What a week it’s been for Callum Osmand.
Despite his signing being much-celebrated by Celtic, the 19-year-old was completely absent from first-team action under Brendan Rodgers.
Despite being fit and available, Osmand only featured for the Hoops’ B team, with Kelechi Iheanacho, Shin Yamada and Johnny Kenny all ahead of him in the pecking order.
Osmand rejected the chance to leave on loan, despite the encouragement of Player Pathways Manager Shaun Maloney – but with Maloney now working in Martin O’Neill’s management team, his fortunes have been turned.
After making his first senior appearance against Falkirk, he was trusted to come on in Sunday’s Premier Sports Cup semi-final against Rangers, where he sealed a win with his first ever senior goal.
James McFadden on Brendan Rodgers using Callum Osmand at Celtic
Rodgers’ sudden departure seemingly came from nowhere, but internal tensions had been brewing over the club’s transfer strategy.
Whilst some Hoops fans would agree with him, what can’t be denied is that he didn’t fancy using Osmand.
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Osmand could have won the game for Celtic in normal time, missing a golden chance after being brilliantly slipped in by James Forrest.
But in picking himself up to score the winner at Hampden, he showed the required mentality to be a Celtic striker, and this will please O’Neill.
But for James McFadden, speaking on the BBC’s Monday Night Club, Osmand’s emergence warrants a mention of Rodgers’ notorious comments about the team’s recruitment.
He said: “But Callum Osmand coming from absolutely nowhere, you know, Brendan Rodgers has been complaining about the signings over the summer.
“And I do understand and I have supported that viewpoint and that he wants quality that’s ready for the Champions League.
“But Callum Osmand was available to play in the qualifiers for the Champions League and he looked outstanding yesterday.”
Celtic players breaking through under Martin O’Neill
Osmand wasn’t the only unlikely hero in the semi-final.
Johnny Kenny was certainly rated by Rodgers, but drip-fed minutes mainly from the bench. In trusting him with a bold decision to start him on Sunday, O’Neill was rewarded when he opened the scoring with a fine header.
Auston Trusty is an interesting case too – Rodgers said after his final match that he did not regret starting Dane Murray over the American, despite the young Murray enduring a torrid afternoon in the defeat at Tynecastle.
Who will be next to make an unlikely breakthrough under the new management? After the last week, you really can’t rule anybody out.
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