“Really impressed me” – Ex-Celtic hero provides glowing praise of Matt O’Riley

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Former Celtic midfielder Stiliyan Petrov has hailed Matt O’Riley for his impact on the side last season.

The Danish u21 internationalist arrived at Parkhead in January, joining from English League One side MK Dons.

After moving from the third tier of English football, many pundits and supporters weren’t sure what sort of impact the midfielder would have on Ange Postecoglou’s side.

However, any doubters of O’Riley were quickly put to bed, impressing right from the off during his Celtic debut in a 2-1 win over Hearts at Tynecastle.

O’Riley’s skillset has been a joy to watch in the middle of the park, alongside the likes of Callum McGregor and Reo Hatate.

Some fans may have even made comparisons to former Celtic heroes of the past. One player who could potentially fall into that bracket is Stiliyan Petrov.

However, when asked about that comparison, Petrov quickly laughed it off and went on to praise the 21-year-old for stepping up. The Bulgarian also stated that there is even more to come from O’Riley in the future.

He said [Glasgow Evening Times]: “He is faster than me!” Petrov joked.

“He has really impressed me. For someone who didn’t have experience of a high level of football, he has really fit in well. He seems like he is getting better.

“It seems like every single young player is getting better under this manager. He seems to know the strengths of every player and plays them in the right position. He uses them to change the games in the right way.”

Full pre-season could make O’RIley a different animal under Ange Postecoglou.

It is easy to forget that Matt O’Riley was very-much thrust into the limelight at Celtic, arriving during a busy period of games last winter.

So, a full pre-season under Ange Postecoglou could take the midfielder to a whole new level.

O’Riley is also still in his early 20s, and naturally, there is more improvement to come as he matures as a player over the next few years.

There is a real exciting feeling surrounding the club going into next season, and having players such as O’Riley on board only fuels that excitement.

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