Matt O’Riley has been discussing how he copes with the mental side of being a footballer at Celtic, from the highs to the lows.
O’Riley has been a consistent presence in Ange Postecoglou’s core first-team group this term, making 46 appearances in all competitions – 36 of which have been starts.
By his own admission, there was a period of the season he wasn’t quite at his best. However, in recent weeks he’s been getting back to some of his best form since joining the club and reckons that’s because he’s in a really good place mentally.
He said [The Times]: “People will always have something to say and I’m not going to say that I didn’t have a slight rough patch around the new year, for various reasons. But I’m in a really good place now. I was at a good level last week but I can still play better. It’s a pretty good record, I guess. I’ve enjoyed every minute of it.
“As much as external noise has some effect, the only pressure I have comes from the standards I set myself every day. Previously in the season, and last season, I set quite a high bar, so maintaining that level and looking to improve on it was always going to be tough. I’m still pretty young as well so I’ve got a lot still to learn on the way. All these experiences, good and bad, should put me in a good place.
“I’m getting better at trying not to be so hard on myself. There have been times in the past when I’ve not had as good a game as I wanted to, and then there are little things you carry with you. I don’t think that’s a good approach to have, because you end up taking them into training. That’s something I’ve improved on a lot and that’s why you see me in a better place on the pitch.”
Matt O’Riley urges social media care
Speaking about that outside noise, O’Riley simply tries to block it out. Especially when it comes to social media, which he tries to not use beyond posting his own updates.
The Celtic midfielder continued: “There is stuff off the pitch that might not always be obvious to the naked eye, and probably gets overlooked because you’re seen as a footballer instead of as a person. I’m in a good place mentally [now] and usually when that’s the case, the rest takes care of itself. Social media is a platform where people only post the good things in their life. People don’t go on there and say they’re having a really bad day. That doesn’t really happen.
“That’s where we all have to be a bit careful, and bear in mind when you’re looking at someone’s Instagram that you’re only seeing the good things in their life. I’m sure that every single person posting things like that has something dark going on behind the scenes as well. I genuinely only use social media to post, other than that I don’t check it at all because I don’t think it does me any good.”
As always, O’Riley comes across as an intelligent and thoughtful personality. He’s a credit to the Celtic dressing room and never fails to represent himself and the club very well in the media.
More often than not, he gives us something to consider and think about too.
In other news, Rangers struck by injury blow ahead of final derby vs Celtic.
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