Aaron Mooy has had a solid rather than spectacular career, but one interesting phenomenon has recurred wherever the Socceroo has gone (certainly in Britain). The fans, on hearing of his signature, are completely underwhelmed.

It happened at Huddersfield.

It happened at Brighton.

And now it’s happening at Celtic.

We know what happened at Huddersfield – the usual fan comments along the lines of: “He’s come from the A-League… won’t be anywhere near the standard we need in the Championship. Too slow.”

And yet Aaron went very rapidly from “meh” to messiah – driving their midfield and almost single-handedly lifting the little club into the top division for the first time in 45 years.

The fans adored him, with many on their forum claiming he was the best player ever to pull on their shirt. Clearly the likes of Kewell, Viduka and Cahill played for bigger clubs, but they never got anything like that level of acclaim.

Then at Brighton, it happened all over again… “Yeah, he’s done alright at Huddersfield. A good Championship level player but he’ll never make it here. Too slow also. Meh…”

But as soon as he was established in the first team, the fans consistently rated him as MOTM – eulogising over his ability to break up play, hold possession and start attacks. Like the Huddersfield fans, many were devastated when he left for the big dollars in the Chinese Super League.

His time in China has now come to an end, and with his Scottish wife living (with their kids) in Glasgow, the speculation went into immediate overdrive: “Surely Ange will be in for him.”

And, following the usual template, a goodly percentage of the Celtic fans went online to register their horror. “Not good enough for Celtic and never was, even at his peak.” “Too old, and way too slow.” “Too Australian.”

I will be amazed if Aaron doesn’t turn the doubters into fans even more quickly than usual. He is an incredibly effective player – frequently described as a metronome the way keeps the passes ticking over (at freakish accuracy levels).

He’s superb at holding possession, even when double or triple teamed and constantly finds a pass. Yes, there are plenty of safe sideways and backwards passes but it’s his capacity to suddenly turn and drill a twenty or thirty metre ball to a striker’s feet that unlocks defences.

Doesn’t mind a tackle either. He wins a great deal of possession and effects numerous interceptions in dangerous areas. Some call him slow but he always gets to where he needs to be in the nick of time.

This is because of his first class football brain. Aaron has, between his ears, a superfast football computer which seems to be aware of every player on the pitch at every moment and is constantly sizing up threats and opportunities. The apparent aimless passes around the back can achieve any number of things: slow the play; give his team a rest; lull the enemy into complacency…

Then bang! The run he’s been waiting for happens and he turns his marker to put a striker through a channel or hit a cross-field ball into the path of a winger. Socceroo fans have seen it dozens of times the way he controls the play and bides his time to unleash hell.

Ange has seen it also and wants to bring that impact to Celtic. The question is: where will he play?

The logical answer is for him to play at #6 and let Callum McGregor go further forward. I suspect we’ll see a bit of that, depending on the opposition. But Mooy can also be employed further forward as a playmaking #8 or even a #10 if need be. He has the versatility (and long range shooting ability) to cover any position in central midfield. Pretty good with dead balls also.

Is he too old though?

I doubt it. He looked very good in the recent World Cup qualifiers and won’t encounter that level of opposition much in Scotland. Champions League, however, will be a big step up on the Peruvians and will test him, but I believe his biggest assets: his strength on the ball and football brain, will serve him and Celtic very well.

Celtic will not be overwhelmed in the midfield (as they have been in Europe or even against the better SPL teams) with Mooy patrolling the defence and setting the tempo.

The fact he hasn’t played a lot over the last year or so might also prove a blessing in disguise as he’ll have had time to recharge and heal any niggles.

Finally, he’ll be happy in Glasgow – reunited with his family while plying his trade – and I have zero doubt that the Celtic fans will embrace him once they perceive his quality. It could be the making of the reputation he’s always deserved as one of our very greatest.

It might even put to rest the sneering attitude to Australian footballers that too many have in Scotland. Now that would be an achievement.

Adrian's books can be purchased at any good bookstore or through ebook alchemy. His first sci-fi novel will be published by Hague Publishing in 2022.

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