Celtic manager Kewell discusses Maeda’s dynamic as he praises Postecoglou

The Australian, who joined Hoops’ backroom staff last summer, is adjusting well to life in Glasgow.

And he has nothing but good things to say about his current boss.

Speaking on Graham Hunter’s Big Interview podcast, he said: “I had originally just gotten the Barnet job and then things happened there.

“Then in the summer time I was talking to a club, let’s say I was talking to them on Monday and I got a text from the manager and I was shocked.

“It was one of the most beautiful messages I have read from a coach to a young coach.

“I showed my wife and told her I was going to call him. He said he would love for me to join, he knew what I had been through and he had been watching me, I didn’t know and he knew what I liked, what I didn’t I liked.

“He thought it would be a good environment for me to come in and work with a great team and get back to where I belong.

“I was blown away. I told him I’d get back to him in a couple of days and then told my wife I was taking the job because the way he talked was enough.

“I didn’t want to sound too eager, so I made him wait a bit! But I was ready to say yes right away.

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“I heard a lot of stories about the coach, but they are stories. It’s good to have your own image.”

“Personally, I think there are two sides to him. One is the manager; he’s very strict, he likes the way things are run and he’s very intense. I like that.”

“I felt like, going in, it would take me a couple of weeks to learn his ideas and all that.

“After two days I understood it because that is how clear their messages are. There’s no grey, it’s just black.

“That’s how we’re playing, this is what I want and that’s the way it is. But then there’s the other side of him.

“He’s like a father. That joking personality, very rarely, but when you find him at those times, he’s usually a good person to talk to and want to work with.”

“As much as he’s intense as a manager, he’s a good human being. And they’re the ones you want to work for.”

“He’s confident enough in his ability to know that he can help. That’s when people are confident enough to want to try to protect this and protect that.”

Kewell’s role at Parkhead involves working with the players one on one and someone who has benefited from this close contact training.

The former Liverpool player has opened up about the dynamic he has with the Japanese international.

“With Daizen (Maeda), he is very good at listening and learning. Whatever you say to him, he will listen and take it into account,” he continued.

“It’s not about: ‘I’m the coach, you’re the player, you listen to what I say.’ No, no, no.

“We’re just in an environment here to talk. I’m going to say something that’s completely wrong, but I want to see if you get it, because that means you’re going to be confident enough to be able to say, ‘I don’t agree with that.’

“So I know they’re listening.”

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