Armstrong Oko-Flex

Armstrong Inya Echezolachuku Oko-Flex (born 2 March 2002) is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a winger for Premier League club West Ham United and the Republic of Ireland under-19 national team

Armstrong Oko-Flex
Personal information
Full name Armstrong Inya Echezolachuku Oko-Flex[1]
Date of birth (2002-03-02) 2 March 2002
Place of birth Dublin, Ireland
Position(s) Winger
Club information
Current team
 West Ham United
Number 40
Youth career
2007–2009 Tolka Rovers
2009–2013 St Kevin's Boys
2013–2018 Arsenal
2018–2021 Celtic
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2021 Celtic 2 (0)
2021– West Ham United 0 (0)
National team‡
2017 Republic of Ireland U16 2 (0)
2018 England U16 5 (1)
2019 Republic of Ireland U19 1 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 20:47, 18 January 2021 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 16:17, 29 March 2022 (UTC)

Club career

Oko-Flex was born in Dublin and started out playing with a local academy, Tolka Rovers, then St Kevin's Boys before being spotted by Arsenal scout Liam Brady, who had also come through the St Kevin's, with Oko-Flex then signing for the London club.[2] He joined Celtic on a three-year deal from Arsenal in September 2018.[3] He made his first team debut for the club as a substitute against Hibernian in January 2021.[4]

West Ham United

On 25 June 2021, Oko-Flex joined West Ham United on a two-year contract with an option for a third year.[5]

On 16 August 2021, Oko-Flex scored a hat-trick in his Premier League 2 debut against his boyhood club Arsenal in a 6–1 home win.[6] On 15 December 2021, Oko-Flex was an unused substitute for West Ham's Premier League fixture at the Emirates Stadium, a match won 2–0 by Arsenal.[7] This was the first time he had made a first-team squad for the club.

International career

Oko-Flex was called up to the Republic of Ireland U21 squad for the first time in November 2021, for their 2023 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualifiers against Italy & Sweden.[8][9]

Personal life

Oko-Flex is the son of the Nigerian-Irish community organiser Reginald Oko-Flex Inya.[10]

References
  1. "2021/22 Premier League squads confirmed". Premier League. 10 September 2021. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
  2. Brosnan, Maurice. "Irish Players In Middle Of International Tug Of War In Ever-Changing Landscape". Balls.ie.
  3. FC, Celtic. "Official Celtic Football Club Website | celticfc.com". Celtic FC.
  4. "Celtic 1-0 Hibernian - Turnbull crashes in stunning free-kick for late lead". 11 January 2021 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  5. "West Ham United sign promising forward Armstrong Oko-Flex | West Ham United". www.whufc.com.
  6. Flood, George (16 August 2021). "New signing Oko-Flex nets treble as West Ham U23s thrash Arsenal 6-1". www.standard.co.uk.
  7. "Arsenal 2-0 West Ham". www.bbc.co.uk. 15 December 2021.
  8. "U-21 call-up for West Ham's Armstrong Oko-Flex". 3 November 2021 – via www.rte.ie. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  9. "Crawford names squad for Italy/Sweden qualifiers | Football Association of Ireland". www.fai.ie.
  10. Ifeanyi, Emmanuel (10 April 2017). "Nigeria and England Battling Republic of Ireland For Arsenal Prodigy Okoflex". All Nigeria Soccer. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
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