Callum Osmand produced the most memorable moment of his career to date by scoring the third goal in yesterday’s 3-1 Premier Sports Cup semi-final win over theRangers and boy did he enjoy, or as Martin O’Neill put it, milk the moment. And quite right too son!
The former Fulham U21 striker has had to bide his time to make an impact on the first team after arriving in the summer on a free transfer, a move that was heralded very much as a coup at the time.
Unfortunately for Callum, he found himself cast to one side, training with the youths and devoid of any first team involvement, for reasons that are unknown. Was he one of the players signed over the head of Brendan? Was Brendan sending a message the same way he’d been doing with Jahmai Simpson-Pusey, Shin Yamada and Hayato Inamura?
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Whatever the reasoning behind it, Callum has been given a clean slate under the interim leadership of Martin O’Neill and Shaun Maloney, and he’s made the most of it as he introduced himself on the big stage by scoring a decisive goal in yesterday’s 3-1 extra time win over theRangers at Hampden, which caused a mass exodus from theRangers crowd.
It’s clear that Brendan Rodgers didn’t rate of had some sort of a problem with Callum, or the collective sub-group of summer recruits that he’d labelled as ‘club signings’.
However what seems perfectly clear is the Osmand has talent, can get himself into great positions, is fast and is a handful for defenders. He has us that in the last two games as he’s been deemed worthy of a place in the squad by Martin O’Neill.
Was it unfair of Brendan to cast aside him and the other ‘club signing’ players so hastily? I think we’re slowly unravelling the answer to that question.
Hayato Inamura got a game against Livingston at the start of the season an played very well. Rather than encouraging this the then Celtic manager pointed out that he was okay against a Livingston team parking the bus but wasn’t ready for bigger challenges against teams who would come at Celtic more.
That seemed harsh at the time and it’s a negative outlook that ultimately contributed to Brendan’s earlier than expected exit a week ago this evening.
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At the time Rodgers wasnt talking up any young players that signed cause of issues with board he was wanting oatop striker but none was willing to come to spl its a hard sell three artificaul pitches Cluvs dont water has makers suggest dry its impossible to play football and is not great for the joints board arent without sin offering half or less than they asking price then upping it by tens of thousands instead bidding there top bid if not atciptated move instead of waisting weeks its embarassing fans didnt help well some we lost a top player cause if anarchriss have attached to our young nieve supporters the ultras waving of palastineni flafs in support for people of gazza rightly or wrongly it wasnt just one protest it was every game we had a young Israeli international very important winger scored very important goals but he had to go cause it look personal it wasnt lately we see one fairly large flag well posistion these people now Celtic has a large media coverage and thats what has attracted these people to Celtic its them that do the political banners thats costing Celtic hundred of thousands the protest afainst the board are i suppose alright as in house the tennis balls on pitch to hold up game didnt help tje players who had to help groundstaff clearing the pitch we dont want our players doing that after msnager telling them to go out and win the game for some supporters embarasing them clearing the pitch
Think that you have to consider Rodgers decision making within the whole squad building process imo?
We still haven’t a clue, who’s idea was it to have a 3rd choice team in place for ourselves?
Already seen the benefit of the likes through Donovan, and now Osmand.
Vast improvement where we struggled to carry only 2 injuries, in a Scottish campaign in the second half of last season imo.
Regardless, Rodgers playing system came first, and seemed to totally define his decision making upon players, especially as development never seemed to high upon his agenda?
Players who didn’t fit into his criteria, seemed to be casted aside, that was involving to many of our so called established players also, who had to fulfill squad positions in a European squad also imo?
Selection also seemed to involve personal favourites, regardless of form.
Still wouldn’t complain in the breakdown of the 24 man europa league squad, in how it was formed all the same.
3 keepers
8 defenders
6 midfielders
7 attacking options
Still a place available for presumably jota, or even cover for the longer term injury, which we currently have with CCV.
I don’t think that there will be any changes to the format of how our squad is formed, come January either.
So with the 7 attacking options remaining intact, as it was during finalising our current squad, it was always going to be a huge challenge, and remains the case.
Forest and Kenny are helping to fulfill our 8 homegrown quota requirements.
With Maeda available, it allows for a 5/2 split, which can allow for a 4/3 also.
With only 7 available within a European squad, then we require a certain amount of flexibility, especially with the 5 sub rule in place, which can mean changing your entire front 3 during the course of a game.
So not a lot of room to cover injuries, hence having the likes of a nygren from the midfield area, to help cover the injury issues within the attacking areas imo?
Unlike many within our support, personally didn’t have to many complaints, regarding how our squad was actually formed.
However I didn’t like the manner Rodgers seemed to dismiss players altogether and how they were getting used.
Wasn’t it Osmand himself who refused a loan move away this season?
How beneficial such a decision taken by a youngster, over an experienced manager, could be for ourselves now, in the making?
Shin will possibly have to adapt now, to a different outlook for the striker role now, so wouldn’t totally write him off just yet either.
Also in our full backs area, think Donovan and hayato might also develop easier, without the extra complications Rodgers liked to have within his system of play for the roles.
The changes already introduced, wouldn’t class as wholesale changes whatsoever.
The impact already made and shown have been massive all the same imo