Here’s how Matt O’Riley got on after his first interview as a Champion at Celtic …
Q: How does it feel to be a title winner?
Matt O’Riley: “It feels pretty good. It is pretty surreal, to be honest as this is obviously the first title in my career. So just to be part of a club like this is pretty cool for me and I am really grateful for that. Hopefully, I can enjoy it more.”
Q: What does it mean to you personally seeing as how it is the first time you have achieved this in your career?
Matt O’Riley: “It means everything. This is what football is all about at the end of the day. We hear these fans singing every game, home and away and it makes it all the more special. We are going to enjoy it and hopefully, it is even better on Saturday with our fans at Celtic Park.”
Q: Can you wrap your head around the journey you have been on this season as you spent the first half with League One MK Dons and now you are a Scottish Premiership champion with Celtic and the scenes you witnessed?
Matt O’Riley: “Life has changed pretty quick, to be honest. Within four months I have gone from playing in League One to winning the title with Celtic and that is pretty cool. I didn’t have any doubts, to be honest, I wasn’t expecting to come to Celtic as I thought I was going to be going somewhere else so when that came up I obviously jumped at it and since then it has become a pretty surreal experience, to be honest, and I have enjoyed every minute of it.”
Q: Do nights like this vindicate that decision to join Celtic?
Matt O’Riley: “I think so. I think every night playing for this club is good enough for me regardless if that is winning a title or playing a standard Premiership game as they are all the same to me because playing for a club like Celtic is pretty cool.”
Q: You spoke about training on your own with Fulham before signing for MK Dons did you always have a belief in your own ability and that it would get you playing at the top level?
Matt O’Riley: “I felt the pathway wasn’t right for me and it didn’t feel right to stay and I felt that it was right to pursue other options as it was in my own hands. It has worked out all right in the end and anyone can believe in themselves but if you believe in yourself more than the people around you then you can get to where you want to be at the end of the day.”
Q: You are now an international footballer and a Scottish Premiership champion – how does that feel?
Matt O’Riley: “It feels good.”
Q&A continues on the next page…
