Billy Stark thinks Matt O’Riley is doing something at Celtic that isn’t normal in modern football

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Former Celtic midfielder Billy Stark has been talking up the one and only Matt O’Riley in the press recently.

And the 67-year-old is absolutely delighted to see the Denmark international add goals to his game this season having already surpassed his tally of four in 2022/23 by some distance.

O’Riley has shown to be an expert finisher in and outside the box for the Hoops and has 10 strikes to his name amid the Scottish Premiership winter break.

Signed for just £1.5m from MK Dons, he is easily one of the bargains of the century from a Celtic point of view and long may his superb form in the green and white hoops continue.

Stark turned out for Celtic between 1987 and 1990 and arrived at Parkhead with a reputation for scoring goals as a midfielder.

The former Scotland U21 boss, speaking to The Scottish Sun, thinks there was more of an onus on him to contribute goals for the team back then than in today’s modern game.

So according to Stark, witnessing O’Riley doing it on a consistent basis for the Bhoys these days is a mightily impressive feat.

Billy Stark on Matt O’Riley

Billy Stark, who also played the role of Celtic assistant manager in the 1990s, said: “It’s great to see a midfielder getting goals. It’s not the norm. Things have changed with box-to-box midfielders since my day.

“Matt’s had some great finishes, but arriving in the box for one-touch shots is something you don’t see as often. His goal against St Johnstone was a great finish from outside the box. In my day it was incumbent on us (midfielders) to chip in with goals.

“I don’t know if that’s the case so much now as it’s more 4-3-3, and wide players who have to help more but Matt is showing he can play lots of different midfield roles. Scoring’s the hardest thing, and he’s most effective when he can get in the box and get on the end of things.

“He’s been some buy. They are the signings who stick out, when you get real value for money. I’m sure Celtic saw potential, but you could never guarantee it would come to fruition the way it has.

“O’Riley’s a strong boy and has plenty of attributes I didn’t have. I was a bit more of a ball player, not that he’s short there either. He has a slightly better left foot than me too!

“I was 6ft 2in and that was very unusual for a midfielder. Now in the Premier League down south they are all 6ft-plus. You can have a spell but you have to do it over a long period to be recognised as a real midfield scorer, and I’ve got no doubt he’ll go on to do that.

“But he has more to his game too. He has a real physicality in the middle, which wasn’t one of my strengths. He can handle the modern game when you have to protect the ball and go into challenges and the rest of it too.”