Celtic player banned from playing for Wales due to little-known rule change

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Craig Bellamy spoke of his disappointment after learning that Celtic striker Callum Osmand is unable to represent Wales at senior level.Osmand scored his first goal for the club during last weekend’s 3-1 win over Rangers in the Scottish league Cup semi-final.GettyOsmand’s international career with Wales has come to an end before it really started[/caption]Osmand, who was born in Jersey, played for Wales under-16s and under-17s at a time when players from the Channel Islands were able to play for any of the four Home Nations.However, a rule change means players from the British Crown Dependencies which are not full FIFA or UEFA members can now only represent England.As Osmand has no Welsh heritage, his hopes of pulling on the famous red shirt has been thwarted.Wales boss Bellamy, who has been linked with the Celtic job, has been keeping tabs on the situation for some time.But the ex-Premier League striker has now resigned himself to the idea that Osmand is firmly out of his grasp.“I like him, but unfortunately he’s not on the radar to be able to play for us,” Bellamy said.“If he was, it would have been a completely different conversation I would love to have had. I would have liked to have talked about it all.”Osmand swapped Fulham for Celtic Park in June on a four-year deal.Upon his arrival the then Hoops boss Brendan Rodgers said: “We are really pleased to bring Callum to Celtic. He is a highly-rated, talented young player.“He has some real attributes. He’s a quick and powerful striker and I’m really looking forward to working with him. I’m sure he can be really successful with us.”GettyBellamy spoke of his disappointment at the news that Osmand would not be available for selection[/caption]GettyOsmand was mobbed by teammates after netting his first Celtic goal against Rangers last weekend[/caption]But things didn’t go to plan for Osmand and he was subsequently frozen out by Rodgers.He was handed his first-team debut by interim boss Martin O’Neill in the 4-0 win over Falkirk before repaying his boss’ faith in him by netting against Rangers at Hampden Park.Osmand started on the bench for Thursday night’s 3-1 defeat at FC Midtjylland in the Europa League but a torrid first-half display where Celtic shipped three goals, saw the 19-year-old introduced at the start of the second half.Osmand was later stretchered off the pitch with a suspected hamstring injury. Meanwhile, Bellamy now turns his attention to the final two World Cup qualifiers with Wales still holding an outside chance of booking their spot at next summer’s tournament in North America.Wales head to Liechtenstein on November 15 before hosting North Macedonia four days later at the Cardiff City Stadium.Osmand is only eligible to represent England at international level nowGettyAFPNothing other than six points from their two remaining qualifiers will do if Wales are to keep their World Cup hopes alive[/caption]Bellamy’s side currently sit third in Group J, three points adrift of North Macedonia and four behind leaders Belgium but with a game in hand.The group winners qualify automatically for the World Cup while the four remaining berths are determined by play-offs involving the 12 group runners-up and four teams from last year’s Nations League phase.