Osman was Lamia to slaughter after boss axe
ROSS COUNTY FALKIRK
ABDUL OSMAN feared his campaign was sunk without trace after he was cast adrift in the Mediterranean.
Now the Falkirk midfielder is determined to end the season on a high by keeping the Bairns afloat in the Championship.
Osman, 32, joined Greek side PAS Lamia last summer after he was one of 14 players axed by Partick Thistle following their relegation to the Championship.
He was convinced to pack his bags for Greece by Lamia boss Babis Tennes who remembered Osman playing for Kerkyra seven years earlier.
When Lamia sacked Tennes two weeks into the season and replaced him with Makis Chavos, Osman was left high and dry.
He said: “It can be a bit chaotic in Greece in terms of the way they do things and, honestly, I’m pretty glad to be back here.
“I went there because it was an exciting challenge and I had played in Greece before.
“The manager who signed me told me I was going to play and be a big part of the team.
“Then he got sacked two weeks into the season! He lost two games on the bounce and that was him finished. Gone.
“The manager who took over didn’t know an awful lot about me, wanted to bring his own players in and the situation became more difficult for me.”
Ray McKinnon threw the former Crewe, Gretna and Northampton man a lifeline in January, making him part of Falkirk’s mid-season revolution.
Osman has now become a pivotal player for one of the Championship’s form teams, who are unbeaten in 2019 with four wins and four draws.
Tonight will provide their sternest test against a Staggies side eight points clear at the top.
Osman said: “Ross County away is probably the biggest test you can have in the Championship but people also said Ayr United would be a big test and we beat them 2-0 last Friday.”
County midfielder Don Cowie admits he is wary of the Bairns.
He said: “A win would be massive for us but it will be a difficult one against Falkirk.
“They strengthened really well in January and they’re on a good run themselves.
“It is a good opportunity to stretch the gap at the top of the league even further.
“Momentum is huge and we’ve hopefully come through our sticky patch around the turn of the year.
“We put that behind us and responded really well. We just have to keep that going.”