Kevin Kilbane: Chiedozie Ogbene should be playing Champions League football next season

This column’s protagonist is Chiedozie Ogbene. It was going to include an ode to Liam Scales’ breakthrough season at Celtic but Atlético Madrid thumped Brendan Rodgers side 6-0 on Tuesday so I’ll focus on Ogbene’s inspirational start to life at Luton Town.

This had been shaping into a stellar week for Irish footballers who began their careers in the League of Ireland. Scales and Celtic’s struggles in the Champions League cannot break my stride. Just like Trent Alexander-Arnold could not slow Chiedozie last Sunday at Kenilworth road.

Only four Irishmen featured in the Premier League last weekend but two of them were exceptionally good. Nathan Collins’ goal for Brentford drew high praise from his manager Thomas Frank. It was the header he was supposed to score against France last March, but AC Milan goalie Mike Maignan had other ideas. “There’s so much potential in Nathan,” said Frank. “He’s just started his career, more or less. I know he’s played Premier League football before, but at 22 you are not even close to your highest level.”

That statement is on the money. Collins, like Evan Ferguson and Gavin Bazunu, is ahead of the curve. Racking up Premier League minutes between the ages of 18 and 25 is how you are moulded into an international player. One who gets Ireland to major tournaments.

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At 21, I had two options to enter the Premier League. Liverpool’s Gerard Houllier spoke to me about coming to Anfield to play in the reserves, sit on the bench and bide my time. Peter Reid told me I would be go straight into the first team at Sunderland. Where do I sign?

Like Ogbene, who is already 26, I was ready for the step up having played over 150 matches for Preston and West Brom. Playing among men so young made me the player I became in my late twenties, early thirties.

That’s the secret. Whatever level you find yourself, just get on the pitch. Progress is impossible without exposure to the game and its veterans. Clock up the minutes, take your licks and an Ireland call up will follow.

Only then can your club and international career become mutually beneficial. Houllier was not glued to West Brom matches. He picked up the phone after seeing my performance in the first leg of the Euros play-off against Turkey in November 1999.

Caoimhín Kelleher is suffering from years on the Liverpool bench behind the best goalkeeper on the planet, Alisson Becker. Kelleher’s lack of game time was harshly exposed in Toulouse on Thursday night. Anfield is a great place to learn your trade but at 24, Kelleher’s development pales in comparison to 21-year-old Southampton goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu.

Bazunu build a solid foundation for his future self by playing for Shamrock Rovers, Rochdale and Portsmouth. Cleverly, Manchester City put a buy-back clause in the sale to Southampton.

Ogbene leads the way. The entire Premier League sat up and took notice when he almost got frustrated France defender Theo Hernandez sent off last March. The PSG man could not handle him.

Presumably, Ogbene had similar options this season to what I had in 1999. He chose Luton, he chose wisely. His career is only going in one direction. I cannot wait to see what he does over the next three, four years. He has the confidence, the touch, the pace and by all accounts the mentality to succeed.

[ When he gets into it, Chiedozie Ogbene is irresistible ]

Simply put, Chiedozie is a class act. That’s been established over the past four years as the former Limerick FC winger, wing-back, centre forward or second striker (he could probably do a job in midfield) went from League One to the EFL Championship to exposing Alexander-Arnold at Kenilworth Road.

The England international was targeted by Luton manager Rob Edwards. It was immediately evident that Ogbene was positioned on the left to isolate him. He continually burned Alexander-Arnold on the outside before drawing a number of fouls.

By some distance Ireland’s best player throughout 2023, Ogbene’s technique has massively improved since his League One debut for Rotherham in 2019. He made improvements through relentless, individual work. There is no other way.

But he should be critical of himself for unselfish play in the 1-1 draw with Liverpool. It was primetime viewing. Irish attacker stands up English defender. Leaves him for dust. After cutting inside Ibrahima Konaté, Ogbene should have scored an early candidate for goal of the season. Alisson left a tiny gap at his near post but he decided not to shoot and Virgil van Dijk got a piece of the low cross, which allowed the Brazilian ‘keeper to turn his body and block Charlton Morris’ shot.

It was not quite Liam Brady curling one into the top corner for Arsenal. Nor Roy Keane in his pomp at Old Trafford. But it was something to grab onto - a genuine Premier League performer not named Ferguson or Coleman.

Luton will probably be relegated this season. Same goes for Burnley and Sheffield United. But while Dara O’Shea, Josh Cullen and John Egan will return to the EFL Championship, another Premier League club will come in for Ogbene.

There is no reason why he cannot aim for Champions League football. And not necessarily with an English team. It’s his versatility, the ability to play left or right, as an attacker or wing-back that will earn him a lucrative deal.

Stephen Kenny, to his credit, identified Ogbene’s potential before most when capping him against Hungary in 2021. He rose to the challenge of going toe to toe with Hernandez or Kostas Tsimikas. Ireland are not the same team when he is injured.

There were two other Irishmen in the Premier League last week. Evan Ferguson for Brighton and while O’Shea earned his third straight start for Burnley.

Add the Blackburn Rovers duo, Andy Moran and Sammie Szmodics, to the mix along with rewarding Festy Ebosele form in Serie A and there is the makings of a serious attack.

Kenny has missed an opportunity by leaving Moran in the under-21s, again. He’s the creative midfielder Ireland needs to make Ogbene, Ferguson and even Szmodics sing on the international stage. We’ve tried everyone else. The only concern is Moran might struggle in Amsterdam like Will Smallbone did against Greece.

The 19-year-old is not ready for the Premier League, that’s why Brighton loaned him to Blackburn, but there’s enough consistency in his Championship performances to merit promotion, and give us a glimpse of the better days that lie ahead.