Matt O’Riley for player of the year: Brendan Rodgers hails Celtic star for doing something rest of the team hasn’t managed

Matt O’Riley for player of the year: Brendan Rodgers hails Celtic star for doing something

rest of the team hasn’t managed

Matt O’Riley has been praised by Brendan Rodgers as the driving force behind

Celtic’s championship push.

The playmaker won three awards on Sunday night at the Hoops glamorous

ceremony held at the Hydro in Glasgow: players’ player, young player, and fan of the year.

The 23-year-old has had a brilliant season, tallying 16 goals and dishing out 17 assists as the

Parkhead men get closer to winning three straight.

In the pivotal victory over Rangers at the weekend, Riley put on yet another outstanding performance.

With just a point needed at Rugby Park on Wednesday, Rodgers’ team will have

all the necessary ribbons to tie the Premiership trophy. After a year of ups and downs,

the manager praised the £1.5 million steal from MK Dons as one of his key players.

“He’s been absolutely phenomenal in his consistency,” stated Rodgers. That, I believe,

is what our squad has most likely needed. Looking at his goal return individually,

I was told that even though he scored the team’s first goal in January of last year,

his current stats are a great testimonial to him.

His teammates and everyone else have obviously benefited from the effort and

dedication he puts out each and every day in his training to go better. It is richly merited.

Atletico Madrid made a brazen January attempt to sign O’Riley, but Celtic turned them down

with a loan offer that included a buyout clause worth approximately £18 million.

Although the midfielder has been watched by various teams throughout Europe,

including Inter Milan and clubs in Germany, the Spaniards are reportedly still eager on him.

In the summer, the Celts will unavoidably have to battle to hang onto their best player,

but Rodgers believes the Denmark cap may go anywhere. “Matt is 23 years old,” he stated.

He has 12 more years left in the game if he takes care of himself and plays until he is 35.

He’s basically just entering what’s known as the asset age at this point.

Matt still has a ton of amazing years ahead of him. The thing I love most about Matt is that he’s a

self-improvement enthusiast. He will keep doing that as long as he is still hungry.

Rodgers wasn’t shocked that O’Riley received the most votes from both supporters and teammates.

“He’s very humble,” the boss remarked. Nothing flashy exists.

“His peers acknowledge the effort he makes and the mindset he possesses.

As soon as they are seated next to him in the locker room, they realize that this is a man who

sacrifices everything for the team. That is highly esteemed.