Part of the scouting process- Ange reveals the characteristic he looks for in every signing

Ange Postecoglou has revealed that international ambitions convinced him to sign Matt O’Riley for Celtic. 

The midfielder has made an instant impact for the hoops, making the stride from MK Dons to the demands of Celtic in his stride. 

A year ago O’Riley took the calculated risk of leaving Fulham for League One but eight months away from the World Cup Finals he is in contention for a call up to the Danish squad. 

Postecoglou appears to have a Midas touch when it comes to transfer dealings but it seems that old fashioned conversations are key to deciding if a potential signing fits in with Postecoglou’s plans. 

Recalling the international ambitions that O’Riley shared with him, the Celtic boss told the Daily Record: 

That’s part of the scouting process. When I spoke to Matt, that was part of the process of me understanding him as a person. I could see how ambitious he was. He wants to be the best footballer he can be and get to the very top. 

Whether it is club side or international team, he wants to experience it all. What I am hoping is to have a dressing room full of that and that’s the players we have brought in. 

They are hugely ambitious, hugely driven and want to be the best. If you have a dressing room full of that, it helps push yourself. 

There’s a number. Josip (Juranovic) is going to a World Cup. I’m sure Cal (McGregor) and the Scottish lads want it, too. Tommy Rogic, Kyogo and the Japanese boys. 

From that point of view, that’s the kind of dressing I want with players who are driven and ambitious and the best they can be. 

A Danish mother enables the former England u-16 and u-18 internationalist to consider a future international career with progress and success at Celtic likely to accelerate those ambitions. O’Riley’s Celtic contract runs until May 2026.