It was within the first half of Molenbeek’s recreation in opposition to Beveren in April of final yr that it occurred. Molenbeek’s finest defender contested a duel with the opposition striker and emerged from it with a damaged nostril. The blood was streaming down his face.
“There was plenty of it,” Jonathan Alves tells Sky Sports activities. Alves was Molenbeek’s assistant coach and feared the worst, for participant and workforce. “This was first in opposition to second and we have been certain he was going to cease. It was not possible. However he simply cleaned himself off.”
Alves nonetheless remembers the second that this Irishman turned to the Belgian crowd and urged them to roar their help. “Inside minutes, he was delivering a high efficiency. If you wish to know who Jake O’Brien is, simply watch that recreation and see what he did.”
It feels just a little uncomfortable to reward such bravery when there would have been no disgrace in going off. However for these concerned, this was a defining second in Molenbeek’s title win. “An enormous recreation, numerous strain? Let’s go. That’s my finest reminiscence of Jake.”
On the time, O’Brien’s achievements abroad have been not more than a curiosity to these Crystal Palace supporters following the fortunes of a participant signed from Cork Metropolis in 2021. On his return, he would depart for Lyon for a charge of round £1m and that was that.
However such has been O’Brien’s impression in his sole season in France that he’s returning to the Premier League as a £17m signing for Everton. Now 23, he’s prepared for the subsequent section of his profession and people who have labored with him count on him to shine underneath Sean Dyche.
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Ben Garner explains what makes the ‘courageous as a lion’ O’Brien such a prospect
His first steps in English soccer got here on mortgage at Swindon City in League Two. Ben Garner, then supervisor of the Robins, had been at Palace himself. “I may choose individuals’s brains there, not solely on him as a participant however his character,” Garner tells Sky Sports activities.
The experiences have been of a towering younger defender who stood all of 6ft 6ins tall. “We have been in search of a centre-half to provide us that aerial presence in each packing containers, notably off set-plays, which we struggled with just a little bit as a result of we simply weren’t a giant aspect.”
However there was extra to O’Brien than his top.
“He needed to be somebody snug on the ball who may construct assaults and Jake has acquired these attributes. He got here in, courageous as a lion with the ball, fast, good athleticism for his measurement, clearly good within the air together with his body, and a extremely humble, decided lad.
An harm in the direction of the tip of that season slowed his progress just a little bit however the mortgage transfer to Belgium for the next season helped add extra to his recreation. Inside a handful of coaching classes, it was apparent to Alves that he may make a distinction.
“You possibly can instantly see the impression that he had on the workforce. He was the perfect defender within the league, little question, and by far. We knew that he could be a high participant at worldwide stage. That league was too small for him nevertheless it was additionally a superb step.”
O’Brien in worldwide motion in opposition to Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo
As at Swindon, his aerial prowess was excellent. As at Swindon, his former coach is eager to caveat the compliments about his physicality with a reminder that it comes with different qualities too. “He’s tall so he’s going to win all of the duels within the air,” says Alves.
“That’s regular, in fact. However what’s explicit about him is that he may also play with plenty of area behind him as a result of he’s quick too. That is essential within the high leagues. It is advisable be snug with area behind and he’s very snug.
“For instance, groups usually preserve an additional participant behind. If there may be one striker, you will depart two defenders and so forth. With Jake, that was not essential. One in opposition to one was sufficient to provide us the benefit. It was like we had two gamers there already.”
Molenbeek usually dominated their matches that season, one wherein O’Brien featured 30 occasions. He relished it. “On the ball, he is excellent. When he’s increase underneath a excessive press, that’s not an issue for him. He isn’t afraid to play. He can break the traces.”
There have been calls for on all of the workforce that season, not solely to play at a excessive stage however accomplish that constantly. Promotion was the goal from the outset. Regardless of being a younger participant in a brand new nation, O’Brien took that problem in his stride, welcoming the accountability.
“The expectation was that the workforce would do effectively. That brings strain, from the press, the followers and from the board. However certainly one of his greatest strengths is his mentality. He has a really excessive self-confidence, which is vital. He doesn’t care what individuals assume.”
O’Brien examined himself in opposition to top-quality gamers for Lyon final season
That angle served him effectively at Lyon, the place the circumstances upon his arrival have been dire. The seven-time French champions have been all-time low when he made his debut in October and nonetheless there as Christmas approached earlier than a spectacular turnaround.
O’Brien himself scored 4 targets, together with a late winner at Toulouse. Improbably, he was Lyon’s second-highest scorer behind Alexandre Lacazette. “I feel he can do even higher from set-pieces as a result of he’s tall, aggressive and reads the ball effectively,” says Alves.
Dyche’s Everton would possibly simply be the workforce to unlock that individual potential. “I feel it’s a good pairing due to their mindset. The Premier League has been his aim for the reason that begin and I feel he’s prepared for it. He’s assured however he’s humble sufficient to hear too.”
Garner shares that view.
“I’ve been so happy to see what he has gone on and achieved since, as a result of as I stated, he’s a extremely down-to-earth, hard-working and decided lad. I feel he has all of the instruments to go on and have a extremely profitable profession, as he’s displaying in the intervening time.
“I feel his development has in all probability been faster than anybody would have imagined nevertheless it simply goes to indicate that for those who do get these choices proper when it comes to your loans and the strikes that you just make, that setting can actually enable you to thrive fairly shortly.”
There has simply been the odd bloody nostril to take care of alongside the way in which.