Sports Evolve
Charlie Nicholas has expressed regret and offered an apology to Aaron Mooy for questioning his transfer to Celtic.
When Mooy first joined Celtic under Ange Postecoglou, he was not playing well due to lack of match fitness and sharpness.
Mooy has since become an important player for Celtic and has received praise from fans for his strong performances in the midfield.
Nicholas had previously dismissed Mooy’s signing by Celtic, but now acknowledges that he was incorrect in his assessment.
He wrote in the Daily Express: “I have to hold my hands up and admit Aaron Mooy has silenced me and the rest of his critics by becoming a massive player for Celtic. When he arrived last July, I was wondering what Ange Postecoglou had done. I knew the pair had worked together previously with the Australian national team but Mooy looked a yard off the pace in his first few weeks for the Hoops.
“He seemed to slow the play down and I didn’t see how he was going to fit into Postecoglou’s team, which loves to play with speed and moves the ball about constantly. At that point I wasn’t talking about the 32-year-old midfielder’s fitness, more his game management. I know Mooy hadn’t played for several months before he pitched up at Parkhead, but in a lot of his early games I just couldn’t see what he was going to bring.
“He did get fitter and sharper but the real catalyst was the World Cup, where he performed really well for Australia. Mooy has looked a completely different player since coming back from Qatar. He is completely transformed. He’s been the best player in the country since the restart and has scored five times in the last seven games.
“He is now a vital cog in Celtic’s attacking play, a major goal threat and has forged a great partnership with captain Callum McGregor. That is testament to Mooy himself and Postecoglou for putting his trust in him.There is now real competition in the engine room, with Reo Hatate also in there.
“Matt O’Riley is a top player and until recently he was one of the first names on the teamsheet. But even he is no longer guaranteed to start in this Celtic side.”
