Celtic midfielder Matt O’Riley felt years of extra-curricular work come to fruition when he powered home a shot with his naturally weaker right foot against St Johnstone.
The 23-year-old hit an unstoppable strike into the roof of the net from 22 yards to put Celtic in front in Perth with 12 minutes remaining on Sunday.
O’Riley said: “I surprised myself a bit after I hit it. I just swung my right foot.
“My first thought after it went in was actually, it sounds weird, how stable I felt in my body. I think that’s a result of all the pilates I have been doing, outside of the club as well.
“It’s nice to see these things coming together. I just felt really stable over the ball and recently in training I have practised a bit with my right foot and I was feeling more stable and more effective.
“If I can add that to my game I think that’s going to be very helpful.
“I started (pilates) ages ago when I was younger at Fulham because I had a few back problems when I was younger.
“Recently I have tried to get back into it, the last 10 months or so. I find it really beneficial. I do it outside the club and in here as well. It helps with injury prevention, general stability on the pitch, if you are trying to protect the ball, feeling more stable, more balanced, more robust.
“I have had to do it from a young age because I think it’s important if you want to have a long career.”
O’Riley has been keen to find any advantage he can for his career since his early teenage years.
“Small percentages build up over a period of time,” the Denmark international said.
“I enjoy all the stuff I do in terms of the recovery side. I live and breathe football to be honest so for me it’s not like a chore. It’s something I enjoy doing and will continue to do.
“I was pretty obsessive, probably more obsessive back then. Too obsessive, when I was 15/16, to the point where I was super strict with myself.
“I have come away from that a little bit just so I can have a bit more peace of mind as well. I feel like I am in a good place at the moment. I am learning things as I go as well, I am going to have to keep trying things and failing things. Some things will work, some things won’t.
“It’s an ongoing process to find out what works for me in terms of balancing football life and wellbeing. At the moment it’s probably the best I have been on that side of things.”
Such commitment to self-improvement could come to the fore in a busy period. Celtic host Hibernian in the cinch Premiership on Wednesday in their second of nine matches inside a month.
O’Riley said: “It’s more games so it’s more fun to be had. It’s definitely a tough period because it’s colder, the pitches probably aren’t as good.
“That’s where the mentality side really comes into it. It’s about being relentless every game, your approach has to be 100 per cent in every game. If we approach games in the right manner I think we will be more than okay.”
'Super simple' – Lille president rules out January exit for Jonathan David
Lille president Olivier Letang has categorically ruled out a January exit for forward Jonathan David amid links with a number of European clubs.
David is out of contract at the end of the season and has been touted as a target for the likes of Bayern Munich, Juventus and Barcelona.
Speaking this week, the Canada international named Barcelona as his "dream" club but suggested he would prefer not to leave Lille mid-season.
And in an interview with After Foot RMC, Letang confirmed no bids have yet been tabled ahead of the January window.
"We are not going to sell him in January, and we have not received any offer for him," he said.
"Jonathan's situation is super simple. We are very happy to have him with us.
"Last season he had one more year left on his contract. We were trying to qualify for the Champions League.
"You have a guy who scores 20 to 25 goals a season. We had no obligation to sell him."
David is into his fifth season with Lille and has scored 97 goals in 202 games for the Ligue 1 side in all competitions while assisting a further 18.
Seven of those goals have arrived in 11 appearances this term, including in Champions League games against Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Juventus.
The 24-year-old's best league season with Lille saw him score 24 goals in 2022-23, while he has netted 19, 15 and 13 in the other full campaigns.
Lille chief Letang reiterated that David has been offered a new deal to stay on at Stade Pierre-Mauroy, but selling him has never been an option.
"He is a player who scores between 20 and 25 goals and helps us qualify for the Champions League," he said.
"Plus, Jonathan loves Lille, which is his club. Our position was very clear from the beginning – we think of the athlete.
"Obviously, he already has an offer that is in his hands, the ball is in his court."
Guardiola suggests Man City's recent form played part in signing new contract
Pep Guardiola suggested Manchester City's run of four successive defeats was part of the reason for his contract extension.
The 53-year-old recently signed a two-year deal, which will run out in 2027, ending months of speculation about his future after his contract had been due to run out at the end of the campaign.
Following a 2-1 defeat to Brighton before the international break, Guardiola's side have lost each of their last four matches in all competitions for the first time in his managerial career.
"I felt I could not leave now. Maybe the four defeats was why," he told the club's website.
"I think we deserve, after four defeats in a row, to bounce back and try to turn the situation. I think we deserve to be here. I am not arrogant to say, but it's the truth."
Guardiola has led Manchester City to 18 major trophies during his nine-year stint at the club and posted a 72% win ratio.
He added that he was determined to help the club get back to a state where they are "more stable and more consistent".
"We have to recover that because right now we don't have it and that's the target we have to do," he said.
City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak added: "Like every City fan, I am delighted that Pep's journey with Manchester City will continue, allowing his dedication, passion and innovative thinking to continue to shape the landscape of the game.
"His hunger for improvement and success remains insatiable and the direct beneficiaries of that will continue to be our players and coaching staff, the culture of our club, and the English game at large."
Leicester's Fatawu ruled out for rest of season with ACL injury
Leicester City manager Steve Cooper confirmed Abdul Fatawu will miss the rest of the season.
The 20-year-old sustained an anterior cruciate ligament injury (ACL) while playing for Ghana against Angola during the international break.
Fatawu has featured in all 11 of Leicester's Premier League matches so far this season and has registered two assists.
No Leicester player has attempted (61) or completed (29) more dribbles than him, while his 30 crosses is also a team-high in the top-flight this season.
"It's not good, it's a serious injury," said Cooper ahead of their match against Chelsea on Saturday.
"It's a real blow, first and foremost for him, being a young player and having an injury as serious as what an ACL is.
"Albeit, it can be quite common in sport, and in particular football, but it's still a serious injury.
"For it to happen at a young age is a blow for him and a blow for us as well.
"He's obviously a big talent and a young player, as exciting as he can be at his age, with lots to learn.
"It's only a pause, and we will make sure, as difficult as it is at the moment for him, that he comes back being a stronger player and person, which, with the mentality and character that he has, I think will be the case."
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
