CALLUM OSMAND has promised Martin O’Neill he will be ready whenever he gets the call to action.
The 20-year-old striker, who joined Celtic from Fulham last June for a development fee, missed a chunk of last season with a hamstring injury, but made a spectacular impact in the final Premiership match of the season when the Irishman threw him on against Hearts.
The must-win encounter was locked at 1-1 when Osmand came on for Auston Trusty in the 73rd minute and the Jersey-born forward played a massive role in the Hoops claiming a fifth successive title.
With three minutes remaining, his left-wing ball picked out Daizen Maeda who knocked in No.2 and it was Osmand who ran more than half the length of the Parkhead pitch to roll in the killer third with keeper Alexander Schwolow AWOL after going up for a free-kick deep in stoppage-time.
CROWNING GLORY…Callum Osmand, backed by Kelechi Iheanacho, runs away in triumph after scoring Celtic’s third goal in the 3-1 title-winning victory over Hearts.
Looking ahead to the new campaign and hoping to be involved from start to finish, Osmand said: “I think that’s all you can really ask for, just someone who will give you that opportunity and give you that chance and, hopefully, I will get another one this season.
“I’ll be ready whenever Martin O’Neill calls upon me, but it is massive knowing that he does trust you and believe in you.
“I like to think I’m in a good place now. I had a chunk of time in the off season to make sure I was staying on it and staying fit.
“If I just get some goals now and, hopefully, I’ll get my chance to show what I can do again.
“I see myself as quite versatile. I can play wherever I’m needed across the front, but whatever happens, whether I’m playing with another striker or whether it is one up front, I’ll do what I do every day.
“I’ll just keep pushing and trying to obviously stake my claim and show that I can offer something.”
The champions have spent heavily on forwards Kasper Hogh, £11million-plus from Vodo/Glimt, and £5.5million on Camilo Duran from Qarabag to bolster their striking options following Maeda’s £10million move to Ipswich Town.
Osmand is relishing the fight for a first-team place and, speaking to Sky Sports, added: “Obviously, we’ve got the two new lads, they’re great people as well as good footballers, so obviously it will be tough.
“But we all work together and they’re really nice people, like I said, so it’s not going to be a sort of hostile thing. It’ll be good to work with them, as well.”
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