Luke O'Nien 2025/26

I think that was a tongue in cheek comment!

 

Feel sorry for him, if he doesn't get any minutes during AFCON I think he'll be off, a club legend in my eyes, saw through the worst of times right through to now.

 

I dont. He's now 31. He's getting paid alot of money, he's idolised by most of the fans and he probably expected to lose his place if we got promoted to the Premier League. He's smashed through more glass ceilings than even he would have ever imagined and even sitting on a Premier League bench and, I suspect, would have been far beyond his wildest dreams before he signed for us. And like you say, a club legend who helped drag us through the worst times and can now possibly bow out at one of the clubs highest peaks of recent times. Mission accomplished.

 

Depending who and what positions we sign in January he might not even make the bench after, same with Dan Neil. And definitely not after the summer window. They’ve both done brilliantly to get us where we are now but for me sentiment goes out of the window. Our signings are a level or two above both of them.

 

Be a shame if he doesn't get to play at Premier League level at least once, he has played at all the other levels in the league pyramid.

 

Exactly how I feel about him , I cant see any reason why we cant get him on the pitch at least once this season, he deserves it , then give him a testimonial , and then maybe offer him a role at youth team level , he is perfect for such a role imo.

 

We've seen with the likes of Roberts and Browne that we don't keep players if we've no intention of playing them, let alone hand them two years more money. It was regularly claimed that Ballard wouldn't make a PL player, same goes for Hume and, to an extent Le Fée, Mundle, Isidor and Mayenda. Only recently we've had people writing off Traore.

I'd imagine there were people in all of those camps who disagreed with RLB and would've peddled them all and hoyed O'Nien in for good measure. Thankully we have a club who don't make endless kneejerk decisions as some supporters do ...

... I've no doubt some would have said Brobbey 'will never make a PL player'.

Perhaps they're right but their track record isn't too great tbh and O'Nien has proved people wrong time and time again.

 

I dont think he'll be away this season. Cant see him wanting to leave, dropping a division and a drop in wages, and he's probably still enjoying himself, knowing him. And I cant see the club being in a hurry to push him out because they'll think he's a useful squad player. I can see him getting a few minutes nearer the end of the season when we are sitting safe in mid table (hopefully).

 

I think that O9 will get minutes this season and that when he does he will have earned the right to play through his application in training.
I agree sentiment has little place in the modern premier league, but the club wishes to be seen to be fair to players. That applies to minutes played, but also allowing them to move on at the appropriate time.
I am quite happy to let the club do what they think is right.

 

Indeed. Would love to see Luke become a premier league footballer here as part of a great squad.