O’Hare from Coventry: The Grealish comparisons do not have an effect on me

Coventry City's Callum O'Hare

Smooth again hair, iconic midfield and thick Midlands accent – it is unimaginable to not discover Jack Grealish’s traits when watching Callum O’Hare play from Coventry.

Had been it not for the truth that he wears his socks up by the leg – fairly than the low profile espoused by England’s first £100m footballer – the 2 gamers would have been a match.

“It was after I left Aston Villa after I acquired these comparisons to Jack,” the Sky Blues midfielder instructed Sky Sports activities forward of his staff’s journey to Derby. “He is among the finest gamers I’ve seen enjoying, so to be in comparison with him is an honor.

“It doesn’t put any stress on me. I can solely do what I can do. I do know I want to enhance in some areas and I believe I’m heading in the right direction and I can get to that time someday.”

Hey Hare scored two goals and set up another in Coventry 4-1 against Sheffield United
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O’Hare scored two targets and assisted one other in Coventry’s 4-1 win over Sheffield United

Past bodily comparisons relating to O’Hare and Grealish. Each gamers got here by Aston Villa’s academy, each represented Warwickshire in Gaelic soccer as a child and each have been inventive midfielders with a repute for fouling midfielders.

O’Hare is on high relating to most errors made by a participant within the event. Second-tier defenders have caught the 23-year-old 93 instances this season, and he stays the second highest-grossing participant of the Seventies.

It’s fairly attainable that Coventry’s No. 10 participant would have chosen this type of play from Grealish at Villa’s academy. The 2 midfielders are near O’Hare’s cousin being a mutual buddy, whereas additionally enjoying half a dozen video games collectively for Villa’s reserve staff.

Callum O & # 39;  Hare through Aston Villa Academy with Jack Grealish
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Calum O’Hare got here by the Aston Villa Academy with Jack Grealish

“I can form of see that as a result of we play in the same approach and we each make a number of errors,” he says. “However clearly we’re two completely different gamers and he is doing his job now. I am actually blissful for him as a result of he actually deserves it.

“He is the costliest English participant. Everybody aspires to be like this however I am probably not shocked. I’ve seen him play a number of instances and everybody can see him coming.

“When it comes to means he was pushing me into coaching and he was at all times giving me recommendation and that actually means loads. I hope I can be taught from him.”

However being an actual copy of Manchester Metropolis star Grealish has its downsides. For being one of the vital inventive Tier 2 gamers when it comes to progressive runs, possibilities created and tied fouls, O’Hare has had his fair proportion of arduous hits.

O & # 39;  Hare & # 39;  s total stats for this championship season
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O’Hare’s general stats for this championship season

All of it got here to a head final month throughout a 1-1 residence draw with Preston, when O’Hare was fouled seven instances by the opponent’s defenders, forcing him to overlook their subsequent recreation at Swansea. Mark Robbins, head of Sky Blues, complained that O’Hare had been “kicked from pole to pole and handed a number of instances.”

“I am unable to lie, I used to be pissed about it – I have never missed a recreation in a very long time,” O’Hare reveals. “I play by all my accidents, even when I get hits and kicks, I am going to maintain enjoying. However that towards Preston, I acquired fouled so many instances that I could not stroll. I attempted to coach earlier than we went to Swansea I acquired kicked in the identical place and could not transfer.

“I did not thoughts it [getting brought down] to start with. It is okay to make errors and win free kicks. However then it will get annoying. Typically, you get an opportunity whenever you go by and are dragged down and also you go “not once more”. Typically I do not get the error which is extra irritating. I simply must maintain going and actually get my recreation on.”

Anyway, it is not Grealish’s comparability that Coventry followers are singing about O’Hare within the stands. The 23-year-old coined the ‘Solihull Messi’ tagline – and the midfielder has praised his relationship with Sky Blues followers, who’ve struggled loads over the previous few years relating to retaining monitor of their membership.

Hare has been fouled 93 times in the tournament this season, more than any other player
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O’Hare has been fouled 93 instances within the event this season, greater than every other participant

“Yeah that makes me really feel good!” He says whereas smiling. “Messi is somebody I’ve liked since I grew up and is the very best participant I’ve ever performed. For the followers to offer me that title, it is at all times good to listen to that.

“I really feel actually related to the membership and so they have been so good with me. To be truthful, they’re nice with everybody. All of my teammates I spoke to have stated that even once we’re not enjoying to your finest, the followers nonetheless drive you and provide you with that vitality.” It is a actually nice membership to play for.

“You could possibly say I am a Coventry fan now. It is arduous to do whenever you’re enjoying with them however you are speculated to be a fan whenever you play with them since you need the outcomes to go our approach, whether or not you are ‘re-playing’ or not.”

No fan second for O’Hare extra emerged for Coventry than when the Sky Blues achieved promotion to the second division in the summertime of 2020, by the controversial points-per-game system after League One golf equipment voted to curtail the season as a result of coronavirus.

The younger Coventry midfielder, who was nonetheless on mortgage from Villa on the time, took to the town streets with an excellent speaker and sang on the street, along with his actions unfold on social media.

“I simply misplaced my head! The membership stated it [promotion] It may very well be right this moment that I turned down Sky Sports activities Information and so they introduced that we have been promoted and received the league. There was a speaker and I simply put “Pump it Up!” them overseas.

“I used to be alone with the boombox! Had a good time and appeared on social media and everybody liked it.”

Coming again to the intense matter of pushing the promotion for Coventry – and it is clear that Sky Blues will depend on No. 10 for his or her promotion. This, and their expertise in scoring late targets.

Saturday March 19 12:00 midday

Departure 12:30 pm


The phrase ‘Coventry Metropolis time’ – a twist on Manchester United’s ‘Fergies time’ – rings across the floor throughout the previous couple of minutes of each recreation and you may see why. Robbins’ aspect had an additional 13 goalscoring factors after the eighty fifth minute of the event – they’d be nineteenth within the desk with out that further tally.

“It is about how we practice and practice and likewise the best way we do not say loss of life,” O’Hare reveals. “It is by no means over till the siren goes off and I believe all of the gamers suppose so. This season we have proven that we are able to go till the tip and nonetheless rating some targets in stoppage time.”

However what Coventry can actually do is have some consistency. Each side of final Saturday’s 4-1 win over Sheffield United, which noticed O’Hare rating twice and supply an help, have been defeats towards Swansea, Luton and most not too long ago Hull.

However the different groups lacked that consistency as properly, and it ready an thrilling finish to the championship marketing campaign. Coventry remains to be 5 factors behind the highest six and the race for playoffs drops to 14th within the desk, as we enter the final 10 video games of the season.

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Highlights of the Sky Guess match between Coventry and Sheffield United

“It is loopy, there are such a lot of groups that may go up,” O’Hare says. “It is loopy! You need to take it recreation by recreation. There’s a lot that may collapse or rise. It is going to be enjoyable.”

“While you get to this stage of the season, clearly you need to play properly but it surely’s about outcomes. It is about substance, braveness and outcomes. Hopefully we are able to get again to what we have been doing sooner within the season and get some wins collectively.

“That is what you play for – you play for the followers. For them to really feel excited and revel in it. So hopefully we are able to have one other push in us to make ourselves into the play-offs if we simply cease our heads and get the outcomes.”

The problem is big for Eleventh-placed Coventry, however they’ve proven this season that they’ll by no means quit too late.

Watch Derby County vs Coventry Metropolis dwell on Sky Sports activities Soccer on Saturday from 12pm; Match kicks off 12:30pm