Summer signing Osaze Urhoghide has opened up his start to life at Celtic, and has made specific comment about the rivarly between the Bhoys and Rangers.
Pundits and writers covering the Premier League have often compared the intensity of the Glasgow Derby to battles between Liverpool and Manchester United, or Arsenal and Tottenham.
But former Sheffield Wednesday and AFC Wimbledon man Urhoghide is having none of it. The likeable defender has had limited opportunities at Celtic, but fans purred over his performance against Real Betis, and his online presence has made him relatable.
The summer signing lifted the lid on how it feels to play for Celtic having grown up outside of Scotland, and the expectations of the Hoops faithful.
Urhoghide, who regularly updates fans on his life in football via his YouTube channel, said of life at Parkhead [Scottish Sun]: “You need to perform in every game as the fans are on you. It doesn’t matter how you feel.
“The fans demand success and there’s always expectation. That’s the biggest change from [Sheffield] Wednesday.
“At Celtic, a club with so much history of winning stuff, there is just that demand to win. I knew it before I signed, but now I’m here, you can see the pressure to win and perform.
“Even a draw sometimes makes the fans angry. They just want the club to be successful, especially after Rangers won the league and stopped ten in a row.
“The rivalry is something else. There’s not one in England like it. I know how crazy it is and how the mentality is.”
Celtic summer signing Osaze Urhoghide gets it; he’s one for the future
Now, that’s the spirit. To be fair to Urhoghide, he’s always come across really well. A humble man of faith, and a determined trainer, the former Sheffield Wednesday man is a work-in-progress at Celtic. But he has the mentality to succeed, and he’s shown in one appearance that he’s capable of putting in a real shift for the club.
In 90 minutes against Real Betis, the commanding defender won 9 duels, made 3 clearances and recovered the ball 6 times. Not only that, he was progressive with his movement, happy to make runs into enemy territory [Fotmob]. Being thrown into a Europa League game against a high-quality opponent is never easy, but Urhoghide impressed.
But it’s what he’s saying here that’s important. Understanding the fierceness of the rivalry and passion of the fans can take some time for a lot of players. Lubo Moravcik, for example, couldn’t understand the gravity of what he’d done when he scored against Rangers in his first derby. It’s a learning experience.
So, to hear this from a talented young player is encouraging. Clearly, he gets what the club is about, what’s required of him, and what he and his teammates need to do.
It’s hard not to like the guy. And he’s right; England has nothing to compare with Celtic v Rangers.
Read more: What rival fans are forgetting as they desperately try to push Celtic narrative
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