JACK Currie became Oxford United’s sixth summer signing when he joined from AFC Wimbledon for an undisclosed fee earlier this month.
The left back has been a long-term target for the U’s, but what can fans expect from him?
We spoke to Edmund Brack from the South London Press to get the lowdown on Currie.
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What kind of player is Currie? What are his main qualities and strengths?
I think the best way to describe what sort of player Currie is would be to say he’s a full-blooded, old-fashioned full back who commits to every challenge.
Currie quickly demonstrated from his first EFL start that he looked like a player who had featured over 100 times at senior level and that only grew with every outing.
His defensive reading and positioning are his main strengths. There are times I can think of where attackers thought they had burst past Currie, and he would pull off a last-ditch challenge to stop a shot or a cross.
Does full back or wing back suit his game more?
He played predominantly as a full back for Wimbledon under Johnnie Jackson, but did switch to playing as a left wing back at points of last season.
I think he could play either, but playing him at full back does allow full freedom for the attacker ahead of Currie due to his defensive nous.
He only picked up five goal contributions at Wimbledon, and I’m sure it’s an area of his game he would like to improve, but he has the ability to go forward and cause trouble in the Championship.
“My parents met here as well, so it’s a club that I’m aware of and I fully know the presence and history behind it.”
— Oxford Mail OUFC (@OxfordMailOUFC) July 13, 2024
Jack Currie, whose parents met in Wheatley, on why a family connection helped pull him towards #oufc https://t.co/rDZrS94c9f
How important a player was he for the Dons?
Vital. Currie’s departure leaves a massive gap in the AFC Wimbledon squad. He was Jackson’s starting left back and was only getting better and more complete week by week.
The 22-year-old only missed seven League Two games last season and was the clear first choice in that role.
They managed to get an extra season and a half out of Currie after the Dons turned down a League Two record bid for a left back from Bristol City, but Wimbledon fans were still gutted to see him go.
His attitude on and off the pitch quickly won fans over and I expect him to do the same at the Kassam.
Do you think he has the ability to make a mark at Championship level?
Without a shadow of a doubt, Currie will make a mark in the Championship. He could have already had a season and a half of Championship football under his belt if he made the move to Bristol City in January 2023.
He’s 22 and has so much room for improvement. He plays football as though he has 200-300 senior games under his belt.
His best performance came against Omari Hutchinson in the FA Cup last season. Currie pocketed the former Chelsea loanee, who was taken off in the 82nd minute after failing to get past the full back.
I suspect Currie will hit the ground running and seamlessly adapt to life in the second tier.
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