But FC Zurich forward Armstrong Oko-Flex, a current Ireland U-21 international, will feel very much at home in the Drumcondra venue, on familiar ground with familiar faces in the opposition camp.
Damien Duff, manager of a Shelbourne side that lost 3-0 in the away leg of their second qualifying round battle with Zurich, was one of his coaches at Celtic. Oko-Flex and his family may have moved to London from Dublin before he hit his teenage years, but there are even some old school pals in the Reds camp.
“I know Kameron Ledwidge, the centre-back or left-back, we went to the same primary school. I was also at Kevin’s for a short while as well with another player, Ross Tierney, who went to my primary school,” Oko-Flex said of his Glasnevin upbringing and his early education at Our Lady of Victories primary school, in Ballymun.
“Damien Duff was my coach at Celtic. Just a crazy guy. He was really good. I owe a lot of my development to him. He was at Celtic to help me and one other winger especially because when he was playing he was, obviously, a world-class winger in his days, so I learned as much as I could from him.
“It was good to see him coaching Shelbourne last week and see him doing well. I have great respect for him.
“This game is a special occasion. I’ve obviously played in Ireland with the national team, but it is probably my first first-team [club] game here. I just hope to have a good game, and hopefully, put on a show and show what I can do personally.”
The forward could not have predicted a career path when the family made that move to the UK, as he had spells in the academies of Arsenal and Celtic and a professional contract with West Ham, and even played for England’s underage international sides for a while before declaring for Ireland, where he would win youth caps alongside players like Troy Parrott, Andrew Omobamidele and Festy Ebosele.
At a crossroads in the summer of 2023, he took a call from FC Zurich and made the move which has led to first-team football and U-21 caps.
“I feel like football is a game that can take you anywhere. Because I moved from Ireland to London at a young age, I think I was able to adapt to different places and look forward to new challenges,” he says, noting that compatriots like Jake O’Brien and Troy Parrott also had spells on the continent.
“I just want to go somewhere that can help me make a name for myself and where I can play my best football and I definitely feel I can do it here, and it is just time to show it.
“Everywhere I’ve been I’ve had some good experiences, maybe some bad experiences as well but it’s part of learning and I’m learning each day.”
International promotion could come his way if he can impress new Ireland coach Heimir Hallgrímsson. “Anything is possible. If I can get in a rhythm and flow of things, add things to my game, show my quality and play regularly for FC Zurich, score goals and get assists, then anything is possible. If that is the case, then I will be very happy. I don’t rule out anything,” he said.
There’s no guarantee that Oko-Flex will start against Shels, with their Dutch-born manager Ricardo Moniz urging caution despite that 3-0 lead. “Shelbourne have nothing to lose. We know their strengths and this will be a completely different game.
“Shelbourne is a big club with fantastic players, authentic players. Their coach is a big personality who never gives up,” said the much-travelled Moniz, who said he was relishing a game in the humble surroundings of Tolka Park and saw no issue with a surface which has been criticised, even by Shels boss Duff.
“Football has brought us all over the world, I have seen so many stadiums. It was a bit of a romantic feeling for me to see this, this kind of authentic atmosphere, it’s pure thankfulness to walk off that pitch. The surface is OK, I played on the streets,” he said.
