x

McKenna: O'Shea's Been Excellent, Ogbene a Big Miss - Ipswich Town News

Town boss Kieran McKenna says Irish international pair Dara O’Shea and Chieo Ogbene thoroughly deserved the awards they received at Monday night’s End-of-Season Dinner.

O’Shea was named the Men’s Player of the Year and Ogbene, Town’s disability ambassador, the club’s PFA Community Champion picking up the Philip Hope-Cobbold Award along with women’s all-time top scorer and appearance-maker Natasha Thomas.

"I think he has been excellent and very consistent over the course of the campaign,” McKenna said regarding O’Shea.

"He arrived late and missed the first three games and had a little injury in the early part of the season. Considering all that, he has been really consistent in his performances.

"We’ve had to move his role around a little because of injuries but his performances have been good and his character has been outstanding.

"As a person and a leader in the club, it’s not easy coming into a club that has had a lot of success and a really settled group, but he has earned the respect of everyone and is growing day by day as a leader.

"One thing you can clearly see is that he has played Premier League football recently and you can maybe say he is the only one of our outfield players who has done that in the last year.

"I think you can see that in his assuredness and his consistency. He’s really brought that to the group and that’s been a benefit to have.

"We would like to have him here going forward. He is the type of person and mentality and player that you would like to build the next few years around.”

Ogbene’s season was curtailed in October by an achilles rupture when he had made only four starts and two sub appearances following his £8 million August signing from Luton Town.

"He has been a big miss,” McKenna reflected. "First and foremost, he is an absolute A* person – as good a human being as you are ever going to meet. Everyone has taken to him really well. He is a fantastic person.

"As a player, we have really missed his qualities - pace and power and physicality in the Premier League is in many positions the prerequisite. And as a team, it’s a prerequisite in being competitive.

"To lose him really early was a big, big blow – compounded by losing Wes [Burns], who is a similar profile in the same position.

"In the second half of the season, we have really missed the qualities that those two have. Even when Chieo was out and Wes was fit, you miss having one of them to start and one of them to come on.

"It has been a big, big loss with any other right wingers we have used also getting injured. It has been a bit of a cursed position for us this year.

"The positive is that we will have him back with us next season and hopefully, everything being well, in good condition to join us for pre-season.

"We haven’t had the benefit of his qualities too much yet, so he will be like a really fresh player for us in pre-season and ready to help us next year.”

What to read next:

Eze Nets Twice as U19s Draw Opener at Czech Tournament
Striker Nelson Eze scored twice as an U19 Town side drew 2-2 with hosts Banik Ostrava in their opening match at the Zlaty Kahan tournament in Czechia yesterday.
Young: Working With McKenna Again Was a Massive Pull
New Blues signing Ashley Young says manager Kieran McKenna played a big part in his decision to join Town having left Everton at the end of last season.
Town Confirm Young Signing
Town have confirmed the signing of veteran former England international Ashley Young on a one-year deal.
[Podcast] Blue Monday - New Podcast Now Online
A new podcast from the Blue Monday team is now available.
Released Forward Roberts Joins Stevenage
Released Blues U21s forward Matty Roberts has joined League One Stevenage following a trial.
Young Close to Completing Town Move
Veteran former England international Ashley Young is close to completing a move to the Blues on a one-year deal.
Former Town Youth Coach Owen Dies
Former Town youth coach Brian Owen has died, aged 80.
Emmanuel-Thomas Joins AFC Totton
Ex-Town forward Jay Emmanuel-Thomas has joined National League South AFC Totton following his release from prison on parole.
Young Watches Son as U21s Beat Needham
Former England star and apparent Town target Ashley Young watched his son Tyler feature as a trialist for Town's U21s on Tuesday evening as they beat 10-man Needham Market 2-1 at Bloomfields in a pre-season friendly.
Young Watching Town U21s at Needham
Veteran former England international Ashley Young is watching Town’s U21s in friendly action at Needham Market with his son Tyler on trial with John McGreal’s squad.