Callum Osmand is learning to suppress his natural striker instincts as he adapts to a new wide role for Celtic. The forward spoke to CelticPlayer about his ongoing adjustment ahead of the club's trip to face Falkirk on Sunday.
Osmand, a natural centre-forward, has been operating out wide for the Scottish champions and admitted the positional change requires a significant shift in mentality. "I’m still getting used to it, and sometimes I have to turn off my striker head when I’m drifting inside," said Osmand.
The 28-point league leaders, who top the league table, face a Falkirk side sitting sixth. Celtic's last meeting with Falkirk ended in a 2-1 win back in August, and the team's current four-point cushion at the summit adds importance to every fixture. The team sits first in the Premiership with 28 points from a record of nine wins, one draw, and one loss from their 11 games. "We have to take every game like it’s a final," Osmand stressed.
The player acknowledged his own limited professional experience, stating he is progressing and learning with each match.
Celtic's form shows two wins, a draw, and two losses in their last five outings across all competitions. Their most recent result was a 2-2 draw with Dundee United last weekend, where Camilo Durán scored the opener and Liam Scales netted a later equaliser. Before that, they secured a 2-1 win at Hibernian, with Durán again on the scoresheet. Durán, the club's top scorer with seven goals this season, found the net in that match and also in the midweek win over Hibernian. The team has scored 27 goals while conceding only eight in the league this season.
Manager Brendan Rodgers has been rotating his attacking options, and Osmand's adaptation is part of that broader squad focus. Rodgers highlighted the need for versatility in his post-match comments after the Hibernian game, a philosophy Osmand is now embodying. Sunday's match presents the next challenge for Rodgers's side as they aim to maintain their advantage at the top of the Premiership. Their recent sequence of results includes a 7-1 victory over Heart Of Midlothian and a 2-0 win at Motherwell, but also defeats to Benfica and Celta Vigo.
Read the full report at celticway.co.uk
