Life in Lyon makes Jake O’Brien an outlier. In theory, the 22-year-old is a pioneer for future Irish footballers to follow.
Yet none of these labels are by choice. The cold reality of the Premier League forced him to leave Crystal Palace in 2022.
O’Brien took a risk moving to the Belgian second tier. The loan switch paid off when the big centre half was named RWD Molenbeek’s player of the season. Already an established Republic of Ireland under-21 international, he towered above all-comers in the Challenger Pro League. It was enough to earn another move, this time to Olympique Lyonnais.
“It’s a very historical, big club in France,” he told the assembled media in Abbotstown on Tuesday. “Fans are amazing. Facilities amazing. You’re training with the top players in the world. Better to be there and develop.”
Beats not developing at all.
There is plenty to know about the Youghal man’s rise to prominence. Like how he was too small to make the underage grade in Ireland. Like how he took up boxing to toughen up and develop physically. Like how he’s a professional footballer with type one diabetes.
Like how he grew to 6ft 6in tall before breaking into John O’Shea’s squad for the March friendlies against Belgium and Switzerland.
“Ever since I was young I always believed I could play for Ireland. It was more about patience and taking the opportunity when it came. Everyone develops at different stages and for me it was a latter stage to other players, but I always believed in myself. I wasn’t as physically developed enough to compete with these players.”
These players are Nathan Collins and Jason Knight, two regulars in the senior squad who came through the youth ranks with O’Brien.
“It was only at 16, 17 that things started coming for me in terms of physicality. When I was at Cork City it was about putting it together, physically, before going over to England.”
Finally included in the senior squad this week, he is intent on winning a first cap against Belgium this Saturday or the Swiss on Tuesday. He’s the same age as Collins and a year older than Andrew Omobamidele, two Premier League centre backs who did not need to recalibrate their careers in Brussels or Lyon.
Along with Dara O’Shea, Collins and Omobamidele could keep O’Brien benched, having held their own in the English top flight for Burnley, Brentford and Nottingham Forrest respectively. And nothing is guaranteed when injured trio John Egan, Shane Duffy and Liam Scales return.
Nonetheless, here he is, being coached by the Waterford man he half-modelled himself on.
“John would have been the centre half I looked up to and it’s amazing now that he’s the manager. From watching him to playing under him.”
What does O’Shea bring as caretaker coach?
“His experience, his coaching. He’s very good to the lads. Speaks very well, conducts himself very well. He knows what it’s like to play at this level. His advice, his coaching is very good.”
There is a cautionary tale on the Irish management ticket as Paddy McCarthy, his academy coach at Palace, came agonisingly close to a cap, only to be an unused substitute against South Africa in 2009.
“Paddy knows what he gets out of me and I know what I get out from him. It’s good to have him around to lean on and ask for advice.”
If O’Brien gets the nod from O’Shea on Saturday there is some solace in the fact that Romelu Lukaku will not be on the pitch. The powerful Roma forward is ruled out, due to a groin issue, of Belgium’s trips to the Aviva and then Wembley next Tuesday.
In theory that is good news but, in reality, Loïs Openda has scored 23 goals for RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga and Champions League.
Nor do Ireland have to cope with Kevin De Bruyne’s creativity or the occasionally unbeatable Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois as Belgium struggle to address their internal collapse at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar – despite Domenico Tedesco replacing Roberto Martínez as manager. Tedesco’s approach appears to have made matters worse with Belgians now fearing that Courtois will refuse to play for him in Germany this summer.
“I have tried everything, absolutely everything,” said Tedesco when asked about the ongoing rift with Courtois, who is set to return from knee surgery in April. In response, the Madrid goalkeeper took to X, posting three Pinocchio emojis.
In theory, this should help O’Shea’s Ireland. In reality, it might not matter.
