The rise of Matt O’Riley: How Celtic midfielder defied doubters - and metrics - to become Scottish title winner

Thank goodness for the age of stats and data, Matt O’Riley may think from time to time, for he might have found himself on a different career path if he was playing in a not-so-bygone era.

Certainly, he is aware of some of the more traditional-thinking scouts and coaches that have previously overlooked him just because of the way he runs. But thank goodness for the age of stats and data indeed, because O'Riley has exposed their short-sightedness by smashing the data to become a title-winner with Celtic at only 22 years old.

In short, in the Scottish Premiership this season, O'Riley has the most assists (11), has created the most big chances in the division (14), has the second-most touches in the opposition box (184) and won the ball in the final third more times (28) than anyone else bar two other players - and he is a central midfielder.

This is only his first full season in top-flight football too, but it was also raw data that attracted Celtic to him while he was playing for MK Dons, where he managed to place himself alongside some of the best-performing young midfielders in Europe during the 2021-22 season.

Here, Sky Sports has taken a closer look at the data behind his rise from Fulham youth to a candidate for Young Player of the Year in Scotland this season, and being on the verge of the Denmark national team, while also speaking to some of the coaches and managers that have seen his talent all the way.

'Silky' is a good word to use... he is silky' - Kevin Betsy

Kevin Betsy, who is arguably most well-known for his work with Arsenal's and England's youth teams, was the lead development phase coach at Fulham while O'Riley was a teenager there.

He oversaw some crucial years of O'Riley's early development, especially over his physique and mobility when, like most adolescent players, O'Riley was going through his growth spurts.

The player also took it upon himself to take up Pilates during this time to help him overcome them and maximise his physicality - and Betsy insists he is not surprised at the dramatic incline O'Riley has scaled in the two years, given the character he showed to get through these challenging periods.

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"Matt always had lovely technical quality since I first saw him at U9 level," Betsy told Sky Sports. "He was smooth on the ball, and a good decision-maker even at 10 or 11 years old. 'Silky' is a good word to use. He is silky.

"Some players develop physically at different ages and - like many adolescent players - Matt had some growth issues that affected his speed and change of direction.

"Fortunately, we had a holistic approach to development at the Fulham academy, so we devised two key areas for him to improve; the first around his positioning and the second was around his physicality.

"We didn't want to play Matt constantly as a holding midfielder so he would spend a few months there, a few months at number eight and then a few months at number 10 - because we were conscious that, if we moved him around, it would enhance his physical output.

"That, coupled with seeing specialist sprint coaches, helped him to improve his running gate, and his speed and mobility. Then you started to see him grow into his body and really start to become the player his potentially promised.

"I remember he played in a tournament in Germany; PSG were there, Dortmund, Bayern Munich.. and he scored against PSG in the final. He stood out next to all their top youngsters and he was rightfully being compared against top players in Europe.

"Fulham did a really good job with him but he got into the last stages of his contract there and the boy and his family took a big risk not to extend it - he wasn't playing for six months, training on his own - but it gives you an indication of his character. He was driven and wanted to play first-team football, and it worked out for him with MK Dons"

'Wow... what a technician' - Russell Martin

After leaving Fulham, O'Riley trained on his own in parks in West London, keeping himself at the peak of fitness as the coronavirus pandemic reached the peak of its impact on the country.

The player and his family took a huge risk rejecting the offer to stay there and go in search of first-team football when such a thing was under threat for everyone - but it paid off when Russell Martin took him on trial at Stadium MK.

"I got a call from an agent telling me he needed somewhere to train," the current Swansea manager Martin told Sky Sports. "I just thought 'right, okay, we can have a look at him'. I was aware of him, but that he'd been at a higher level and was on the radar of clubs like Dortmund.

"That first day…. Wow. What a technician. We knew we had a player there from the first day and that perhaps we might not get a chance to sign someone of this quality at League One level very often.

"But after a few weeks, it was Matt who came to me and said 'I really like the way Dons play, can we do something? He had the likes of Burnley and Southampton looking at him. Pete Winkleman the chairman was really good to be fair, and we gave him a contract.

"In the first few games for us, he was incredible. We played Spurs in pre-season and he was outstanding against them. We went and played at Rochdale on a Tuesday night; it was freezing and the pitch was an ice rink, but Matt put on a masterclass.

"We knew then he was above our level - and it was because of his mentality as much as anything. He backed himself. Myself and my staff left for Swansea and we tried to bring him there. It was a very sad moment for me when the deal we tried to do fell down, but then he went to Celtic and he's just kept on progressing - and I'm not surprised.

"It's his mentality that sets him apart. He's supremely confident and a super pro; his diet is spot on, and he's really athletic, more than he is given credit for. He's got everything to play at the top - for Denmark and in the Premier League."

In his 12 months at MK Dons, O'Riley proved himself as one of the best passers in the final third of any player his age in Europe, excelling in the successful through balls metric in particular, and it was this that caught the attention of Celtic's recruitment team.

'There's a lot more to come' - Ange Postecoglu

There have been no brighter glowing terms shone on O'Riley this season than those from the lovable uncle-figure that is Celtic manager Ange Postecoglu, just a month or so ago when asked about the player's impact this season.

"Matty came in last January from playing in League One, which was his first real experience at senior football, into an environment where he's playing in front of 60,000 people, playing Champions League football and taking some real responsibility as a young man; I think he's been brilliant and he's consistently trying to improve," he said.

"Again, he's one of these guys who wants to get the absolute maximum out of his career, so there isn't a day that goes by that he isn't looking to better himself on and off the field. And you know, he continues to make strides in the areas he needs to. He's played an awful lot of football for us since he came. I think it would be very few games that he hasn't actually played or missed.

"You know when he's starting or coming on that he's making real impacts on games. I'm sure he's got a strong finish, but he's got so much more in him to get to other levels. It's really his second full year as a senior professional and there's a lot more to come from him."

O'Riley has been integral to Celtic's success this season, mostly in the starting eleven but also from the bench. In the Old Firm game in September, he was particularly dangerous, setting up two goals in a 4-0 win and already setting himself a place in the hearts of Celtic supporters.

Since February he has scored four important goals in Celtic's run to the title and is about to finish the season with 12 assists across all competitions - a bullish tally for a first season in top-flight senior football. O'Riley still has three more games to increase that tally too, and help Celtic win a historic treble with the Scottish Cup.

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