Aaron Ramsey giving Oxford United ‘reason to believe in League One

These are names you would have expected to have moved on and perhaps never played in an Oxford shirt again.

Instead, it is a testament to the work of Aaron Ramsey and his staff, and their ability to reintegrate players into the squad – not simply to make up the numbers, but to make a difference.

Gatlin O’Donkor made yet another impact off the bench, scoring his third goal of the season and now topping the League One scoring charts with a remarkable 2.13 goals per 90 minutes.

Talk about an impact off the bench.

But it’s the attitude and determination to take second and, in some cases, third chances, when the futures of players like O’Donkor, Siriki Dembele and Louis Sibley looked as though they wouldn’t involve Oxford United again, that fills me with so much confidence about the season ahead.

It would have been easy for players, particularly when the club was hit with an embargo in the summer following relegation and a period of crippling uncertainty, to make forceful decisions about their futures and push for moves away.

But they didn’t.

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And I believe that also emphasises the environment and culture that Ramsey and his staff have instilled with immediate effect.

The word ‘trust’ comes to mind, and it works both ways.

If players feel trusted and valued, and truly understand their role – not just on the football pitch, but as part of the ‘winning team’ that Ramsey has spoken about regularly since his arrival – then the chances of those players repaying those values are dramatically increased.

I have no doubts O’Donkor is knocking on Ramsey’s office door asking to start matches.

That is only normal behaviour for an ambitious individual.

But there can be no doubt, just by watching his substitute appearances, that he understands the pivotal role he plays within this Oxford United team.

Siriki Dembele is a slightly different example.

He arrived with a substantial price tag following our promotion to the Championship, and spent large periods under other managers away from the starting XI and even the matchday squad.

But throughout his career, a common denominator in his successes has been total clarity over the role he takes up within a team.

Oxford United head coach Aaron Ramsey hugs fellow countryman Mark Harris (right) (Image: Oxford United)

The label ‘confidence player’ gets thrown around often and, whilst I wouldn’t disagree that Dembele is an example of an attacker who thrives on confidence, that confidence doesn’t always have to come through goals and assists.

Sometimes, it comes from the trust of the manager and coaching staff.

Without that, how can you ask an expressive winger to be expressive?

In my eyes, that is the biggest compliment you can pay Ramsey so far.

He hasn’t just found a way to get players back into the squad after time away – he has given them a platform and a reason to believe they can still play an important part in Oxford United’s future.