No Shanks to save hacks, they’ll have to give it to Daizen Maeda

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The Celtic Star

·8 maggio 2025

No Shanks to save hacks, they’ll have to give it to Daizen Maeda

Celtic forward Daizen Maeda leads the race to become this season’s Scottish Football Writers Player of the Year and is joined by his teammate Callum McGregor in the nominations…

Daizen Maeda. St Johnstone v Celtic, Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden Park on Sunday 20 April 2025. Photo by Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

Maeda picked up the PFA Player of the Year award at a star-studded event in Glasgow on Sunday evening and is still widely tipped to secure the SFWA accolade as well.

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Like the PFA shortlist, the Celtic star is joined by Dundee’s red-hot striker Simon Murray and Hoops captain Callum McGregor, while Hibs midfielder Nectar Triantis takes the place of Nicolas Kuhn among the final four nominees.

Callum McGregor. Man of the Match at Hampden in the Scottish Cup semi-final win over St Johnstone.

Since arriving on a season-long loan from Sunderland last summer, Triantis has played a pivotal role in David Gray’s side, with his tenacious midfield performances key to Hibs’ push for a top-three Premiership finish.

Lennon Miller in action against Celtic. Photo Vagelis Georgariou for The Celtic Star

Lennon Miller leads the race for the SFWA Young Player of the Year award, with Kilmarnock duo Bobby Wales and David Watson, along with Hearts forward James Wilson, also earning nominations. Falkirk’s promotion-winning manager John McGlynn features among the Manager of the Year nominees, alongside Celtic’s Brendan Rodgers, who’s eyeing a domestic treble, Hibs’ David Gray, and Aberdeen’s Jimmy Thelin.

PFA Scotland POTY Daizen Maeda. Photo PFA Scotland.

Maeda scooped up Celtic’s Player of the Year and Players’ Player of the Year awards on Sunday evening. It was hardly a surprise given Celtic’s forward has picked up 33 goals and 11 assists in 48 appearances this season.

However, the man from Japan was disappointed to pass off a massive opportunity to win last weekend’s Glasgow Derby at Ibrox in the dying embers. After spending a week in Japan with his family as they expected the arrival of their third child, he said: “At that moment, physically it was very tough, I couldn’t do much. I wish I could have scored that one.”

The yearly awards ceremony, sponsored by William Hill, is set for Sunday, May 18, 2025, at Glasgow Central’s DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel. And this year there’s no Lawrence Shankland to save the hacks; looks like they’ll have to give it to Daizen Maeda.

Daizen Maeda celebrates. St Johnstone v Celtic, Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden Park on Sunday 20 April 2025. Photo by Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

Conor Spence

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