James Maddison 'buzzing' for Celtic player after what he did against Kilmarnock
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(Credit: Imago/Manh Tung, Breaking Media)
Jonathan Burnett
Mon 15 September 2025 14:07, UK
Kelechi Iheanacho became an instant hero for Celtic with a dramatic winning goal on his debut for Brendan Rodgers’ side.
Celtic‘s start to the season has stuttered both on and off the pitch, with Rodgers‘ team knocked out of Champions League qualifying by FC Kairat and the Hoops’ board coming under significant criticism.
Football Insider revealed that the Celtic board had anticipated a backlash after spending just £13million across the summer window and selling Adam Idah on deadline day, depriving Rodgers of another striker.
Rodgers also faces a challenge to keep hold of Daizen Maeda after he admitted his desire to leave Celtic Park, with the Japan international once again starting up front and finding the net in their last-gasp win at Kilmarnock.
Credit: Hasan Karim, Breaking Media
Maeda’s opening goal at Rugby Park came at the end of a tumultuous period in which he declared he wanted to move on in the summer, after spending several months as a makeshift centre-forward.
The summer came and went with Celtic failing to replace Kyogo Furuhashi and then selling Idah, before Rodgers reunited with his former Leicester charge Iheanacho as he arrived from Sevilla on a free transfer.
Iheanacho’s move was met with universal criticism from Celtic fans who laid into their transfer policy, but the Nigeria striker is already on his way to changing those opinions after an injury-time goal on his debut.
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The 28-year-old replaced Maeda up front and netted a 96th-minute penalty to secure a 2-1 win and take Celtic back to the top of the Scottish Premiership, and Iheanacho then posted on Instagram at full-time.
Iheanacho said; “Hard fought three points today.
Thanks to our fans for their unwavering support”, and his former Foxes team-mate James Maddison commented to say; “Buzzing for you brother”.
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Football Insider Verdict
Kilmarnock could have few arguments with the penalty which Iheanacho buried to seal a last-gasp win for Celtic, with Lewis Mayo penalised for a handball after David Watson had equalised in the 83rd minute.
Kris Boyd criticised the officiating in the lead-up to Celtic’s opener which saw a throw-in wrongly got their way before Maeda fired home, as he underlined why he’s a player the Hoops cannot do without.
Rodgers is desperate to retain Maeda‘s services beyond the January transfer window, but unless more attacking support for him is brought in, the contributions of players like Iheanacho will only be seen as papering over the cracks.