Aston Villa’s decision to release Callum O’Hare in the summer of 2020 served the midfielder on a plate for Coventry City.
The now 26-year-old enjoyed a positive spell on loan with the Sky Blues during the 2019/20 campaign before it was cut short due to the pandemic.
At the age of 21, he contributed three goals and three assists from 29 appearances in League One as the team captured the title on the way to promotion to the Championship.
But Villa opted not to keep him at the club, right as they narrowly avoided relegation back to the second tier.
This was a major moment in O’Hare’s career, and a move back to Coventry made a huge amount of sense given the success he’d enjoyed with the club while on loan.
Callum O'Hare - Coventry City league goals and appearances (per Fbref.com)
Season
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2019-20
2020-21
2021-22
2022-23
2023-24
Callum O’Hare’s importance to Coventry
Mark Robins
O’Hare went from strength to strength during his time at Coventry, becoming a key player in Mark Robins’ side.
He featured in all 46 of their league games in his first year with the club on a permanent basis, making 40 starts.
A record of three goals and eight assists showed how well he took the step-up to the Championship from League One, and immediately vindicated the decision to return to the Sky Blues.
O’Hare improved in his second permanent campaign with the club, scoring five and assisting eight from 43 starts as the team cemented their place in the Championship with a 12th place finish.
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Injuries began to hamper his time at the CBS Arena from that point on, but he was still able to contribute well when available, even playing a role in helping Robins’ side reach the play-off final in 2023.
While he managed just 42 league appearances in his final two seasons with the Sky Blues, he remained a classy operator and someone that got the fans on their feet.
He was a key cog in the team when Coventry were at their best under Robins, forming a strong relationship in particular with Gustavo Hamer and Viktor Gyokeres.
Losing him as a free agent in 2024 was a hammerblow for the club, one which has hurt the team going forward.
Coventry’s struggles to replace O’Hare
Callum O'Hare for Sheffield United
O’Hare’s time at Coventry came full circle, walking into the club as a free agent and leaving it just the same way.
While there is no doubt that the Sky Blues would’ve preferred to keep him around, which wasn’t the case with Villa, supporters should still remember his time there fondly.
There is a sense of what could’ve been due to the injury issues he suffered, particularly during the play-off final campaign, with O’Hare missing the play-offs completely, playing 11 times in the league in total.
He is now with Sheffield United, where he has been able to show that same talent while playing alongside former Coventry teammate Hamer.
Meanwhile, the team has struggled for form in his absence, leading to a change in the dugout for the first time in seven years.
Coventry were served a talented star like O’Hare on a plate, but they will come to regret doing the same for Sheffield United.