From Wanderers to Hoops
Liam Bonetig, the 18-year-old defender who signed a three-year contract with Celtic last month, has expressed his delight at joining the Scottish giants and his excitement at representing Australia in the upcoming Marbella Week of Football. Bonetig, who made his A-League debut for Western Sydney Wanderers in 2022, was scouted by Celtic after impressing in the AFC Champions League and the Olyroos Olympic campaign. He said he was thrilled to have the opportunity to play for one of the biggest clubs in Europe and learn from some of the best coaches and players in the world.
“When Celtic stepped in I put all my focus on going there – I put everything else to one side. It was such a surreal opportunity to have interest from such a huge club,” Bonetig said. “The coaches and the boss have been really welcoming – Brendan Rodgers explained while I was in initially on trial how he backs and supports young players. That was important for me to go over there and have that trust in him.”
Bonetig has already trained with the senior team, which includes Socceroo Marco Tilio and former Socceroo Aaron Mooy, who retired before the start of the season. He has also played for the B team against the likes of Lazio, Feyenoord and West Ham. He said he was inspired by the success of former Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou, who led the Hoops to a historic treble in 2022.
“There are so many Aussies in Scotland and I think Ange doing so well in his time with Celtic has played a part in that,” Bonetig said. “He showed that Australians can make an impact at that level and I hope to follow his footsteps.”
Ready for international challenge
Bonetig, who was born in Sydney to Turkish parents, has represented Australia at various youth levels, including the U-17 World Cup in 2019 and the U-23 Asian Cup in 2020. He was part of the Olyroos squad that reached the quarter-finals of the Tokyo Olympics, where he played alongside fellow Celtic youngster Cam Burgess. He said he was honoured to be called up by Graham Arnold for the Subway Young Socceroos camp in Spain, where they will face France, Netherlands and Denmark in friendly matches.
“To play against top opposition is just what we need and it’ll be a massive test for all of us,” Bonetig said. “This period [post Qatar World Cup] has always been geared towards those outcomes, as we refine the system and style of play that will carry us through the Asian Cup and World Cup qualification.”
Bonetig said he had a strong bond with his teammates, who he described as “a great bunch of lads”. He said he was looking forward to reuniting with them and showing what they can do on the international stage.
“We’ve been together for a long time and we’ve grown as players and as people,” Bonetig said. “We have a lot of talent and potential in this group and we want to prove ourselves to the coach and the fans.”
Aiming for senior breakthrough
Bonetig, who can play as a centre back or a right back, said he had high ambitions for his career and hoped to break into the senior Socceroos squad in the near future. He said he admired players like Harry Souttar, Trent Sainsbury and Milos Degenek, who have established themselves as regulars under Arnold. He said he was also keen to learn from Celtic captain Scott Brown, who has over 50 caps for Scotland.
“I always dreamed of coming across to Europe and playing in a club size of Celtic,” Bonetig said. “Every time I put on the jersey there’s just that different feeling – I always want to give my best and improve every day.”
Bonetig said he was not daunted by the challenge of competing for a place in Celtic’s defence, which boasts experienced players like Shane Duffy, Christopher Jullien and Kristoffer Ajer. He said he was confident in his abilities and ready to take his chances when they come.
“Of course it will take time to adapt to the speed at physicality (at that level) but the aim is of course to push towards breaking into senior squad,” Bonetig said. “I believe I have what it takes to play at that level and I’m working hard every day to show that.”
Bonetig will return to Scotland after the Marbella Week of Football, where he will face another exciting challenge: playing against Atletico Madrid U-19s in the UEFA Youth League. He said he was looking forward to testing himself against some of the best young players in Europe.
“It’s a great opportunity for us to show what we can do on a big stage,” Bonetig said. “We have a strong team and we’re not afraid of anyone. We want to go as far as we can in the competition and make Celtic proud.”
