It’s good to talk over the future for City loan star
COVENTRY City and Callum O’hare - what happens next?
The midfielder has been in sparkling form since January time, and has been affecting the Sky Blues’ promotion charge with goals and assists.
On loan from Aston Villa, much is to be determined in O’hare’s future – he’s out of contract at his boyhood club as things stand, and with City well placed to make a long-awaited return to the Championship, there had been hopes that the club might have been in a position to offer the youngster the chance of a longterm stay.
The coronavirus pandemic, which has put a stop to all football until at the very earliest April 30, has sparked more uncertainty as to what O’hare’s future holds though. With Villa in a relegation battle, City eyeing their second promotion in three years and both sides very much in limbo when it comes to knowing how the campaign’s climax will play out, what has been said so far?
The loan situation
Not only does O’hare have a future to resolve this summer, but his actual loan spell – and the agreements of all other loanees in the Premier League and EFL – is up in the air. Contracted to remain at the club until the end of the campaign, being June, could Villa recall him for their relegation fight if the season resumes after a certain date?
“There’s no concern about anything at the minute,” City boss
Mark Robins said recently, of his loanees.
“We’re just living day to day and waiting to be told what to do.”
Chief executive Dave Boddy, meanwhile, added that he believes the governing bodies will make a blanket agreement on loanees and the clubs involved.
“As part of our submission we said that loans should be extended for as long as the season is extended,” he said.
“I don’t think it will be about the parent clubs, I think it will be what the authorities do.”
On O’hare’s performances Robins has been delighted with how O’hare has come on during his loan spell, having arrived in the summer with precious little EFL football to his name prior to the move.
“I think he’s a good player, there’s no doubt about it, and what he’s got is really good quality and a really calm head, and he will get better and better. And he needs to play,” Robins said.
“And what he has done here is good for his development and will stand him in good stead for the rest of his career. He’s done really well and is pushing and pushing all the time, but he’s doing that to try to make himself better. He doesn’t change in training. He’s exactly the same in games and that will mean he improves and becomes the best he can possibly be because he gives himself the best opportunity in training every day.”
Dean Smith, the Villa boss, has been keeping an eye on O’hare but has been unwilling to be drawn on a decision on the loan star’s future when pressed on the subject.