Celtic B goalkeeper Tobi Oluwayemi has detailed the step-up in quality of first-team training at Lennoxtown.
Oluwayemi is technically the club’s fourth-choice goalkeeper at the moment behind Joe Hart, Scott Bain, and Vasilis Barkas. However, he’s been regularly working with the senior shot-stoppers in first-team training after impressing for Celtic B.
The England U19 international, currently away with his country on international duty, originally signed for the Hoops back in 2019 from Tottenham Hotspur’s academy. He also recently put pen to paper on a new 2-year extension back in June after Ange Postecoglou arrived at the club.
And as he talked up the improvements he’s made in his game over the season, Oluwayemi took time to give some into how different first-team training is compared to the youth ranks. Speaking via the Celtic View [Volume 57, Issue 3, Page 77], Tobi said: “My all around game has improved this year and how I think when I’m playing and my speed of thought. I’m thinking more about other things and how I can improve on my game. It’s a mindset and mental thing as a goalkeeper but I’ve got better physically as well.
“Training with the first-team forces you to up your game in every sort of department. Whether it’s bulking out, getting faster or stronger. The intensity in everything they do is higher. If you get a pass-back, the time you have to get the ball out and play is shorter because they’re on you before you know it. When you’re shot-stopping, the shots are a lot faster and you can see they’re thinking about their finishing more.
“You get made to pay for mistakes that you wouldn’t even have thought was a mistake.”
Tobi Oluwayemi making gains as he targets long-term Celtic number 1 role
Oluwayemi is now the number 1 for the B team and is clearly impressing coach Tommy McIntyre and manger Ange Postecoglou. The fact he’s in training with the first-team goalkeepers is a big deal for him, especially at such a young age.
Not that it looks as though Joe Hart is going anywhere soon. The former England number 1 has reignited his career at Celtic Park and will now be eyeing title-success and future European exposure.
But what a figure to be playing understudy to. You can only imagine the tips and hints he’ll be learning from someone so experienced. Someone with such a stellar playing career and who, quite literally, has played at the highest level possible.
Oluwayemi will, of course, have plenty of competition for that spot too. Ross Doohan has already made it clear he’s ready to come back and fight to be our future first-choice [Scottish Sun]. Conor Hazard, meanwhile, is out getting first-team minutes with Helsinki.
But the signs are promising for the England U19 starlet. It’ll be interesting to see if next season potentially holds a loan move for Tobi just as it has done for many former Celtic goalkeeping hopefuls.
Regardless of what happens, it’s clear it’s been a productive year for him.
In other news, Ange explains why all of Giorgos Giakoumakis’ Celtic goals have been one-touch finishes
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