Ange Postecoglou yesterday talked about his fifth signing of the January transfer window with The Celtic manager clearly pleased to have added Matt O’Riley to the squad despite considerable competition for the player’s signature.
“I’m very pleased to get him in,” Ange said at yesterday’s media conference. “He’s a player we’ve scouted for quite a while, in terms of the club. I became aware of him when I joined in the summer. He was one of the ones we were looking at but it didn’t quite work out then.
Honoured to be joining @CelticFC
Huge club which I’m truly grateful to be part of! Really thankful to everyone who made it possible. Looking forward to playing in front of such an incredible fan base & can’t wait to meet you all🍀 pic.twitter.com/5E0X8AXIKj— Matt O'Riley (@mattoriley8) January 20, 2022
“We followed his progress through the first half of this season with MK Dons and he’s had a really good season, a strong season,” Ange stated. “I see some really good football attributes in him that I think will fit in really well with what we’re doing here.
“He’s also an outstanding young man who wants to get the best out of his career and that will fit really well culturally here. It was one we could do really quickly which was important to me because it means he can come in straight away.”
Later in the media conference a different journalist ask if there was anything in particular that Ange said about Celtic to get Matt O’Riley to sign for Celtic. This allowed Ange to explain that he likes to talk to the players about the football aspect of what it’s like at Celtic. Speaking to the fan media representatives, Ange added that it’s not about talking about money or terms as he doesn’t pay the players personally. It’s all about the football and the environment and the mentality within the squad to be the very best that they can be every single day. That seemed to make an impact on Matt O’Riley as the player has said himself.
😍 Matt O'Riley 𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐬 the famous Hoops at Paradise!#WelcomeMatt 🍀 @mattoriley8 pic.twitter.com/3nhdi5XtLJ
— Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) January 20, 2022
“For me, that part of the process is important because it lets me paint a picture for the player of the environment he’s coming into and myself and the club but more importantly to get a feel for where the player is at,” Ange explained.
“I knew after the conversation I had with him that he was the right type of character to bring into this environment. Because we’re trying to build something – there’s a really strong culture here about trying to be successful and be the best we can be.
“I don’t talk to players coming in about their contracts or the money they’re going to make or the rewards they’re going to get. I talk to them about football and the environment they’re coming into. For me it’s important that conversation is aligned with the player’s thoughts. With Matt, he was super keen to join this club for all the right reasons.”
Watch Ange Postecoglou media conference below…
Beaton to be in charge of hearts game just cant get a break could be worst could be robertson just anti celtic
I dont think we will miss rogic even though has good form against hearts last couple of games seemed to casaul passing not could enough lossing posesion to much moght find it hard to get his place back forrest will have to up his game we will miss mcgregor for his work rate but hatate looks a class act we change might help