Nottingham Forest’s forgotten £10 million transfer will be ‘extraordinary’ after two ‘crazy’ years
|A few weeks ago, it was revealed to Omar Richards that two years after being out of the picture at Nottingham Forest, he was suddenly 90 minutes away from a European final.
Speaking after a semi-final first leg triumph against Aston Villa in the Europa Conference League, the left-back responded with some understatement: “When you describe it like that, it’s ridiculous. “I’ve been through a lot in the last few years.”
Hasn’t he just. Signed from Bayern Munich on a four-year deal for a reported £10 million, there was a lot of excitement about Richards ahead of the Reds’ return to the Premier League. He was seen as a quality addition.
Forest fans, though, are still waiting to see what he has to offer. But that could soon change.
Richards’ first year as a Red was spent on the sidelines. A hairline fracture of the leg, muscle injuries and a hernia meant he never got to kick a ball for the club. Conversations about “set-backs” cropped up in then head coach Steve Cooper’s press conferences. Even last summer, although he was able to join in training to some degree, the defender did not get a run-out in pre-season.
A change of scene was viewed as the best way forward. A loan to fellow Evangelos Marinakis-owned club Olympiacos followed.
When that stint comes to an end, Richards could return to the City Ground as a Europa Conference League champion as the Greek outfit saw off Villa to reach the showpiece finale. Would he then be able to cut it in the Premier League?
“Clearly, yes,” says Vassilis Konstantopoulos, who covers Olympiacos for Novasports. “His quality is exceptional.
“He is a player who stands out when he competes, and this was proven by his performances in the two very difficult matches against Fenerbahce and Aston Villa. However, his coach must manage him with patience and faith in order not to ‘lose’ him during the season.
“He is a player who believes very much in his own worth and self. This is clear from the way he seizes every opportunity.
“The few appearances have certainly not satisfied him. However, good performances in the majority of these matches have filled him with confidence in view of the continuation of his career. In his statements, he has clearly said that in order to show what he really deserves, he needs rhythm, which comes through appearances.”
Understandably, given the length of absence, even in Greece Richards took time to get going. He had to get fit first of all and then he suffered another slight injury issue.
His debut for Olympiacos came four months after he had put pen to paper. It was a four-minute cameo from off the bench in a 5-2 Europa League victory over Serbian side Backa Topola.
Since then, the 26-year-old has made 10 league appearances – seven of them in the starting XI – and has featured three times in Europe. He was a half-time substitute at Villa Park as the visitors triumphed 4-2. And although he was not involved in the return leg, which Olympiacos won 2-0, he will no doubt hope to feature in next week’s final against Fiorentina.
“As I told you, he has not been able to find the rhythm he would like. Small problems left him in the shadows, but it was clear from the middle of the season onwards he was in good shape,” Konstantopoulos says. “However, other players had already surpassed him in the coaches’ choices for the left of the defence.”