Championship giants Aston Villa refused to let Callum O’Hare leave Villa Park on loan this month despite his lack of first-team opportunities.
Steve Bruce has shown a refreshing willingness as Aston Villa manager to make the club’s highly-rated young talent a key part of his first-team plans.
Keinan Davies was Villa’s first choice centre-forward for a number of months, while Andre Green and Rushian Hepburn-Murphy would surely have featured far more regularly if it had not been for poorly timed injuries.
One player who might have expected to have a few more minutes under his belt at this stage of the season, however, is Callum O’Hare.
The 19-year-old has been in sensational form for Villa’s under-23 side this season, notching eight goals in 10 Premier League 2 games while catching the eye with his composure, class and innate creativity.
You could even make a case that O’Hare could rival fellow Bodymoor Heath graduate and current first-team star Jack Grealish for natural talent.
In fact, Bruce rates the teenager so highly that he refused to let him leave on loan to a lower league club this month, according to the Birmingham Mail, which should perhaps be seen as a real show of faith from the manager.
But the decision to keep O’Hare at Villa Park surely only makes sense if Bruce plans to give him more regular first-team football over the coming months. He has played just four Championship games, all coming from the bench, although he has started three cup fixtures this season.
It is difficult to argue, however, that the odd cameo appearance in between regular reserve fixtures would be better for O’Hare’s development than a prolonged period out on loan, featuring on a weekly basis.
So the next few months could be crucial for O’Hare’s development into a potential first-team star.
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