Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou on the "pretty lucky" Hoops kid who's joined first-team

By Euan Davidson

January 18, 2022

Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou has discussed the immediate future of Hoops youngster Tobi Oluwayemi, who’s joined the first-team set-up.

Oluwayemi, who joined the Hoops from Tottenham Hotspur’s Academy in 2019 [Daily Record], has impressed in the B Team. In fact, he’s done so well that he now appears to be the recognised third choice, with Scott Bain second, and Vasilis Barkas nowhere near the number 1 jersey.

With Joe Hart imperious between the sticks, Oluwayemi can surely learn from the former England keeper. And that’s exactly what Ange Postecoglou hopes can happen over the next couple of years. Postecoglou also discussed how he wants to develop a core of players for the future.

Speaking after the win against Hibernian, Celtic boss Postecoglou said [Celtic FC/Twitter]: “Tobi is an exciting young goalkeeper.

“We’ve kept tabs on him, obviously he was playing with the B Team, but I feel like it’s time we expose him to that first-team environment, particularly at training.

“He’s a pretty lucky young man, because he’s got an ex-England number 1, and a guy who’s reached the very top as a goalkeeper training with him every day. It’s going to be priceless. I didn’t want to waste that opportunity, so we brought him up to the first team environment, he’ll be training with us regularly. And hopefully [we’ll be] watching him develop over the next couple of years.

“[There’s a] two-fold target for everything we do. There’s the immediate, the now, which is the main focus. But in the background, we’ve got to be sure we’re developing a core group of players who’ll take us through the next few years.”

Ange Postecoglou makes smart move for Celtic youngster Tobi Oluwayemi

Anyone who’s watched the B Team this season will likely be excited by this. Oluwayemi has excellent reactions, and is agile enough to make vital, fingertip saves. It’s something he’s done on a regular basis for the Celtic B Team.

It’s also worth pointing out that Tommy McIntyre’s side have the best defensive record in the SLFL. Having a goalkeeper of Oluwayemi’s qualities won’t exactly hinder that.

Scott Bain may have been handed a new contract [Celtic FC], and he’s capable back-up for Joe Hart. The future, though, looks promising, with Oluwayemi surely to improve for working alongside professional goalkeepers.

Celtic, in general, have some good goalkeeping talent waiting in the wings. Ross Doohan has had a very decent campaign at Tranmere Rovers, Conor Hazard impressed in spells last season, and Ryan Mullen is also doing a fine job with the B Team. There’s talent there.

Oluwayemi, though, seems to be the one Ange has taken a shine to. With Alloa Athletic in the Scottish Cup next, the Celtic boss could maybe take a flyer on the English shot-stopper.

But even if he doesn’t make appearances for the first-team this season, the experience of working alongside Hart and Bain will surely prove enormously beneficial in the long-run. This is smart planning.

Read more: Pat Bonner lauds “huge ability” of fringe Celtic player under Ange