Why Callum Osmand is modelling his game on Daizen Maeda
Callum Osmand if he can keep himself fit, is going to be an outstanding player for Celtic and an important one too who could be a real difference maker with a knack of scoring important goals for the club…
He scored that iconic goal to bring the curtain down on Hearts’ fading chance of winning the title last season and he was at it again in the first half on Sunday when he got his first professional start and added another two goals to break Hearts again before being replaced by Jota at the break.
Callum Osmand a cert to start against Celta Vigo
Osmand is almost certain to start this evening, particularly as Jota isn’t in Celtic’s Europa League squad, and you wouldn’t bet against him making an impact against Celta Vigo.
“It’s been a crazy few days and I’m really happy to have started my first game. It makes it more like a sweet moment when you haven’t been playing then you come straight into it,” Callum Osmand said, at yesterday’s media conference.
Watching Celtic on the sidelines
Osmand tore his hamstring in the Europa League last season away to Midtjylland and that kept him sidelined until the closing few games of the season, where he came back to finish the league campaign off with one of the most iconic Celtic goals of all time when he ran from deep inside his own half unopposed to stroke the ball into an empty net to finally guarantee that Celtic would retain the title.
In his period on the sidelines Osmand watched just about every Celtic home match from the stands to effectively become a Celtic supporter, while also learning from watching the players on the pitch.
Understanding different sides to the game
“I attended pretty much every single home game that I could go to so I was a fan for almost eight months,” the young Celtic goalscorer said. “You sort of understand the expectations and what people want and what they want to see.
“When I play I try to do as much as I can to be attacking-minded and go and make stuff happen. I feel like you sort of feel it when you do something well, the crowd, you feel it lift you as well. I like that feeling so that’s what I try and strive for.
“When you’re a player it’s hard to be a fan of football because you’re so into it yourself. You have so much to focus on. But when I couldn’t play, I sort of was a fan for that time and I was understanding different sides to the game.”
Callum Osmand’s Celtic influences
Osmand also talked about the players at Celtic and some who have played for the club previous who he has links to and explained their input in helping him develop in the game and succeed playing for the club. He talked about Jota, Shaun Maloney, Daizen Maeda as well as Moussa Dembele and Matt O’Riley who like himself have strong Fulham links.
“Obviously, Jota is a good help,” he said. “I was speaking to him earlier today about where to be and stuff, but the coaches help me as well.”
On Shaun Maloney he said: “I was watching him the other day and I spoke to him because I’d never really seen much about how he plays and I was saying we’re quite similar. I do speak to him a lot, he helps me a lot.
“Him and Fozzy, Mick [Stephen McManus], and all the coaches and the gaffer are always helping me and supporting me. It’s just about keeping talking to them and keeping learning.
Daizen would be the main guy
“Daizen would be probably the main guy that I would [try and replicate] – he messages me a lot to be fair. Every time I score he’ll message me or every time he scores or does something I’ll give him a message.
“He’s a really nice guy so he would be one that I would like to mould it off, his running, his running power, and his runs in behind. That is something I admire so that would be someone who I would base it off.
“It is a big hole to fill for him. He offered a lot to the club and a lot to that position and across the striker position he was brilliant. Like the last seven games, I think he scored in every one. He’s been amazing so it’s hard to replicate what he brought.”
Callum Osmand has been impressed watching back Moussa Dembele’s goalscoring exploits in the Hoops and he explained how he tracked Matt O’Riley down to get some advice about playing for Celtic. Matt too has impressed Osmand from his own time at Paradise.
Basically about how crazy it is up here
“If I could get even close to them two, I’d be doing an amazing job,” Osmand added. “I did speak to Matt before coming up. He gave me a ring. He was at Fulham and I spoke to a few Fulham coaches and managed to get his number and we had a chat.
“He’s a great guy. He was telling me about the ins and outs, basically about how crazy it is up here. Then Moussa, I’ve watched the majority of his goals in there. He was a joke.”
Same again Celts
The player being on media duties yesterday ahead of a match is usually playing and that puts any uncertainty aside – mostly on the injury front. We can expect a Hassan, Duran and Osmand front three this evening and it’s going to be very interesting indeed in seeing just how well they can perform against a very decent Celta Vigo side.
In the middle of the park the three who started against Hearts will get the nod – so Callum McGregor, Mika Baur and Benjamin Nygren will all play and the back line will also be unchanged, meaning that the back four will be Colby Donovan at right back, Kieran Tierney at left back and a central defensive partnership of Dane Murray and Liam Scales with Viljami Sinisalo retaining the gloves.
COYBIG!
