It has been quite the three months for the ‘Oxford Messi’.
In March, Oxford midfielder Callum O’Dowda made his Ireland U21 debut. Two months later and he was named in Martin O’Neill’s extended squad for pre-Euro 2016 friendlies against The Netherlands and Belarus.
He was expected to train with Martin O’Neill’s squad for experience – much as Jack Byrne did in March – but he was still there when the manager trimmed his squad.
O’Dowda, who qualifies for Ireland through his grandfather, Brendan, was on the bench for the 1-1 draw with the Dutch. On Tuesday night, he made his senior debut and impressed with his eagerness for the ball and willingness to take on, and beat, his opposite number.
Callum O'Dowda, the Oxford Messi
Cultured#IRLBEL
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) May 31, 2016
After the 2-1 defeat to Belarus, O’Neill took several players to one side to inform them they would not be making the 23-man squad for the Euros. O’Dowda was one of those unlucky to miss out.
This morning, David Forde, Darron Gibson, Eunan O’Kane and David McGoldrick all left Ireland’s camp in Cork. They are now on holidays but each has been told to stay primed in case injury occurs before the tournament begins on June 10.
O’Dowda, however, was asked by O’Neill to stick around. The decision for him to remain in camp may be simply to offer him further international experience but, as we saw with Robbie Keane’s calf injury, anything can happen in the space of a week.
