Bohs boss Cronin: Teams 'would be mad' not to go after Jonathan Afolabi

Bohemians boss Gary Cronin is hopeful his side can hang on to in-form striker Jonathan Afolabi until the end of the season but admits "teams would be mad not to be interested" in the player after his two-goal salvo knocked Drogheda out of the FAI Cup on Friday evening.

Afolabi was called up to Stephen Kenny's senior international squad for the tie with the Netherlands earlier this week and, although he didn’t make the match-day squad, his club boss knows how big a deal the call-up was for the youngster.

"When he got called in he was delighted," Cronin said. "He went straight up to the training ground, got his boots and headed in. We were all delighted for him. It would have been nice if he’d got on the bench [against Netherlands] but to be called up was a great achievement. He’s come back flying, he was flying beforehand.

"There’ll be a lot of interest in him with the goals he’s scoring but good luck to him, he deserves it because between the two goals he got earlier in the season and then when he wasn’t scoring goals he was getting a little bit of flak.

"But he kept his composure, trained very well and we all knew once he hit the back of the net again, the goals would come. He’s a fantastic professional, he’s a great person and at this moment in time, this time of the season, he knows where the goal is…

"The rate he’s scoring goals, it’s going to be hard to hold onto him. Temas would be mad not to be interested. There seems to be a new transfer window every week in Europe. We’re just hoping we get to finish out the season with him and then we’ll see how it goes.

"We understand there’s going to be huge interest in Jonathan Afolabi but while he’s with Bohs he’s going to keep on hitting the back of the net and drag us somewhere