Summer signing Ozase Urhoghide has found game time hard to come by since joining the club from Sheffield Wednesday. However, the young defender is still insistent that his first few months with the Hoops have been a real eye-opener.
Urhoghide was one of the first recruits from Ange Postecoglou as Celtic boss, joining on a pre-contract deal, similarly to his former Owls teammate Liam Shaw. Both players have been in the same situation right the way through the first few months, with very few minutes in the first team.
However, Urhoghide has opened up on his experiences as a Celtic player over the past few months, insisting that the intensity and dedication is next level to anything he has experienced.
“At a club like Celtic, second really isn’t good enough. It’s first or nothing, even in training,” he said, as quoted by Sun Sport.
“That’s one thing I’ve found different here, the demand to win. There’s expectation of success, and that’s in training too.
“When we’re playing games, you have to be 100 per cent every day.
“I used to think I was dedicated before, but the levels of dedication now have to be higher.
“If not, you won’t get where you want to be.
“It has to be your life. Everything has to revolve around being ready for training and games.
“Even your sleep. You have to get that right too.
“Being here is a different kettle of fish. If you’re not mentally strong in football, you won’t last two minutes.”
It is always interesting to hear this point of view from a players perspective. But it is particularly intriguing given the short period Urhoghide has been with the club so far and the fact the young player currently finds himself on the fringes.
Of course, the pressures of being a Celtic player have always been sky high – due to the expectation of winning every single game.
But those seem to have been ramped up to the max with the introduction of Ange Postecoglou to the club, and his training ground methods, which has seen a lot of players commenting on the intensity they are put through at Lennoxtown.
Hopefully, this is something that is continuing to be instilled into players at the club, whether that be young or old, with the demand for success at Celtic.
