MATT O’RILEY has revealed the qualities of his Celtic manager and insists: “When Ange speaks, you listen.”
The bargain £1.5million arrival from MK Dons in January also praised Postecoglou for his ability to help the new Bhoy settle in at Parkhead in only THREE days.
The stylish midfielder, an instant hit with the Hoops fans, is currently with Denmark Under-21s and played in the 1-1 draw with his Scotland counterparts, including club team-mate Stephen Welsh, in Viejle last week.
O’Riley, whose mother is Danish, has stepped up effortlessly from the English third tier to emphasise his talent in the Premiership where he played hispart in the second half of the campaign as the club won their tenth title in 11 years following a miserable and barren term the previous year.
And the cultured playmaker has underlined the part his boss has played in that breathtaking rise up the football ladder.
THAT’S MY BHOY…Ange Postecoglou hugs Matt O’Riley after the midfielder’s debut in the 2-1 win over Hearts at Tynecastle in January.
O’Riley spent time training with the Danish senior squad earlier this month and noticed the difference in style between their gaffer Kasper Hjulmand and Postecoglou.
The 21-year-old middle-of-the-park performer said: “I’ve only met Kasper once or twice, so I can’t say that much in depth about him. But he seems very approachable. He came up to me and asked me how I was doing and how he was happy to see me training well at this level.
“Sometimes it’s nice to hear those kinds of things. I have a relationship with Ange where we do speak, but it’s not frequent.
“It’s more of a respect and I’m here to do my job kind of thing. But I think they’re very good coaches, just in different ways.
“When Ange speaks, you listen. Everybody does, regardless of whoever you are.
“Regardless of how old or young you are, when he says something you stop what you’re doing. That’s what he’s really good at.
“He just commands respect from everyone. He does have a joke around at times and it’s nice to see him when he does bring that side out.
“It just shows sometimes we can just breathe. As much as I say Ange doesn’t speak to people that much, he’s sort of got a culture at Celtic where us as players and the rest of the staff have it very easy to speak to each other.
WELCOME TO SCOTLAND…Matt O’Riley is put under pressure from Hearts defender Alex Cochrane during his first start at Tynecastle.
“He’s installed that structure within so he overviews the whole thing and makes sure it’s ticking as it should.
“If it doesn’t do that then he’s always very quick to rectify it, which is what makes him very good.
“It separates us from quite a few others because he’s very switched on.”
O’Riley, speaking to the Scottish Sun, continued: “We always say as players depending on the game or the situation or the time, he always seems to say the things you want to hear.
“He says it at the right time and doesn’t get very emotional which, nowadays, is a very important factor.
“If you get very emotional all your messages can get completely lost in translation and players on the pitch might feel a bit anxious.
“He always comes from a very level-headed perspective and I think that’s really important.
“So, as a player when you’re out there, you know exactly what you need to do, where you need to go and you also know he’s always going to have your back.
“That’s something I like very much. The people he’s set up around the club made it easy for me to settle.
CROWNING GLORY…Matt O’Riley and team-mates Carl Starfelt and Filipe Jota celebrate with the Premiership silverware.
“I genuinely felt at home within three days. Genuinely.
“The first day you’re a bit nervous, but I’d already started my first game after something like two days.
“That helps, when you’re thrown into the event and if you do well you earn respect from other people.
“That’s kind of what happened and from then on it’s been very easy to settle and make friends.
“I’ve already genuinely got a few of my best mates at the club, which is pretty cool.
“I hang around with Carl Starfelt, Anthony Ralston, Josip Juranovic. But, then again, I honestly probably hang out with half the team, which shows enough about our culture.
“There are guys like Liel Abada and everyone is very approachable.
“Even if we have a rare night-out together as a team, everyone is there and you can speak to anyone, which I think is quite unique in this day and age.
“There’s usually quite a lot of cliques, but at Celtic I feel like I could be sat at a dinner table with any of them and have a good time, which is cool.
“I think that translates onto the pitch, as well. You see how we gel so nicely. Throughout most games, that’s also the way we are off the pitch.
“We’re very open and relaxed. Even people like Callum McGregor, who from the outside might have this persona of being the captain and leader, is a very nice guy.”
SHINING EXAMPLE…keeper Joe Hart has impressed Matt O’Riley.
O’Riley is also an admirer of 75 times-capped 36-year-old England international keeper Joe Hart who has been rejevnated in Glasgow after a couple of years in the shadows at Burnley and Spurs.
He added: “Joe is someone I can’t speak highly enough about.
“He’s the most level-headed guy I’ve met. He’s achieved the craziest things, he’s got this huge pedigree, but regardless of your age he’ll speak to you like you’re just a human being.
“I’ve had numerous chats with him which have not been football-related but down-to-earth, deep talks and I think it’s cool you can do that with someone like Joe.
“Everyone is in it together which is really important for success.”
