AS someone who fancies his chances at free-kicks, Jordan Flores is always happy to see Walls Come Tumbling Down.
And the honour of appearing in a promo video with Paul Weller was not lost on him due to the Bohemians player’s musical upbringing.
The 29-year-old modelled the jersey in the announcement video alongside former teammate Paddy Kirk and musician Paul Weller[/caption]
Although it was launched as the club’s FAI Cup jersey, Bohs will wear their ‘Oasis’ shirt for the first time for tonight’s league game against St Pat’s.
Along with club captain Keith Buckley and former player Paddy Kirk, Flores appeared alongside the former frontman for The Jam and The Style Council. And, despite being only 29, the Wigan man knew all about him.
He said: “I was a fan and my family would have been big Jam fans back in the day. I was brought up on that music so it was good to meet them.
“I’m not sure if my parents were ever at one of their gigs but my uncle José definitely was. They were all buzzing and 100 per cent jealous.”
Not that he could let anyone know about the video in advance of its release as he was sworn to silence by the club’s chief operating officer Daniel Lambert.
He said: “A couple of the players knew from doing the shoot but we did well to keep it quiet.”
There was some interaction with Weller, with Flores also revealing he had secured a ticket to see Oasis in Manchester.
Flores said: “He was kind of in and out. He was a sound fella, asking how we were doing.”
Bohs have been made fun of for some of their off-the-field initiatives, including their shirt collaborations, but Flores shrugged: “I’m not really bothered what fans say because it benefits the club financially.
“And the exposure they’re getting, Oasis are massive all over the world. I’m sure the club are happy about that and don’t care what anyone else thinks.”
Boss Alan Reynolds reckons the club has to be innovative to maximise its revenue streams because ‘there’s no sugar daddy there to keep funding’.
He added: “How much it will help remains to be seen when you go and knock on the door looking for players.”
Douglas James-Taylor may have to wait for a start following his arrival on a free transfer from Walsall but Flores is convinced the ex-Drogheda United loanee will be a big asset.
He said: “I remember marking him on set-pieces in Drogheda and couldn’t get near him.
“It’s just the pure strength of him. We’ve seen already in the gym that he’s a strong boy. He’s only had two days of training and he’s sharp. Hopefully he scores goals for fun.”
THE MOOSE ON THE LOOSE
There was no great surprise or upset that Lys Mousset has left after just one goal in a five-month stay in which he struggled to shift his excess weight.
Flores commented: “It didn’t really work out but we wish him well.”
But Reynolds is keen to hang on to James Clarke amid interest from Grimsby Town. The 24-year-old has been offered an extension to his current deal which expires at the end of the season.
Clarke — who scored a stoppage-time equaliser against Sligo Rovers last week — is expected to try his luck cross-channel but the club insist there have been no offers made for him to leave in this window.
Rennie said: “He’s a Bohs player and he will be unless things change, and I haven’t heard any differently. At the start of the season, he wasn’t in the team and he had to work and be patient.
“Now he’s in the team, there’s interest in him. I’d love to keep him but he’s a 24-year-old lad who probably has ambitions of going and playing across the water.”
Rennie dismissed a link with Pat Hickey of Galway United but was more coy on whether St Pat’s left-back Anto Breslin would return to Dalymount.
The gaffer added: “There’s nothing close but I wouldn’t mind maybe one more. If one became available, we’d look at it.”
