Brentford's Daniel Oyegoke keen to start again with Bantams

The versatile Brentford loanee was due to resume his City season today after four months away following shoulder surgery.

Graham Alexander is excited to have Oyegoke back among his options for the frenetic upcoming programme – having seen just 17 minutes of him in action.

The 21-year-old was injured in Alexander’s first game but the City boss has made sure to stay in touch during his lengthy absence.

Alexander said: “I want every player to feel valued with us and that they’ve got a part to play.

“I didn’t want him to go back to Brentford and be out of sight, out of mind.

“I wanted to make sure he understood that we look forward to working with him whenever that opportunity arises.

“It was just a bit of care and attention. Everyone appreciates that a little bit.

“We’re all human and all have that side of us where we want to feel important and valued.

“Certainly, if you’re part of a football club, it’s a group thing. You don’t want to be individualised and left alone.

“We didn’t want him to come back and feel like a stranger. We wanted him to be straight into it.”

Oyegoke clearly appreciated the long-distance TLC and has been counting the days until he got the green light to head back to BD8.

“He’s just been ultra-positive in every conversation,” added Alexander, “almost to the point where I thought we were getting him back sooner.

“He’d tell me that he’d be back in two weeks then we’d speak to someone at Brentford and be told it was more like six.

“But I like that. I like people who have positive beliefs and look on the bright side of life.

“I learned that about Dan. He’s a really positive guy and the more people you have around the environment like that, it makes the whole place much better.”

Chief executive Ryan Sparks negotiated a deal with Brentford where City paid a minor retainer for Oyegoke to keep the loan on-going while he was away injured.

The club initially thought it was a long shot that he would be back for more than just a few games at the tail-end of the season.

But a player with several positional strings to his bow will be welcomed with open arms for the intense schedule to come.

Alexander said: “It could be a really vital stage of the season to bring in a player of his calibre and quality.

“Certainly, he was someone who was really popular with the players as well, so it was a no-brainer for us.

Jamie Walker and Daniel Oyegoke are back in City's plans (Image: Thomas Gadd)

“Ryan did a great job there keeping that deal going and the opportunity to bring him back.

“It will be good to see him. I only had him for three days training and about 10 minutes of a game so I don’t know him intimately as a footballer.

“But I like what I saw in that brief time.

“Players who can play in two or three positions are worth their weight in gold.

“It keeps your squad tight, all involved and together. That’s what we’ve been trying to create over the last three or four months.

“I think when players are open-minded to that and will sacrifice themselves for the betterment of the team, you know you’ve got a proper team player on your hands.

“Wherever we ask Dan to compete for us and play, he’s going to give everything he’s got.

“He’s a young man that’s got a bright future and he’s ambitious.

“When you’ve got those aspirations, you need to be on the pitch to realise them so he’ll come back hungry to compete and get in the team.”