THE CONCRETE ROUNDABOUT (TCR)

Some interesting background on how we got to watch Matt O'Riley.

https://www.footballscotland.co.uk/spfl ... s-22861644

Matt O'Riley slashed his wages by a 80 PERCENT to play regular football at MK Dons.
Celtic's new signing is a player's player and has always simply wanted to do his talking on the pitch.
That's according to his former manager Russell Martin who knew he was getting a top professional when in charge of the Dons. "Back in 2020 I spoke to an agent who said he had this boy, Matt O’Riley, and he was refusing a new contract at Fulham," he said. “He got offered a very good contract, but he was desperate to play. He didn’t want to be a squad player any more and was backing his ability to play first-team football. He didn’t think he’d get that chance at Fulham and was in talks with the likes of Borussia Dortmund, Southampton, Burnley, Chelsea. But nobody could agree compensation with Fulham as they wanted quite a bit of money. So it was about keeping him fit while that was going on."
“He came to train with us and right away it was like, ‘Wow, he’s some player’. He was good technically, two-footed, a brilliant finisher and just a really intelligent footballer. We really enjoyed having him and after a month he came and said he was really enjoying it too. He said the way we played football suited him and he’d love to explore trying to sign."
“It took us three months to get something in place with Fulham. It was the January 2021 window by the time we did it."
“He took a wage that was probably about a fifth of what he was offered at Fulham just to play first-team football, because he knew how much it suited him.

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Thanks good read.
Good to see a young footballer keen on playing rather than just going for the money. If only more were like that.

“He’s one of the most intelligent footballers I’ve ever worked with."

I always thought he interviewed well did not just come out with the normal cliches. He has good vision on the pitch and usually makes the right decisions.

Starts for Celtic tonight away at Hearts, on Sky Sports live

Playing well so far. Settled in really quick.

And theres his first assist. Took him less than 45 minutes.

Yeah, he’s doing well, the tempo is much quicker but it’s not troubling him at all. Good assist for the second goal

MK Dons getting plenty of mentions

I don't watch much Scottish football, actually this may be one of my first games, but that first goal is a complete howler by the keeper. They said in the studio 'No keeper is getting to that'. Is that a joke? Sunday league keeper would be disappinted.

O'riley is a top player championship standard at least lets face it theres Celtic and Rangers and the rest pretty average...

Got man of the match.

Fixed that for you.

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