Former Brighton boss Gus Poyet has weighed in on how ex-Celtic midfielder Matt O’Riley can establish himself as a crucial figure for the Seagulls in the Premier League—once he overcomes a nightmare debut season on the south coast.
Brutal Tackle Derails O’Riley’s Brighton Bow
O’Riley’s big-money move from Celtic last summer—reportedly around £30m—got off to the worst possible start when he was injured on his debut in a League Cup clash against Crawley Town.
Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler didn’t hold back in his criticism of the reckless challenge from Crawley’s Jay Williams after the 4-0 victory, confirming the Danish midfielder faced a lengthy spell out.
“It is like we expected, it is a bad injury and he needs surgery on his ankle,” Hurzeler admitted. “I can’t say how long or when we expect him to be back because of rehabilitation. It is a tough one for us but we will try to support him the best we can.”
Knee Injury Compounds Frustrating Campaign
After working his way back to fitness by November, O’Riley suffered another setback in January with a knee problem—though thankfully less severe than his debut horror tackle from Crawley’s “no-mark.”
With injuries plaguing his first season, it’s been a challenging transition for the former Celtic star. However, Poyet remains confident O’Riley can turn things around and become a midfield mainstay under Hurzeler.
Poyet: “There’s a Way Back for O’Riley”
Speaking to Danish outlet Tipsbladet, the ex-Brighton manager outlined how O’Riley can adapt and thrive in England’s top flight.
“I think there’s a way back for Matt O’Riley because when you play and perform for a club like Celtic there’s always a chance for him to come back,” Poyet said.
“The Premier League is a bigger change than people think. Especially moving from the Scottish Premier League with all respect to the league. There’s a quantity of games if you’re a good player.”
“There’s no rest in the Premier League and he had his injury at the start of the season. There’s still time. He needs to understand what Fabian wants from his midfielders which is different to what you can and want to do on your own. It’s a different kind of football,” Poyet added.
“He needs to understand his position, his role, the angles of receiving the ball, when and how, the touches. There’s so many things that you have to get it or you don’t. The next three to six months will be important.”
Celtic Return? Never Say Never…
(Matt O’Riley’s Football Friends photo from Instagram back in November 2024 during an international break, with the Brighton star still wearing his Celtic gear.)
While O’Riley’s quality suggests he’ll succeed at Brighton, should things take an unexpected turn, the door at Celtic Park would always be open. Though, given his price tag these days, affording him might be another matter entirely!