Ange Postecoglou was feeling lucky as he discussed being reunited with Socceroos midfielder Aaron Mooy.
When the call came from China in 2020 you’d have got long odds of Mooy one day teaming up with his former international boss on a winter’s day on Tayside.
Postecoglou was also working in Asia, in charge of Yokohama F Marinos, into his fifties it seemed like the call to manage in Europe would remain elusive.
Celtic’s prolonged search for Neil Lennon’s successor took some unlikely turns, as did Mooy’s need for playing time to put him in contention for a place at the World Cup Finals after getting through two play-off ties without being involved at a club.
Postecoglou’s move for Mooy could have looked like doing a favour for a fellow Aussie but on the back of his World Cup performances Celtic are getting the benefits of a driving midfielder with the bonus of finding a penalty taker just as Josip Juranovic moves on to Union Berlin.
Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou praises Aaron Mooy after his Player of the Match performance against Dundee Utd ? pic.twitter.com/op6vBg5HkR
— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) January 29, 2023
He’s built up his match fitness back to a level I know he can get to. He’s a quality player and in any other universe he’d be playing in the English Premier League but we were lucky he fell on our doorstep and I was happy to open the door.
Aaron’s got this real capacity to keep working. He’s got a great engine – he runs all day. Before he came to us, he didn’t play a lot of football which I’m kind of hoping means he’s saved it up for the rest of his careerr.
With Aaron in China his wife returned to Glasgow with their kids, a move that has been mutually beneficial for all concerned.
