Much to the surprise of many, on-form Celtic midfielder Matt O’Riley was not included in the senior Denmark squad for the upcoming international break. The 22-year-old has been a standout for the Hoops so far this season but was snubbed by manager Kasper Hjulmand.
Brendan Rodgers admitted a few weeks ago that he had spoken to Hjulmand about O’Riley but when the 51-year-old revealed his squad on Tuesday, the midfielder was nowhere to be seen. On the snub, Hjulmand said (Football Scotland): “O’Riley’s an interesting option but I have chosen players who best suit the way we want to play in these two games coming up. He’s an attacking midfielder who plays best in a three-man midfield. He’s a skilled ball player who’s got off to a good start.”
With Celtic, the treble-winner regularly plays in the more advanced role of a three-man midfield trio. Hjulmand hinted towards O’Riley not suiting his team’s style of play, but it seems harsh to not include a player on the form that O’Riley is.
A duo of matches against both Kazakhstan and San Marino would seem to present the ideal opportunity to bleed a new squad member in, but that doesn’t appear to be the opinion of the man in charge of the Danish boss.
The midfielder will be disheartened by the snub because he undoubtedly deserved a senior call-up. O’Riley could not be on a better streak at the moment, but his national team rebuff may well act as a motivator for him to continue his outstanding displays.
