THE FEELING WAS Georgie Kelly was just trying to soften the blow.
Last season’s top scorer in the Premier Division was mulling over offers to leave Bohemians – eventually joining League One Rotherham United – when he highlighted the potential of young teammate Promise Omochere who was emerging at Dalymount Park.
A winger in his schoolboy days, a growth spurt from 5’7 to 6’2 in his late teens led to him developing into an out-and-out frontman.
He has been in the mix of the Bohs first-team squad since his debut in the League Cup in 2018, but last term was his breakthrough, and now 2022 is primed to offer even greater excitement.
“Promise is an unbelievable player, unbelievable ability, he could easily be the best player in the league,” Kelly said before last season’s FAI Cup final.
“He’s had serious issues with injury and he grew really quickly in the last two to three years, he grew a ridiculous amount, a big difference in height and that causes its own complexities, different injuries and niggles.
“But if Promise can get himself right, next year, he’s a worry for any defender who comes up against him.”
Republic of Ireland Under-21 manager Jim Crawford agrees, and while he felt a call-up to his squad for the European Championship qualifier away to Sweden later this month came a little bit too early, he revealed how he has already been taking calls from clubs abroad about the 21-year-old.
And Crawford is not shy about sharing Kelly’s assessment of Omochere’s ability. “I’d agree with him [that he can be the best in the country]. I’ve already had a couple of phone calls about Promise from clubs in the UK.
“I said to them ‘look, you’ve certainly got to get eyes on him’ because he certainly ticks a hell of a lot of boxes.
I just think, as the season goes on, when he gets a run of games we’ll be able to assess [him] coming into the 21s.”
Omochere has certainly had an eventful start to this campaign, starting all four games he has been available for, only missing the 1-0 derby defeat with Shamrock Rovers through suspension after picking up two yellow cards away to Finn Harps.
He had earlier found the net in that clash away in Ballybofey, his second of the season having scored against Dundalk at Dalymount Park.
His all-round hold-up play and awareness in the 1-0 win over St Patrick’s Athletic was also impressive, leading the line with a game intelligence and understanding belying his 21 years.
Crawford has already been to watch him this term and admitted he hopes the striker continues in the same vein of form when the summer qualifiers at home to Bosnia-Herzegovina and Montenegro come around.
“Look, Promise is certainly somebody that has been in our thoughts. He had a wonderful pre-season. I went up to see against Dundalk where he was unplayable.
“I think the likes of Promise, with the June window, when he gets more games under his belt, playing at that level, because it looks like he’s the main target man with Bohemians at the minutes, we’ll see what happens there.
I would never say never with Promise. Promise would be another player who’s come from St Joseph’s Boys and he is a hell of a talent.
“He’s a physical presence with good one-touch play, links up with midfielders and can obviously score goals.
“It’s just one of those that we’ll just see where he is come the June window. When he gets more competitive games under belt with Bohemians. At this point in time he’s their number one striker.”
UCD away in the early evening Premier Division kick-off offers the next opportunity for Omochere to show his class.
