LUTON TOWN MANAGER Nathan Jones believes Eunan O’Kane can be a valuable asset to the Championship club following the Republic of Ireland international’s return to action on Saturday.
In a pre-season friendly against non-league side Berkhamsted, O’Kane came off the bench at half-time to play for the first time since he was sidelined by injury in September 2018.
While on loan at Luton from Leeds United, the midfielder suffered a double leg-break in a game against Bristol Rovers.
Although he remains contracted to Premier League-bound Leeds for one more season, O’Kane returned to Luton earlier this year and is due to stay until next summer.
The 30-year-old had a hand in two of the three goals that fellow Ireland international James Collins scored in a 9-0 win over Berkhamsted.
“He’s a wonderful, wonderful footballer,” Jones said of O’Kane afterwards. “We have massive, massive hopes for him, so it’s great to see him back.
“He’s a little way off it in terms of the intensity levels he needs and the strength and the mobility, but it was nice to see him get minutes. The range of passing he has and his radar is quite frightening.”
O’Kane has won seven senior caps for Ireland, the most recent of which came in a friendly defeat to Mexico in June 2017.
He joined Leeds from Bournemouth in 2016 and was rewarded with a new four-year contract at the end of his first season at Elland Road.
However, the Derry native didn’t feature in the plans of Marcelo Bielsa after the Argentine took over as manager in the summer of 2018.
The42 is on Instagram! Tap the button below on your phone to follow us!
Don’t be too sure… Apparently, there’s a lot of communions and confirmations down in Munster this weekend!
It’s gonna be a cracker!
Come on Leo’s Lions!
Time to stand up and fight
@John Quinn: as a leinster fan id be more worried if munster tried to play rugby, standing and fighting hasn’t done them any good for 13 years.
Is there any way of telling, before you click in on an article, that a subscription is required to read? Makes this website experience tedious
@Paul C: you know when you’re scrolling and each article has a little hastag on it (on my phone anyway) well it seems to be the ones that’s have this highlighted in blue/green/turquoise sort of colour.
@SPQH: I’m noticing now they all say “analysis”
@Paul C: The ones marked analysis in green are paywall articles. You can sign in up the top left with an email address without having to pay a subscription and see most of the articles currently. That’s what’s working for me anyway.
@SPQH: well spotted. Thanks
I think it will be a cracker and not as clear cut as some think. The fans will have a great day
@Phillip Keohane: From an entertainment perspective, i hope you’re right. I doubt it though. Leinster to win in third gear i’d say. Munster have the intensity and attitude alright but they are not at the same technical and cohesion levels as Leinster imo.
@niall kelly: Leinster need to keep the focus on the European Cup which will define their season. However it looks more like the quality of player missing from Munster due to injury makes it hard to see past Leinster. Still, it’s sport so, you never know.
Munster have nothing to lose I’ll think it will be a dog fight . A great game for the fans
Leinster were red hot favourites last year to win the Champions Cup and also lost in the URC. There are no favourites both teams will give everything. I hope Leinster win tomorrow but if Munster win I will be the first to congratulate them.
I’d be surprised that they will travel up.I hope they do,they are needed for the atmosphere, but I don’t think they believe they have a chance. It’s a pity the great games of Munster v Leinster rivalry, ROG pumping it up at the crowd, Johnny in ROg face,that real rivalry where the outcome was in doubt is gone.
Leinster are so dominant that Munster supporters won’t spend the money to see their team lose.They will come up and hope to get more joy outta supporting ROG