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Darren O'Dea

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Darren O'Dea
Personal information
Full name Darren O'Dea
Height 6 ft 1 in (1.86 m)
Position(s) Centre back
Team information
Current team
 Reading
(on loan from Celtic)
Number 48
Youth career
Home Farm
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2005– Celtic 30 (3)
2009– → Reading (loan) 0 (0)
Total 30 (3)
International career‡
2007–2008 Republic of Ireland U21
Republic of Ireland		 9
1		 (0
0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 08:55, 19 July 2009 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 7 September 2009

Darren O'Dea [pronounced O'D] (born 4 February 1987 in Dublin, Ireland) is an Irish professional footballer who currently plays for Reading in the Football League Championship, where he is on loan from Scottish club Celtic until January 2010.

Career

Club career

O'Dea made his Celtic debut in the Scottish League Cup against St. Mirren in September 2006.[1] He made his first League appearance two months later as a substitute against Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

He made his first league starting appearance against Dunfermline Athletic in December 2006, just four days after making his Champions League debut against Copenhagen as a substitute, replacing the injured Stephen McManus.[2]

He scored his first goal for Celtic against Dundee United on 26 December 2006.[3] He followed that with a goal on 2 January 2007, against Kilmarnock.[4]

O'Dea played an important role for Celtic in the 2006–07 season. He played more than 10 games and received an SPL winner's medal. His most notable performance was in the Champions League, in the Last 16 tie against AC Milan in the San Siro. Celtic held Milan before Kaká scored an extra time wonder goal for Milan. After the game, Paolo Maldini praised the young central defender's performance. O'Dea currently has a boot deal with Nike.

O'Dea impressed so much during this season he was awarded a new three-year contract, with the option of a further year on 13 March 2007.[5]

On 15 March 2009, O'Dea scored the first goal in the Scottish League Cup final victory over Rangers with a header. His goal was scored just 90 seconds into the start of extra time. Celtic went on to beat Rangers 2-0 after extra time, with Aiden McGeady scoring the second goal in injury time at the end of the second period of extra time.[6]

On 1 September 2009, O'Dea joined Football League Championship side Reading on loan until 1 January 2010 as well as signing a three-year deal to keep him at Celtic when he returns.[7][8]

International career

O'Dea played for the Irish U19 and U21 teams. He was called up to the full international squad within 12 months.[9]

He was called up to the Irish under 21 international squad by manager Don Givens on 3 March 2007.[10] However less than a week later he was named in the full international squad for Ireland's UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying matches on 24 March and 28 March.[11] He is currently the Republic of Ireland U21 captain.

On 13 May 2008, O'Dea was called into Giovanni Trapattoni's first squad as Ireland manager and he has since been called into the squad for the Bulgaria and Italy matches.[12]

Honours

Celtic F.C.

Personal life

Son of John and Anne O'Dea. Darren's mother represented Ireland in basketball.

Darren attended St Aloysius' College, Glasgow, before attending Clonkeen College where he played alongside former Wolves youngster Aidan Lyons and played for Home Farm, based in his hometown Dublin, at schoolboy level alongside fellow Irish underage internationals Owen Garvan, Shane Supple and Chris McCann. In 2003, Darren choose to continue his career in Scotland with Celtic, ignoring the advances of Premier League sides Aston Villa, Manchester City and Liverpool.

References

  1. ^ "Celtic 2-0 St Mirren". BBC Sport. 19 September 2006. Retrieved 1 September 2009.
  2. ^ "Bright O'Dea is in the zone for Old Firm debut". The Scotsman. 17 December 2006. Retrieved 28 December 2006.
  3. ^ "Celtic 2-2 Dundee Utd". BBC Sport. 26 December 2006. Retrieved 28 December 2006.
  4. ^ "Celtic 2-0 Kilmarnock". BBC Sport. 2 January 2007. Retrieved 1 September 2009.
  5. ^ "O'Dea signs new deal with Celtic". BBC Sport. 13 March 2007. Retrieved 1 September 2009.
  6. ^ "Celtic 2-0 Rangers". BBC Sport. 15 March 2009. Retrieved 19 March 2009.
  7. ^ "Confirmed: O'Dea signs on loan". readingfc.co.uk. 1 September 2009. Retrieved 1 September 2009.
  8. ^ "Celtic duo eyed by English clubs". BBC Sport. 1 September 2009. Retrieved 1 September 2009.
  9. ^ "Staunton introduces two more newcomers for Croke Park matches". Football Association of Ireland. 15 March 2007. Retrieved 24 March 2007.
  10. ^ "Darren O'Dea a hit for Celtic and happy to sign an extended contract". Football Association of Ireland. 14 March 2007. Retrieved 24 March 2007.
  11. ^ "Keogh comes in for injured Folan". BBC Sport. 18 March 2007. Retrieved 1 September 2009.
  12. ^ "Keeper Kiely in Republic return". BBC Sport. 13 May 2008. Retrieved 15 May 2008.

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