This is the sort of run that can change a player's mood, a manager's options and, just as importantly, the tone around a team. Callum Osmand has gone from time out with a hamstring injury to making his first Celtic start, scoring twice against Hearts and suddenly looking like far more than a name on the team sheet.
For a 20-year-old who has had to wait for his chance, it has been a sharp reminder that football can turn quickly. One week he was back in action as a lively substitute in Celtic's 4-1 Europa League loss at Benfica after recovering from injury. By Sunday, he had a double in the 7-1 win over Hearts before being withdrawn at half-time as a precaution. That is not a bad way to announce yourself.
A crazy few days — and no sign he wants to stop there
Osmand said it himself: it has been a "crazy few days". He was honest enough to admit the spell out was tough, with ups and downs, but the important part is what came next. He has started his first game for Celtic, made an impact straight away and now wants more minutes, more chances and more goals. That is the attitude a young forward needs when the door opens.
There is also a subtle but important tactical point here. Osmand has switched from central striker to playing out wide, and he is not pretending that is a problem. Quite the opposite, in fact. He says he is happy to play in either attacking role as long as he is on the pitch. That kind of flexibility is valuable, especially when a club is juggling bodies and looking for players who can contribute without fuss.
It is easy to overreact to one big performance. It is also easy to dismiss a young player's hot spell as a temporary burst. But Osmand's case feels a little different because the impact has come so quickly after injury and because the signs were already there before Sunday. He was involved at Benfica, then decisive against Hearts, and he has now shown he can handle the jump from substitute minutes to a starting role.
As for whether he is ready for the next match, the answer is probably yes, with the obvious caveat that Celtic have already taken the sensible precaution once. Osmand said he felt OK but tired at half-time, with both hamstrings feeling it, and the medical team quite rightly chose to minimise any risk. That is not a warning sign so much as a reminder that this is still a young player building back up.
So when Thursday night comes around, Celtic will at least have a live option on their hands. A postponed fixture elsewhere may alter the calendar, but it does not change the fact that Osmand has given Celtic something they could use immediately: momentum, energy and a forward who looks eager to keep impressing rather than merely settle for having made it back.
