Reports are suggesting that one of the three trialists named in tonight’s squad is Armstrong Oko-Flex, a winger recently released by West Ham.
Of course, readers of the Stacey West will need no introduction – I put him as a top choice in an article about big prospects almost two years ago. However, he has since been a player I’ve kept an eye on, and who it pleases me to see in a Lincoln shirt, if indeed it is him.
The 21-year-old started his career in Ireland with Tolka and St Kevin’s Boys before a spell at Arsenal. From there, he moved to Celtic, where he got his first senior deal. He appeared a couple of times for their first team in the SPFL before a move to West Ham United. He was a regular in the West Ham Under 21 side, scoring 14 times in 35 outings in Premier League 2, but he made just one senior appearance in the Europa League as a late sub against Viborg.
Armstrong Oko-Flex scoring tonight 🇮🇪 pic.twitter.com/E0TNiBIgIp
— Rep of Ireland Player Tracker (@reptracker) January 18, 2022
During his time with the Hammers, he went on loan to Swansea, where he appeared 13 times in the Championship, 12 of those coming as a sub. He was recalled by the Hammers in January but didn’t feature again and was released at the end of the season. In addition to his club career, he’s also represented Ireland up to Under 21 level and was on the same camp as Sean Roughan and Dylan Duffy this summer. It was also reported he was on trial at Sunderland this summer, a fact he denied on his social media account.
There’s no official confirmation it is Oko-Flex, and it would be some coup if he did come to Lincoln. If it is Trialist B as suggested, he was withdrawn after an hour of the fixture, having hit the bar in the first half. He would appear to be the sort of player I could see us taking a punt on, especially given his electric form for West Ham Under 21s.