Two weeks today Australia will kick-off their World Cup campaign against holders France in Al Wakrah. But for Aaron Mooy the preparation has been going on for months back in the east end of Glasgow.
The Celtic ace looks a certainty to be named in Graham Arnold’s squad for Qatar this morning. And he insists the demands placed on him at Celtic Park by the man who led the Socceroos at Brazil 2014 has him in tip-top shape should he be let loose on Antoine Griezmann, Kylian Mbappe and co in a fortnight.
Ange Postecoglou ’s ‘never stop’ motto was again to the fore as Celtic left it late to beat Dundee United on Saturday. That and the expectation of 60,000 punters every home game has taken Mooy back to the top of his game. Then there’s the small matter of already having faced some of the best players on the planet in this season’s albeit failed Champions League group stage campaign.
As preparation for the greatest show on earth goes, competing against the best players in the world isn’t a bad start. And going toe-to-toe with Real Madrid and Luka Modric has only whetted Mooy’s appetite for more.
Mooy was taking nothing for granted but asked if the Champions League will help him should he, as expected, be named in the Socceroos roster for Qatar, the 53-times capped midfielder said: “Yeah, for sure. The Champions League is the best competition in club football.
“But I am also at Celtic. It is a demanding club. The supporters expect good play and wins in every game. It is a good place to be to improve and to be ready. I am just enjoying the experience, just soaking it all in, trying to play as much as I can.
“The World Cup is obviously always in the back of your head, but I have a job to every three days with Celtic. So I try to think about every game and doing my best for the support.”
Mooy was part of a midfield three with Matt O’Riley and Reo Hatate tasked with not just stopping Modric, Toni Kroos and Federico Valverde but also getting the better of them as Postecoglou sent his side out to attack.
It wasn’t to be in a 5-1 thrashing but the experience of facing Modric in particular showed Mooy the level required to succeed at the very top.
He said: “He is a fantastic player. I have been watching him for years.
“He is still doing it now after so many years. He’s a unique player, so comfortable under pressure, he sees the moment to speed the game up or to penetrate with a pass. It is the level we all aim to be at.
“Madrid was a learning curve, obviously. They are a top team with top players. They were very clinical when they got their chances. They controlled the game so well.
“I haven’t played Champions League before. I have played in the Premier League and I have played against top nations at international level. It is similar. Real Madrid are one of the biggest clubs in the world. It was tough.”
Tough it may have been but Mooy’s not for shirking the challenge. The 32-year-old wants more and insists Postecoglou will settle for nothing less than annual spots in the group stage. Then it’s about improving year on year. Much has been said and written about the Hoops’ bold gameplan against the cream of Europe which saw them win just two points from six games and ship 15 goals.
But Mooy reckons the adventurous gameplan is the best chance of success and insists it has whetted his appetite to get back to Europe’s top table. He said: “I get the feeling the manager wants us to win games at this level. That is what we are all going to strive for in the future.
“Hopefully we are back in the Champions League next season and can do that. That is his target, to be in the competition every year. That means doing well domestically and getting better results in the Champions League.
“It is obviously a lot better to be creating chances than not. That is what you want to be doing in every game. Still, you look at the score against Madrid and it looks like we got a proper doing.
“But I still think we have done well by taking the game to them and creating chances. That is how the manager thinks we are going to improve the most – by going at teams.”
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