display from the Japanese forward.

Maeda Could Leave Celtic in January

As GIVEMESPORT revealed earlier, Celtic could end up making a decision on Maeda in January, with the forward’s departure remaining a realistic possibility at the turn of the year.

The Japan international has been heavily linked with an exit in recent months, having entered the final two years of his Celtic contract, which runs until June 2027.

Maeda has scored six goals and provided five assists in 22 appearances for the Hoops this term, including eight goal involvements in the league.