Gillingham are sitting on a healthy transfer windfall with these 2 players set to complete their medicals
Gillingham may be looking to strengthen their squad, but a couple of shrewd acquisitions the club made from Leyton Orient in 2023 could prove to be every bit as important for the club over the next couple of years.
In January that year, the club brought in midfielder Ethan Coleman from the O’s, then the following summer they went back to the London club to secure the signing of defender Shadrach Ogie. They arrived at the club for undisclosed fees, and both men could prove to be hugely valuable signings for the club, in more ways than one, moving forward.
Coleman has developed rapidly since his arrival at Priestfield and, after ably deputising for veteran midfielder Shaun Williams in the heart of the Gills’ midfield, has now established himself as one of the first names on the Gills’ team sheet.
Every team needs a player who can anchor the midfield and hold the centre of the park and provide a shield for the defence, and Coleman has slotted into that role admirably so far.
The midfield anchor role can sometimes be one that escapes the attention of the fans, with the unglamorous work of breaking up play, then giving a simple pass to start off attacks not the most eye-catching job on the field. But Coleman’s performances have seen him earn rave reviews from the Gills faithful, who have grown to appreciate strong, combative centre midfielders over the years as part of the Priestfield tradition.
While Coleman has made the defensive centre midfield role his own at Gillingham, Ogie was a near-constant in the starting lineup last season.
Whether partnered with Max Ehmer or Conor Masterson in a centre-half pairing, or operating on the left of a back three, Ogie’s pace, strength, and aerial dominance has added more grunt to the Gills’ back line.
Ogie was one of the outstanding performers early in the season under Neil Harris as the team raced to the top of the table on the back of a series of 1-0 wins, with his commanding performances helping secure clean sheets in the first four league games of the season.
But as the season wore on and Gillingham’s form dipped, Ogie started to suffer with confidence as a few mistakes crept into his play. However, at just 22 years of age, his performances overall have suggested that he has all the attributes to become a centre-half mainstay, and a natural successor to veteran centre back Ehmer, in the seasons to come.
It remains to be seen how new Gills boss Mark Bonner will line up defensively, but if he plays with a flat back four, Ogie looks set to battle with Ehmer to play alongside the club’s Player of the Year Masterson in the heart of the Gills’ defence next season.
