Mark Robins insists Callum O’Hare is ‘focused’ on helping Coventry City achieve their ambitions this season but hasn’t ruled out the possibility of him leaving in the current transfer window.
The Sky Blues boss, however, admits that the star midfielder’s future is now out of the club’s control and firmly in his and his agent’s, and feels it’s 50-50 whether or not he’ll sign a new contract to keep him at the CBS Arena beyond the end of the season when he could walk away on a free transfer.
Asked if the club are any further forward regarding the player’s future, Robins said: “Look, everyone knows that Callum is out of contract and there’s a lot of speculation around it, and that will continue until he makes his decision public. But the truth of it is he’s been offered a contract, and a really good contract at that. He is free to determine what’s best for his future and at the end of the day that’s it as far as I am concerned.
“If he’s deciding to move on then that’s entirely up to him. We want to keep him and he knows where we stand on it. But, ultimately, he has got a decision to make. He has been out for almost 12 months and is just making his way back. He’s out of contract in the summer and he’ll have his own ideas. His agent will have his own ideas and he will make that decision when he’s good and ready. He may already have made it, who knows?”
The manager insists he plans to continue using O’Hare if he continues in good form, saying: “He’s in our squad and I think, really, we just have to get on with what we have and the depth that I have been given. And if he’s performing to a really high level then he will be included in the matchday squads as normal.
“But everyone has to earn their place and keep earning their place in the team because we want to progress as a club and if we can do, we want to get promoted into the Premier League like a host of other clubs. And do it as quickly as we possibly can do, and in a controlled manner.
“Ultimately, sometimes you are in control of situations and sometimes you lose that control. He’s in control of his future and he will decide that in due course, so there’s nothing else to say on it. He’s performing to a really good level.”
Asked if he sees it as a case that it’s either O’Hare leaves on a free in the summer or signs a new contract, and if there’s no way that he will sell him for a fee of some sort in the next week,” Robins admitted: “I wouldn’t rule anything in or out. And the last question you asked is way above my pay grade so, ultimately, I’ll be told at some point if that’s the case.
“I’m hopeful that we can have him sign a contract. Is that realistic? I think it’s 50-50 if I’m honest, so again, it’s up to him. He’s been made a really good offer and it’s down to him, his family and his representatives as to what his future holds. But I don’t think pressure should be put on him. He should be just allowed to get on with his work and what he is doing is knuckling down and is focused on what he’s got to do, trying to help us to where we want to get to this season.”
The club wouldn’t be able to force a sale in the transfer window, of course, even if they receive an acceptable bid for his services, if O’Hare doesn’t want to go. All the indications so far have been that he is keen to stay and help the push for promotion.
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