Celtic: Mooy withdraws from Australia duty

Celtic midfielder Aaron Mooy has withdrawn from the Australian national squad through injury, according to their head coach Graham Arnold.

The Lowdown: Fitness concerns

The Yellows boss named the 32-year-old as part of his 26-man squad for the upcoming ‘Welcome Home’ fixtures against Ecuador on Friday 24 and Tuesday 28 March, but it wasn’t long before his dreams suffered an unwelcome setback.

The Hoops star was missing from Ange Postecoglou’s team for the 3-1 Scottish Premiership victory over Hibernian last weekend with the manager having revealed prior to kick-off that he was suffering from soreness. He said:

“Probably Aaron Mooy will miss out. He’s been a bit sore the last couple of weeks, and he won’t be able to make the Hibs game.”

The Latest: Arnold’s comments

Speaking to the Socceroos’ official website on Sunday, Arnold confirmed that Mooy has withdrawn from the squad and will remain at Celtic to carry on with his rehabilitation programme. He said:

“It’s unfortunate for Aaron that he misses these games, something I know he was very much looking forward to playing, but his absence provides an opportunity to a further emerging player as we start this new campaign.

“After speaking with Aaron, who missed this weekend’s game, he would only be able to play limited minutes if he came to Australia, so the decision was made for him to stay in Scotland and continue his recovery.”

The Verdict: Blow for Postecoglou

Mooy has been dubbed a ‘warrior’ by BBC pundit Alex Scott and it’s a real blow for Postecoglou that he could be facing a spell on the sidelines, with his comeback taking ever so slightly longer than expected.

The Sydney native has been having a remarkable season having racked up 13 goal contributions in 25 Premiership outings and he’s averaging 1.3 key passes per game.

The Bhoys ace has also whipped an impressive 63 crosses into the final third since the start of 2022/23, with this form having seen him receive two man-of-the-match awards.

The Parkhead talisman is a useful option for the boss to have at his disposal having operated in six various positions throughout his career, as he’s been fielded in both central and defensive midfield this term.

Mooy is an integral member of Celtic’s starting 11 and Postecoglou will no doubt be hoping that he will be able to return to action as soon as possible as he aims to lead his side to a second consecutive league title.