Ian Holloway admits that he tried to sign Oxford United ace Billy Bodin at Queens Park Rangers, describing the League One forward as a ‘beautiful’ footballer on EFL on Quest (12 February, 9pm).
The former Preston North End and Bristol Rovers man had only scored one league goal all season. Not that you’d have guessed it, given the way he took his chances during Oxford’s topsy-turvy 3-2 defeat to Bolton Wanderers on Saturday afternoon.
If there was an element of fortune about Bodin’s first of the game – a left-footed free-kick floating, Ronaldinho-style into the top corner – then there was nothing lucky about the strike that doubled his tally.
Cutting inside and locating the far corner with laser-like precision, the one-time Wales international offered a timely reminder of the ability that made him one of the division’s finest players during his time with Bristol Rovers.
“Billy Bodin, ex-Gashead. I love it,” beams Holloway, the Rovers-supporting former Rangers boss.
“I tried to sign him when I was at QPR. Beautiful player.”
Can Billy Bodin fire Oxford United into the play-offs?
It speaks volumes about the attacking talent at Karl Robinson’s disposal that Bodin has started just eight out of 32 League One fixtures this term.
He was left on the bench, too, for 13 out of 15 games between October and January.
But will his deadly double against Bolton be a turning point in Bodin’s season? Or merely a false dawn for a player who, for all his talent, has struggled to really make his mark since joining Oxford from Preston North End in June of last year.
Bodin will be a free-agent in five months’ time. He’ll need more displays like Saturday’s if he is to earn a second season at the Kassam Stadium.
“My aim is always to get in the team, do as well as I can and to earn another contract,” the 29-year-old says, via Oxford Mail.
“Hopefully if I keep playing well there’s no reason why I can’t get a new deal.”
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