Celtic midfielder Matt O’Riley has opened up on what life is like as a Celtic player. The 22-year-old was plucked from MK Dons in League One by Ange Postecoglou and has been outstanding for the club over the last 18 months.
But it seems O’Riley wasn’t prepared for life as a Celtic player. Or to be more exact, whilst he knew he was making a step up in quality, he wasn’t prepared for the instant fame he would get in Scotland.
O’Riley said [The Herald], “I knew I would get better as a player as the level was higher than at the club I was at previously. But I didn’t know what else to expect to be honest. I didn’t know the size of the club and the intensity of the fanbase. I didn’t realise when you went out on the street I would get recognised as much as I do. I wasn’t used to that at all, although I got used to it after a couple of months.
“It was a big change but one that I really enjoyed as I’m actually playing for a club where it means so much to the people in the city and the fans. Naturally, you want to do well for them as well.”
The Celtic fans will love these comments from O’Riley. They hint at a player who is really happy at the club and wants to show his appreciation for the fans by performing on the pitch.
With the recent transfer speculation surrounding O’Riley this week, the supporters may well be worried that some of our top players could follow Ange Postecoglou out of the club this summer.
But I don’t think that is something we need to worry about when it comes to the Danish u21 international. O’Riley also recently left the agent that he shared with the former Celtic boss and put his future affairs into the hands of his family.
And whilst that doesn’t necessarily guarantee that the midfielder will stay at the club, it does mean that there is no pressure from agents if clubs do come calling.
I would expect O’Riley to be a Celtic player at the start of next season. He is playing regularly, winning trophies and he has Champions League football to look forward to again. And with the midfielder on the cusp of the senior Denmark national squad, playing with Celtic is opening doors on the international stage for him.
In other news, “That’s what Enzo does” – Robert Snodgrass on what Enzo Maresca can bring to Celtic
Receive a digest of our best Celtic content each week direct to your mailbox
