It’s a sign of how much belief Ange Postecoglou had instilled in his Celtic team. Of how much he’d improved players during his reign at Parkhead. And also, how humility is arguably the biggest strength of the squad he’s left behind.
Matt O’Riley had no idea that his gaffer was on his way to Spurs when he sat down to discuss his development under Postecoglou and what the future might hold. Off the back of another successful campaign, the Hoops midfielder was looking ahead to more progress – individually and collectively – under the Australian gaffer.
Whether that happens with Celtic’s new boss, whoever it may be, remains to be seen. But O’Riley’s points are still valid, regardless. He talked about taking his own game on to a new level with Postecoglou in charge. He claimed several players who were signed by their former manager have multiplied their own transfer value through their performances.
And whisper it, but O’Riley believed that before he left for London, Postecoglou was ready to take Celtic into the Champions League knockout phase and beyond. That’s how big a blow his stunning exit to Spurs will be to the Parkhead squad.
As he reflected on what the Aussie has done for players there, the man plucked from MK Dons for £1.5million said: “He signed a lot of players for relatively cheap fees. They’re probably worth 10 times that amount now.
“Cameron Carter-Vickers is an example. He’s definitely worth a lot more now. But you could say that about half the squad here.
“Postecoglou has bought people for relative peanuts, including myself. It was cheap, compared to what I’m probably worth now. So the club have done very good business.
“I’ve become a better player at Celtic, definitely. When the team gets better, your individual level should coincide with that.
“And if you’re generally a person who wants to improve – and you live and breathe football like I do – then you should improve. Especially given the right foundation that we have here at Celtic.
“Did I expect this level of improvement when Ange signed me? I knew I would get better because the level is higher than at my previous club. But I didn’t know the size of Celtic – or the intensity of the fan base.
“I didn’t realise when I went out into the streets, I’d get recognised as much as I do. I wasn’t used to that at all, it was a big change.
But it’s one that I enjoyed as I’m playing for a club where it actually means so much to the people in the city and the supporters. Naturally, you want to get better and do well for them.”
O’Riley’s progression from League One in England was brought into sharp focus when he was pitched into the Champions League against Real Madrid, Shakhtar Donetsk and RB Leipzig. For three of those games, he had to deputise for captain Callum McGregor as Postecoglou’s midfield dictator.
He loved the experience and can’t wait to feel it again this season under a new manager. He felt convinced, with the Aussie at the helm, Celtic were ready to go far in the competition against Europe’s big guns.
He’ll hope the next man to take the hotseat can push on in Europe too, benefitting from a settled and gelled Hoops squad. Speaking before Postecoglou took his leave, O’Riley said: “The Champions League games were all different tests for me. In terms of players I faced, there were lots of different challenges.
“There were the likes of Luka Modric and Toni Kroos against Real Madrid then someone like Mykhailo Mudryk at Shakhtar who was so direct. Those were the most enjoyable games of the season for me because your levels are always pushed.
“I’ve found it hard to watch Champions League games on TV since then because I think: ‘We could have been there if we’d performed better’.
“At that level, any mistake you make you get punished for. We found that out ourselves.
“But I’m looking forward to this season’s Champions League believing we can do much better. We’ve got more players now who are used to our system.
“We bought players last summer and in January who have done really well. But it takes time to adapt to our structure as there are details that need to be addressed when you come into Celtic.
“Having that period of adjustment already will hopefully make us more cohesive when we play in the Champions League. Is it unrealistic to expect a Scottish team to reach the knock-out stages? I never see it that way.
“Everyone on the pitch is human, you’ve all got a chance of winning the match. Of course, these other clubs have more money but that doesn’t mean too much.
“We just worry about what we can do. I’m not saying we’ll win it – although we obviously could if it all went well – but if you perform well and don’t think too much about outcomes and expectations, you’ve always got a chance.”
O’Riley typifies what Postecoglou created at Celtic. A young, hungry footballer who is desperate to reach the very top. But also a guy who understands the graft it takes to get there, which is why he’ll never take what he’s got in Glasgow for granted.
Unlike his ex-gaffer, he has no plans on going anywhere. He said: “It’s been an experience for me here, for sure.
“It has gone very quickly and it’s intense. If you trust yourself and the decisions you make, you’ll end up in a good place.
“I’ve got a platform to show what I can do here. At MK Dons, I think I got recognised once in the whole time I was there.
“It’s a bit different here but I encourage that. I see it as a privilege if someone wants to take a picture with me. Especially if it’s young kids and they idolise you.
“That’s really cool. One picture probably makes a kid’s day or week so being able to give something back or put a smile on someone’s face is more important than anything else.
“This is a great place for me to play my football. I’m very process-oriented in the sense that I’m learning a lot at Celtic and performing well.
“I’ve got a foundation where I can continue to grow and improve. So I feel I’m in a really good place to develop as a player.”
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