Exclusive: Aaron Mooy’s coach at Huddersfield says the midfielder could play in the Premier League

AARON Mooy has been earning major plaudits since moving to Huddersfield Town. Now, his first team coach at the club has offered the most glowing endorsement yet.

Aaron Mooy celebrates with Elias Kachunga. (Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt — AMA/Getty Images)

AUSTRALIAN midfielder Aaron Mooy has been earning plaudits left, right and centre since moving to English Championship club Huddersfield Town on loan from Manchester City.

The influential playmaker has taken the form he’d shown at both Melbourne City and for the Socceroos and magnified it at his new club, earning the respect and admiration of a whole new audience.

Now, his first team coach at Huddersfield says Mooy is capable of making the step up to the Premier League.

“I think if he wants, he could be a top Premier League player,” Andy Hughes told Fox Sports in an exclusive interview.

Watch the full feature interview in the video at the top of the page.

“I don’t think he’d have any problem fitting into a top club — obviously we want to keep him here.

“We want to make this a top club and hopefully this part of his journey, we’re going to help him as much as he’s going to help us.

“For me, he can play at the top level. I’ve been lucky enough to work with players that have played in the Premier League and he’s got more than them — I really believe that.

“They’re hard to find, them ones, they’re hard to find and you know we’re quite lucky.”

Aaron Mooy. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)

Mooy has quickly developed into one of the Championship’s most influential midfielders during his stint at Huddersfield.

The 26-year-old has received multiple man-of-the-match awards, while he’s also become a fan favourite among Town supporters.

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Hughes said Mooy’s competitiveness and Australian “winners” mentality set him apart.

“For me, Australian sportsmen have always been winners as well,” he said.

“He’s got that mentality, he’s got that little nastiness in him which I feel you need to be a top player.

“He certainly is a top player in my eyes — watching him, he does things that I wish I could do with the ball.”

Despite the plaudits he’s received, Mooy said he’s not “looking too far ahead”, citing the strength of squads and overall competitiveness of the Championship as a sizeable step up from the A-League.

“I think the main difference is probably it’s a bit more competitive, you don’t get so much time on the ball and the squads are a lot stronger,” Mooy told Fox Sports.

“You’ve got even players on the bench, the difference between the best players and the players that don’t really play much, there’s not that much difference.”

While Mooy was humble as ever, the midfielder has clearly made a big impact in Hughes’ eyes.

Aaron Mooy.

“He’s fitted in straight well, brilliant with the lads and first and foremost — what a top footballer,” he said.

“He just finds it easy, he’s got that terrible habit of never giving the ball away.”

The first-team coach said he had expected big things from the midfielder, after Australian captain Mile Jedinak personally called him with big wraps on his teammate.

“I was coaching last year at Crystal Palace with the first team, we had the Australian captain playing for us — Mile Jedinak,” Hughes said.

“When I joined this club — we still speak — Mile called me up and he said ‘Hughesy, you’re signing Aaron Mooy today?’ And I was like ‘yeah we’re signing Aaron Mooy … good?’ And he went ‘very good.’

“And for Mile to call me up and tell me that, that’s a good sign.”

Mooy’s rise has also showcased the quality and potential of the A-League.

The midfielder set a league record for the most goal assists in 2015/16, with a move overseas inevitable after his showstopping form for Melbourne City.

Mooy said the A-League had given him the professional grounding to develop and forge himself into a player capable of cutting it overseas.

“The A-League is a year where you can develop — it’s getting better every year,” Mooy said.

“You can improve there and it’s a really enjoyable league to play in.

“You’re a professional and you can do that there and then if you do well, you can try Europe. If the opportunity comes to go to Europe when you’re young, it’s difficult to say no.”

Originally published as Exclusive: Aaron Mooy’s coach at Huddersfield says the midfielder could play in the Premier League