Mooy hands Ange a welcome dilemma
AS Easter Road echoed to the sound of visiting supporters singing his name, Aaron Mooy’s contribution to an emphatic Celtic victory received full recognition. Mooy’s first two goals for the club in Wednesday night’s 4-0 thumping of Hibernian crowned a midfield performance imbued with quality. Setting the tempo, finding space, keeping the ball moving — he did all of that while also frequently venturing into the penalty area to pose an attacking threat.
Emboldened by a strong World Cup with Australia, the 32-year-old’s 24th appearance for Celtic had a strong claim to be his best. And it has presented Ange Postecoglou with a very pleasant problem ahead of Monday’s Old Firm showdown at Ibrox.
In Leith, Reo Hatate again filled in at right-back. While a creative force from there, his less-established defensive traits were occasionally highlighted by Hibs winger Elie Youan.
Josip Juranovic sat on the bench at Easter Road after just returning from World Cup duty. With a chance to now get more training sessions under his belt, it would be a surprise if the sought-after Croatian didn’t slot into the back four against Rangers.
That could mean Hatate resuming his regular midfield beat. But what happens with Mooy? Captain Callum McGregor is a stick-on to play at Ibrox. And the only Premiership game Matt O’Riley didn’t start this season was the one Celtic lost — at St Mirren in September.
Four into three doesn’t go, so someone will have to miss out. It’s a nice puzzle for Postecoglou to solve ahead of a potentially pivotal derby and a chance to go 12 points clear.
From Mooy’s perspective, even entering the equation alongside what’s been recognised as Celtic’s first-choice midfield trio is a clear sign of progression. Signed by Postecoglou following six months without a club after leaving Shanghai SIPG, he is now getting back towards levels familiar to fans of Huddersfield and Brighton from his days in the English Premier League.
Mooy admits he needed time to adapt to life at Parkhead. Although hardly short on experience, the relentless demands of his current employers proved startling at first.
Asked if the move had been all he’d expected, Mooy said: ‘It’s been more, probably, the intensity of it all was a bit of a shock at the start.
‘I’m enjoying it, it’s an amazing club. It was a shock because it’s a big, big club. There’s 60,000 people every home game, demanding a win.
‘It’s a different sort of pressure, but I’m enjoying it. Hopefully, it makes me a better player.
‘Hopefully I’m improving all the time. That’s what I want to do. Obviously, when you join a club everything is new. There are systems, new players and sometimes it just doesn’t happen straight away.
‘I just keep going, keep trying to get better and hopefully keep helping the team.
‘It’s a great feeling to score my first goals for Celtic. I have had chances in previous games and they haven’t come off for me. So yeah, when one goes in it’s an amazing feeling.’
A quietly spoken character by nature, Mooy wasn’t about to issue any bold demands for inclusion against Rangers after rediscovering his scoring prowess.
‘I’m not thinking about it yet, I’m just trying to enjoy this,’ he said, when pressed on whether he’d done enough for an Old Firm appearance.
‘I’ll start thinking about my next game tomorrow and get my recovery in. I was here for the last one so I saw what it was like. It’s a special game and I am looking forward to it.’
He modestly accepted the heightened appreciation of Celtic supporters on Wednesday night. The new song received a boisterous rendition from his team-mates as Postecoglou’s squad prepared to leave Edinburgh.
‘All the boys are on the bus singing it now,’ he smiled. ‘Harry Kewell mentioned it to me and I didn’t understand, now I do!
‘It’s always nice when the supporters get behind you, that’s what you want.
‘I just try and improve, work hard and do my best — that’s all I can do. Hopefully, they like what they see. It’s not really in my control. I try my best.’
Mooy played all four of Australia’s World Cup games, helping them get out of their group in an admirable effort before just falling short against eventual champions Argentina in the last 16. He feels the adventure in Qatar has been beneficial at club level.
‘I think it has, I would say so,’ he continued. ‘The World Cup is very special, it’s quite an emotional thing, so it does take it out of you.
‘We got a week off and I am not getting unfit again or anything like that, it’s good to keep going.
‘Leading up to it, the World Cup was always in the back of my head. It was an amazing thing to do and I’m proud of that but it’s behind me now and I’m only trying to help Celtic.’