Callum Osmand faces a race to play again before the end of the season after Martin O’Neill admitted the Hoops striker has suffered small delays in his recovery. The forward has been out since November and Celtic have had to plan without him during the run-in.
Osmand’s injury came at a frustrating time. The teenager had just started to break into the first-team picture and looked ready for more minutes. His pace and willingness to run the channels offered Celtic a different option up front.
Since then, the focus has been on recovery. The initial hope was that he could push towards a return in the final weeks of the campaign. With the Premiership split approaching in late April, that window is still there.
But O’Neill has now confirmed the process has not been completely straightforward. Small setbacks during rehabilitation have slowed things slightly and pushed the timeline back.
He said: (TCW), “Now, sometimes the updates vary a little bit.
“Both he and little Callum Osmand, they’ve had a couple of little setbacks, you know, just along in terms of their recuperation.
“So nothing major, nothing, but just little setbacks that take you back another 10 days or something like that.”
Those extra ten days can make a difference at this stage of the season. Celtic only have a limited number of fixtures left before the split, and match fitness takes time even after a player returns to training.
For Osmand, the focus will now be on getting back onto the pitch at Lennoxtown without further interruption. The medical staff will not want to rush a young player recovering from a muscle injury.
Celtic also have options in attack for the final stretch. That gives O’Neill room to be cautious with Osmand rather than forcing an early comeback.
Still, if the striker can return to training before the split, a late cameo during those final matches remains possible. For a young player who has already waited months, even a short return before the summer would feel like major progress.
Keep Reading
One Response
We need him back. I’d love an updated story on his progress. When Osmond scored at Hampden Park. We all felt 10ft tall. And O’Neill’s warm words of praise for him was everything you love to hear from a manager. I hope he recovers for the title race. God bless him. And hail hail.