Regular readers of our weekly Irish Abroad article will be well aware that Oxford United youngster Callum O’Dowda has shown great potential over the past couple of seasons.
But despite winning promotion to League 1, as Oxford finished second in League 2, it remains quite the shock to see O’Dowda plucked from the fourth tier of English football and catapulted into Martin O’Neill’s thoughts just weeks away from finalising his Euro 2016 squad.
So what do we know about the Oxford United youngster?
Clubs: O’Dowda has been on the books at Oxford since he was nine years old and made his first appearance for their first team in 2013 as an 18-year-old, going on to play 13 times that season. The following year, O’Dowda cemented his place in the side and was named young player of the year. He scored ten goals this season as Oxford won promotion.
Position: The stylish youngster can play wide in midfield or up front and has probably been selected for his ability on the ball and delivery from the flanks as the Ireland manager appears to be looking for options in that area. Aberdeen’s Jonny Hayes is in a similar position, while the now-injured Alan Judge was also trialled in that station in the last round of friendly games.
Background: English born, O’Dowda qualifies for Ireland through his grandfather and has represented Ireland at Under-21 level, winning five caps, the most recent in the away 3-1 defeat to Slovenia in March.
Catching the eye: Perhaps Jack Byrne’s loss turned out to be O’Dowda’s gain as the Irish management duo travelled to the Under-21 qualifier against Italy in Waterford in March. O’Dowda put in a strong, composed performance against a good Azzurri side and enjoyed a couple of chances on goal. The Oxford man also hit the target at a recent outing at Wembley, going down 3-2 to Barnsley in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy final.
On the move?: O'Dowda's performances this season, and now with this international recognition, will have certainly have attracted interest from Championship clubs, at least, in the close season.
Video: Some YouTube clips showcasing the obvious talent of stylish left-footer.
