CHIEDOZIE OGBENE is facing approximately eight weeks on the sidelines after sustaining a knee injury that requires an operation.
The pacy 23-year-old, who has shown impressive early-season form for Rotherham United in the Championship, was due to be seen by a surgeon today.
Ogbene sustained the damage in training and subsequently missed Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Huddersfield Town. The former Cork City and Limerick winger will be a considerable loss to his club, according to manager Paul Warne.
“He’s a big part of how we play. He’s a big attacking threat for us,” Warne told the Rotherham Advertiser.
“We missed him [against Huddersfield]. I think he would have got us up the pitch and caused no end of problems.
“It’s not only when he has the ball. His presence would have stopped [Harry] Toffolo, who was pretty instrumental in Huddersfield’s second-half performance.
“He would have pushed Toffolo back. It’s no disrespect to Wilesy [Ben Wiles] – I thought Wilesy played really well in that position – but Chieo on the wing is another level.”
Ogbene, who was born in Nigeria but grew up in Grange on the southside of Cork city, has never played international football at any level.
In July, the Football Association of Ireland began the paperwork relating to his eligibility after he “expressed his desire to represent the Republic of Ireland at international level to national team boss Stephen Kenny,” an FAI statement explained.
