Odsonne Edouard relishes the pressures that come with playing for Celtic, and the young French striker is aiming to keep firing the Hoops up the table.
PRESSURE is an integral part of football, but the weight of expectation that comes with pulling on the green and white jersey is greater than most players ever experience.
Odsonne Edouard insists that such pressure will only bring out the best in him, and the young French striker is eager to show that when Celtic face Hibernian this weekend.
There’s a lot expected of any forward who plays for Celtic, and particularly off the back of a Double Treble campaign. In that regard, it’s easy to forget that Edouard is still only 20-years-old. Carrying the expectation of that role has the potential to weigh down a young player, but the composure and focus that Edouard has shown alludes to a mental fortitude beyond his years.
Brendan Rodgers has spoken highly of the Paris Saint-Germain academy graduate and has included him in all the most important games so far this season. Edouard has shown no signs of struggling to deal with the responsibilities and said the pressure around his role will only bring out the best in him.
“What pressure?” Edouard said when asked by the Celtic View about his duties in the Hoops. “I am naturally a very relaxed and calm person. The pressure does not get to me. I know it’s there but it does not negatively effect on my performance.
“I know how to deal with it and I try to use that to my advantage when I go out and play. I’m always focused and prepared so I don’t show any signs of the pressure when I play football. I give everything when I play and I’m always looking to score. I know what the manager wants from me, so I only concentrate on doing that and not on anything else.”
The pressure was most certainly on in Celtic’s Europa League game against FC Salzburg. The Austrian champions reached the semi-final of the competition last season and had not lost a home game since November 2016 when Celtic arrived.
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