The 27-year-old who originates from Sydney, Australia has quickly become a vital cog in Huddersfield’s machine and after winning the 2016/2017 fans player of the season for Huddersfield, while playing in the Championship, the centre midfield has picked up from where he left off in his first Premier League season for the Terriers.
Having begun life in England at Bolton’s academy, he struggled during the transition between academy and professional and consequently was shipped off to St Mirren, where he appeared 21 times over two years. His footballing career in the UK was rather problematic and 2012 resulted in the centre midfielder returning to Sydney where he enjoyed spells at Western Sydney Wanderers and Melbourne City.
The City Football Group, mostly recognised for their role in Manchester City’s rise to the top of English football, have ownership of Melbourne City too and it was this partnership that bought Mooy back to England when he signed for Manchester City in June 2016. A transfer many fans I’m sure were unfazed and even unaware off. Unsurprisingly, six days later, Mooy was loaned to Huddersfield but he hasn’t looked back since.
Having watched Mooy closely in the Championship play off final against Reading, where they were victors on penalties, I could see how pivotal and influential he was and he ran the game through-out and scored a penalty in the shoot-out too. It’s his ability to defend and attack which impressed me most and his proficiency to sit on the ball and pick out a team-mate in a more threatening position that makes him the perfect centre-midfielder.
Mooy bought his talents to Yorkshire full time in the Summer after signing for £8M with the potential to rise to £10M with add-ons. It is reported that City do have a buy back clause for the impressive midfielder yet with the squad depth Pep Guardiola has at his disposal; with no disrespect to Mooy, I doubt his services will be required in Manchester any time soon. But under Wagner, Mooy has already found the target once and also has an assist to his name this season and if he can continue providing goals and assists, alongside protecting his back-line; Huddersfield will soon have the full package and a potential star in the making.
It’s not just in the Yorkshire town where Mooy is fundamental to success but at his national side too. He was yesterday named Australian player of the year for the second consecutive year and he has been key to Australia’s World Cup 2018 campaign. If Australia can see off Syria in their play off in October, then they will be heading to Russia in the Summer and Mooy will have the whole nation behind him and will undoubtedly be one of the most important players in the ranks.
Huddersfield manager, David Wagner, has been full of praise for his centre midfielder too and believes he ‘totally deserved’ to win his Australian award and suggested Mooy ‘has consistently been one of their best performers’. If Mooy continues his current form he will become a legend in Yorkshire very soon and it’s his midfield prowess which will be of great importance in Huddersfield’s quest to remain in the Premier League this current campaign, a quest which has got off to a successful start – with the Terriers sitting on 8 Premier League points from a possible 15.
Written by Eamon Kitching.
