Revelling in the pressure- new bhoy sends out message to the doubters

Matt O’Riley is adamant that he will thrive on the pressure of playing for the Premiership title. 

The midfielder started 2022 chasing promotion to The Championship with MK Dons but is now playing for far higher stakes. 

Being champions of Scotland is always the target for Celtic but an automatic place in the group stage of the Champions League comes with the SPFL crown and the chance to re-establish the hoops in Europe. 

Since Peter Lawwell won the power struggle with Brendan Rodgers in the summer of 2018 Celtic have been on a rapid decline on the continent with AEK Athens, Cluj, Copenhagen, Ferencvaros, Sparta Prague and now Bodo Glimt revelling in Celtic’s demise. 

Becoming champions over the next 11 matches is the immediate aim with O’Riley fully focussed on delivering that initial surprise. 

He told The Sun: 

The pressure is very different but I’m enjoying it. This is where I want to be. I’d rather be playing under pressure every week because it makes you play better. It makes you perform. That’s a challenge I relish. In that sense, it’s been really enjoyable so far. 

The demands are much higher because a draw is considered a loss here, no matter who you play against but I think that’s pretty cool. It’s cool that you’re expected to win every game because it gets the best out of you. 

Celtic face Hibs, St Mirren and Livingston over the next eight days before settling into a routine of one match per week as the season heats up.