When growing up in Australia, new Celtic signing Aaron Mooy idolised his current coach and former Aussie international, Harry Kewell. Kewell, who was part of a star studded international team with his country, went to the same school in New South Wales as Mooy – although the two attended at separate times. The school was sports focussed and aimed to provide aspiring athletes the platform to grow and develop as a person and sportsman.
Westfields Sports High was the facility which both attended during their years as an adolescent, and Mooy has revealed he was daft on Kewell and the rest of his international teammates at the time. Kewell played in the Premier League for years and joined European giants Liverpool from Leeds United, sending him stratospheric for the young Mooy at the time.
Getting the chance now all these years later to work with Harry is a dream come true for Aaron, insisting he can only learn from the experienced pro. He said: “Growing up following football Harry Kewell was a megastar in the Australian game, and he did really well in his career overall, as reported by Football Scotland. He had an amazing club career and with the national team so he’s someone I’ve always looked up to.
“Now he’s started his coaching career, and I’m sure he’ll learn a lot from Ange and bring his side to the team as well. We went to the same school. He left before I got there, but the school was like a sports school. In New South Wales they do trials and stuff and select the best players, then you go to school and have training along with your subjects. There was a lot of extra training which helped massively. Quite quickly everyone finds out that Harry Kewell went there — then everyone wants to go there.
“He was part of the Golden Generation, as they call it in Australia. The team was full of players playing in the top leagues. They were regulars and they went further than any Australian team has gone in the World Cup. They inspired me a lot. They inspired a lot of kids to play football back home.”
His previous history in this country will bring a smile to the face of Hoops’ fans worldwide, as he holds a fond place in his heart for one goal in particular against the old Ibrox club. He added: “That goal I scored was my first professional league goal, so it was a big moment for me. My brother and best mate were in the stand.If you see the celebration I’m pointing at them. They had come over especially for that game and to see me. That was a really special moment.”
We hope that his goal many years ago for St Mirren against Rangers sets the tone for what is to come from the silky midfielder. There are high hopes that Aaron can provide some of that craft and guile that Tom Rogic used to bring to the team in abundance. With an embarrassment of experience at his disposal, one hopes that the versatile Aussie can put his own stamp on this current Celtic side and bring something different and a bit new to the table moving forward.
Besides, at least we know he loves sticking it to the other lot!
Paul Gillespie
