Celtic completed a clean sweep of domestic honours in 2017/18, Odsonne Edouard’s first campaign at Parkhead on loan from Paris St-Germain. However, it was difficult for the French striker to feel anything other than a bit-part player in that success.
He started only 12 Premiership fixtures (although he contributed nine goals) and couldn’t even make the bench for either the Betfred Cup or Scottish Cup final victories over Motherwell.
This season, though, he has truly arrived. After becoming the club’s record signing, circumstances beyond his control have conspired to make him the club’s first-choice front man and he has responded with big goals in big games.
He is the club’s leading scorer this season and started the Betfred final against Aberdeen in December. A second championship medal is all but guaranteed and he will play a key role in next weekend’s Scottish Cup semi-final. Should the treble be achieved yet again next month, the 21-year-old admits this one will mean more to him than last year’s.
“It’s obviously more important for me this season,” he said. “I’m now the recognised No.1 striker so I feel I have more pressure on my shoulders. I have to carry the team in a way in terms of goalscoring.”
Edouard began the campaign as then manager Brendan Rodgers’ third-choice behind Moussa Dembele but the sale of his compatriot to Lyon for £20m in August and the ongoing mental health problems which have sidelined Leigh Griffiths since before Christmas have left him as the
go-to guy for Rodgers and now Neil Lennon.
However, he claims that the disappearance of his two rivals did not put pressure on him to deliver, mainly because of the demands he makes of himself.
“Ever since I signed for the club my aim and motivation has been to become the No.1 striker so, in a way, Moussa leaving and Leigh being out
is nothing to do with it,” he claimed. “I miss Moussa. He is a close friend and that was very important to me but he was also very important for the team.
“But these things happen in football and you have to move on – do your best and carry on. I’m happy with my goal tally so far but I’m also never happy with it, if you know what I mean. I always want to do better and there are still a few games to go this season.
“The season has gone very well so far. You could say that we have nearly won two trophies and now we want to try for the third.”
Edouard opened the scoring in the 2-1 victory over Rangers seven days ago. It was his fourth goal in five games against their derby rivals, in stark contrast to Alfredo Morelos’ record of not having scored in eight games against Celtic.
Another difference between the pair is that he had collected only four yellow cards from 45 appearances this season prior to yesterday’s game against Livingston. Compared to
the combustible Colombian, he is laid-back to the point of being horizontal.
“I’ve always been like that, ever since I was a kid,” he claimed. “I don’t seem to feel much pressure; I look at it as a football game. It’s a game and I’m a calm person. I’m not different, although it’s a bit more serious than playing with your pals and having a laugh.
“First and foremost, it’s a pleasure for me to play football. Secondly, it’s a job. But to really know me you need to see me every day. If you saw me on a daily basis you would get to know the person I am.”
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