Tobi Oluwayemi has revealed he has arrived at Dunfermline inspired by the advice of goalkeeping greats Kasper Schmeichel and Joe Hart.
The Pars’ new loan signing was part of the first-team squad at Celtic for their pre-season tour to the United States earlier this summer.
It was a trip that helped to delay his arrival at East End Park, but one the 21-year-old believes could be instrumental in his development between the sticks.
The youngster was able to pick the brains of Denmark internationalist Schmeichel, having done the same with Hart during the former England number one’s three years with the Hoops.
“Some great goalies and great people joined Celtic in the last couple of years,” said the recent recruit, who joined the Hoops from Spurs in 2019.
“Joe Hart, Kasper Schmeichel – people who have won the Premier League and played in bigger international competitions.
“You learn so much from them as keepers and sportsmen.
“The pre-season tour was great. It was my first experience of a long trip away to a different continent.
“Especially with Kasper joining in at the start, you get to see a different type of person.
Tobi: ‘They were magnificent’
“Obviously I had Joe Hart before. But you get different characters, different persons and a different way of being at the top, because they have both been at the top.
“You ask questions as much as you can and learn as much as you can. You’d be a fool not to.”
He added: “They were magnificent. Joe Hart worked with my brother [Josh] at Spurs so that helped me a bit, that he knew my name and he knew of me.
“How humble and hard working the guy is was an eye-opener for any young player. If someone who has been there behaves like this then you have to behave like that.
“When Kasper came in, it was the same humility. You start to see a trend with the top players when you speak to them.
“They all have that sense of humility and hard work ethic about them.”
Oluwayemi has previously been on loan at Cork City and Admira Wacker in Austria, but both spells were cut short due to injury.
However, he is hopeful his season-long switch to Dunfermline will prove more fruitful – just as it has for pal and former Celtic team-mate Ewan Otoo, who joined the Pars 18 months ago.
“Loans are very beneficial for young players and keepers,” he added. “You get to a stage where the things you need to learn are in matches and you need to go out there and do it.
Ewan Otoo friendship
“Loans are an opportunity to do that.
“At this club, I know Ewan Otoo very well. He has told me about the club.
“Me and Ewan are very close. I speak to him everyday, regardless. And when he heard that I might be coming here he told me what this place can do for me – and what I can do for this place.
“It helped him when he left Celtic, and I felt that it was a good option [for me].”
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