After the departure of Jota, Matt O’Riley has bemoaned the imminent loss of another of his best mates at Celtic with Carl Starfelt set to join La Liga side Celta Vigo in the course of the next day or two.
And there’s no doubt in O’Riley’s side as to the value of the contribution that the Swedish defender has made over the course of the past two seasons, picking up five winners medals along the way and forming an outstanding partnership with Cameron Carter-Vickers.
“I think he has been a very, very important player for the club,” said O’Riley after the 4-2 win over Ross County, as reported by Glasgow Times, where Starfelt came off the bench to make what is likely to be a farewell appearance at the place we all call Paradise. “He is probably one of my best friends here as well, so I’m a bit sad because I am losing all my friends here it seems. But we have a really good group and it’s football. I am happy for him and I hope he does really well if he does move.
“He will leave the club having had a really good time here and played some really good football. He has won five trophies here in two years, so that’s not bad,” O’Riley said.
And the Denmark U21 international reckons that there are plenty of alternatives already at the club to fill the void, although he accepts that Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers is likely to move in the transfer market to replace the Sweden internationalist. Starfelt though leaves having made an impact and a significant contribution wearing the Hoops.
“Definitely, he will be remembered,” O’Riley added. “Change is part of football, it’s part of life. Especially at a club like Celtic where the demands to play are so high. We have brought Maik in, we have Cam, Scalesy, we have Welshy, we have a lot of depth in that position. That is positive and what you need at a club like this when you play so many games.
“I am not sure what the club will do, whether they bring someone else in. But from my perspective, Carl has been a really good servant to the club and I think we should appreciate that. I will probably miss him more as a pal, to be honest! Me, Carl and Jota were quite close. So, the trio has been destroyed. Then there was one! But I have enough friends here, so I’m not going to feel sorry for myself.”
On his own game on Saturday where he had an assist for David Turnbull’s second goal and scored the fourth himself, Matt O’Riley accepts that perhaps he should be taking on more shots at goal rather than always looking for a pass. And the slight change in positioning for the three midfielders who started on Saturday, met with O’Riley’s approval as it allowed him to play more in his favoured position with more of the game ahead of him.
“There are probably times when I need to be a bit more selfish, just for the sake of the team and not for my own sense of self,” O’Riley said. “I think there are times when I genuinely should shoot to help the team rather than think about myself.
Carl Starfelt last season:
🔒 1st for interceptions
💪 1st for clearances
⚔️ Joint 1st for blocks
✈️ 1st for long balls comp.
💥 82% tackle success rate (~ same as CCV)
⛔️ Fewer fouls p/g than CCV
🤏 70% aerial win rate (5% off CCV)Whatever your opinion, he will be missed 🇸🇪 pic.twitter.com/4AWKixiUYX
— Hamill (@CPHamill) August 6, 2023
“Naturally I get quite a lot of pleasure from seeing my teammates do well. I probably enjoyed the dribble and chip for David’s goal more than I did my own. It sounds bad but I probably did. To help someone else get a bit of joy as well is quite nice.
“I spoke with Gavin Strachan especially and he said to me I need to be a bit more selfish sometimes.
Like I said, for the goal that I scored I actually did want to pass and that would have been a terrible decision!,” he added.
🎆 As cool as you like!
Matt O’Riley chimes in on the action, a well-worked goal to make it 4-1. More to come before full-time? Watch the final minutes live on Sky now 👇 pic.twitter.com/sMfHQ3z09D
— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) August 5, 2023
“For me personally, I thrive a bit more when I am coming on to the game,” O’Riley explained. “I am not saying I can’t play the higher role well. But when I can see the play happen I can make runs off of other people’s movements and that’s probably where I’m best.
“I also like defensively going back to help as well. I think that is something I have improved since I have been at the club.
“Playing in Callum’s role last season probably improved me as an all round player and physically I am in a better place than I was last season as well. Still a long way to go but things are starting to come together.
“It wasn’t our best performance by any means. First half we started really badly. We gave away too many corners and set-pieces, which is what they are good at. We were very sloppy but second half we started very well. Structurally, we were in the right positions to hurt them.
“We didn’t score three goals but the positions we took up were more like the kind of football we want to play.”
⏪ What did you make of the opening weekend of the #cinchPrem?
Swipe for a look back at every goal & here’s what is coming up tomorrow ⬇️
📺 Weekend review | SSN | 8.45am
📺 Round-up show | @SkyFootball | 9am— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) August 6, 2023
Yes you voild see him look across to to see if any one was free and took the ball on the fourth bounce the set up for the third was brilliant hes a player but can fall out of games he has to follow the ball be there for a pass and there to win it back he will tire with th e intensity but so will the oppistion he will not play 90 mins turnbull either none of midfielders will play the full 90 minutes we have good bhoys in that area theres not a spl midfielder that wouldnt get on our bench they will all play in a game i believe and playerd have to know its not a slight on the player if he dosent start cause he will come om yo keep the good work up they are all worthy and will be playing either start or finish but Rodgers has to make that clear the sqaud is the team
What about “1st for giving away daft goals and penalties”?
I don’t understand those fans who crucify the best goalie in the league any time he gets caught with the ball at his feet, (usually after stupid passbacks), yet overlook the number of goals Starfelt has gifted opponents, penalties he has given away, pressure he has put the defence under with horrendously bad passes!
Time to take the blinkers off!