CALLUM O’DOWDA STRIKES you as a young man who isn’t fazed by much.
The English-born winger wasn’t a name many Irish fans had heard of — unless you followed the fortunes of Noel King’s U21s team closely — when he was included in the senior international squad for the first time back in May.
A debut followed later that month in the pre-Euro 2016 warm-up with Belarus at Turner’s Cross, when his cameo was one of the few positives to take from an otherwise forgettable evening in Cork.
21-year-old O’Dowda wouldn’t be make the final group that travelled to France but stuck around for the remainder of the training camp at Fota Island to gain experience.
He got another run-out in the second half of the friendly win over Oman in August, before making his competitive bow away to Moldova last month.
Introduced as a 63rd-minute replacement for the injured Shane Long, O’Dowda took the occasion in his stride and impressed during a tricky encounter away from home.
“The Moldova game was big for me because I came on and hopefully made a positive impact so it’s been good,” said O’Dowda, who went on to explain that he had been preparing himself in the hope of getting the nod from early on.
“I think it was 1-1 and in my head it was a game that I felt I was going to be coming on in.
“Looking to the bench you want your forward players to come out and produce and mentally I was preparing myself even at 1-1.
“When they scored before half-time I was thinking I was going to come on and I got the shout and I was able to make an impact.”
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He's been settling in at Championship side Bristol City. EMPICS Sport
EMPICS Sport
It’s been all change at club level since his international career has taken off too.
With his local team Oxford United since the age of nine and a regular for the League Two club, O’Dowda made the switch to Bristol City when they agreed to pay around £1.2 million (€1.3m) — which could rise to £1.6m (€1.8m) — in July.
He’s since made 15 appearances for the Robins, currently ninth, in all competitions but has often had to accept being brought on from the bench.
“It’s been good,” O’Dowda says of his new surroundings. “It’s a big step up for me, I’ve noticed that from being at Oxford.
“There’s a physical step up but we’ve had a good start to the season. Recently we haven’t been at our best but we’ve got the individuals to push us through and I think we’ll be stronger coming into the winter now.
Everyone is a lot more physical. You did get that in League Two because I probably was more doubled up then but I think in the Championship I get a lot more time on the ball.
“I’m able to get at players one v one and I’m able to create stuff.”
He adds: “For me it’s been the perfect move. I wanted to make the step up to the Championship because I thought I was capable of doing it and I think being in the Ireland squad has really helped me.
“Coming in during the off-season it was a big step up but I’m really noticing the difference from being at Oxford to being an international.
“Obviously from League Two to international football it is a massive step up and that was the place I really wanted to go and I was happy to make the move.”
O'Dowda spoke at yesterday's press conference in Dublin. Gary Carr / INPHO
Gary Carr / INPHO / INPHO
This week spelt a return to international football as Ireland prepare for Saturday’s vital qualifier against Austria in Vienna.
A confident individual who isn’t afraid to tell you how much belief he has in himself, O’Dowda also comes across as well-grounded and humble when he speaks – mentioning the advice he has received from more experienced team-mates.
“Probably the big one is Robbie Keane,” he reveals, when asked who his idol was growing up. “He has always been a legend to this nation and I’ve had the privilege of training with him and being around him. I’ve had a few conversations and a few words of advice so it’s been a real privilege.”
And what did Keane say?
“Just to keep working hard, but more so in training he was always helping me out saying what he thinks, his opinion of what I should be doing, but to be honest they all have, especially Seamus Coleman.
I’m a left or right-sided player so after training I’ll be doing some one v ones with him and he’ll be saying to me what he finds is hard to defend when attackers go up against him and what they do so I try and do what can hurt them.”
The recently-retired all-time record goalscorer and the current captain aren’t the only player he looks up to, however.
“I think being in and around James McClean helps me massively as well,” he adds. “Obviously he’s playing in the Premier League and that’s where I want to get to if I can. If it’s with Bristol City that would be great but I try and reciprocate what he does in a way.
“The way he plays I’d like to do what he does as well so I speak to him a lot but the one would be Seamus Coleman.”
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Self-assured O'Dowda confident he can be a valuable asset for country and club
CALLUM O’DOWDA STRIKES you as a young man who isn’t fazed by much.
The English-born winger wasn’t a name many Irish fans had heard of — unless you followed the fortunes of Noel King’s U21s team closely — when he was included in the senior international squad for the first time back in May.
A debut followed later that month in the pre-Euro 2016 warm-up with Belarus at Turner’s Cross, when his cameo was one of the few positives to take from an otherwise forgettable evening in Cork.
21-year-old O’Dowda wouldn’t be make the final group that travelled to France but stuck around for the remainder of the training camp at Fota Island to gain experience.
He got another run-out in the second half of the friendly win over Oman in August, before making his competitive bow away to Moldova last month.
Introduced as a 63rd-minute replacement for the injured Shane Long, O’Dowda took the occasion in his stride and impressed during a tricky encounter away from home.
“The Moldova game was big for me because I came on and hopefully made a positive impact so it’s been good,” said O’Dowda, who went on to explain that he had been preparing himself in the hope of getting the nod from early on.
“I think it was 1-1 and in my head it was a game that I felt I was going to be coming on in.
“Looking to the bench you want your forward players to come out and produce and mentally I was preparing myself even at 1-1.
“When they scored before half-time I was thinking I was going to come on and I got the shout and I was able to make an impact.”
It’s been all change at club level since his international career has taken off too.
With his local team Oxford United since the age of nine and a regular for the League Two club, O’Dowda made the switch to Bristol City when they agreed to pay around £1.2 million (€1.3m) — which could rise to £1.6m (€1.8m) — in July.
He’s since made 15 appearances for the Robins, currently ninth, in all competitions but has often had to accept being brought on from the bench.
“It’s been good,” O’Dowda says of his new surroundings. “It’s a big step up for me, I’ve noticed that from being at Oxford.
“There’s a physical step up but we’ve had a good start to the season. Recently we haven’t been at our best but we’ve got the individuals to push us through and I think we’ll be stronger coming into the winter now.
“I’m able to get at players one v one and I’m able to create stuff.”
He adds: “For me it’s been the perfect move. I wanted to make the step up to the Championship because I thought I was capable of doing it and I think being in the Ireland squad has really helped me.
“Coming in during the off-season it was a big step up but I’m really noticing the difference from being at Oxford to being an international.
“Obviously from League Two to international football it is a massive step up and that was the place I really wanted to go and I was happy to make the move.”
This week spelt a return to international football as Ireland prepare for Saturday’s vital qualifier against Austria in Vienna.
A confident individual who isn’t afraid to tell you how much belief he has in himself, O’Dowda also comes across as well-grounded and humble when he speaks – mentioning the advice he has received from more experienced team-mates.
“Probably the big one is Robbie Keane,” he reveals, when asked who his idol was growing up. “He has always been a legend to this nation and I’ve had the privilege of training with him and being around him. I’ve had a few conversations and a few words of advice so it’s been a real privilege.”
And what did Keane say?
“Just to keep working hard, but more so in training he was always helping me out saying what he thinks, his opinion of what I should be doing, but to be honest they all have, especially Seamus Coleman.
The recently-retired all-time record goalscorer and the current captain aren’t the only player he looks up to, however.
“I think being in and around James McClean helps me massively as well,” he adds. “Obviously he’s playing in the Premier League and that’s where I want to get to if I can. If it’s with Bristol City that would be great but I try and reciprocate what he does in a way.
“The way he plays I’d like to do what he does as well so I speak to him a lot but the one would be Seamus Coleman.”
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