Darren O’Dea

[Lionel Ritchie]

it's a strange move from Warnock, O'Dea's only missed two games this year for Leeds, which he was suspended for after collecting 10 bookings, but he was straight back into the starting XI after that
Beyond strange piece of flip-flopping by Warnock. Not a fortnight ago he was saying one of his first tasks at the end of the season was securing Darren O'Dea's signature. Then he got sent off late on against Blackpool and this is Warnocks reaction.

[Colbert Report]

He's not up for international level football from what I've seen of him. Very slow.

[Predator]

A good defender can get by with a little less pace if they can read the game well and they have a quick partner. I think he reads the game reasonably well, but possibly not well enough.

O'Dea has fine attributes for a centre back in his strength and fearlessness, but he is quite inconsistent based on reports and my own observation of him.

If he leaves Celtic, which he should in my opinion, he'll have no problem finding a club based on his experience alone. Unfortunately, the highest level he can probably hope for is Championship.

[AlaskaFox]

A LoI club could take him on loan during May if they can get Celtic to pay most of his wages. It'd be good publicity.

Although a nice idea, I think O'Dea sticking at Celtic for the rest of the season, and having a small rest from matches wouldn't be the worst thing ahead of the Euros. Especially as he more or less played every game for Leeds up til now.

[TrapAPony]

Don't rate him too much. I would like to see what Alex Pearce is made of.

[CraftyToePoke]

I would like to see what Alex Pearce is made of.

So would I, will be a Prem player next year also. Reading lost their CB captain before this season started but Pearce seems to have stepped up with a bit to spare.

[Carrigaline]

http://www.herald.ie/sport/soccer/odea-im-in-limbo-3096660.html

DARREN O’DEA admits that he’s in limbo when it comes to his club career as he faces into a nervous few weeks.
The Ireland international was given an early summer holiday as Leeds United - O’Dea had been on loan there from Celtic - allowed him leave the club before the Championship season ended last weekend - so he’s effectively been on holidays for the last ten days.


Celtic have yet to declare if they want to retain the Dubliner, but he’s very much focused on the Euro 2012 finals and O’Dea, who could be technically club-less when he travels to Poland in June, insists that he’s not just using the European Championship finals as a shop window to get himself a club.


“I wouldn’t just see it as a shop window, I am there to play for Ireland and represent Ireland, it could be a case of patience for me now,” O’Dea told the Evening Herald this week, having severed his ties with Leeds after a season-long loan deal.


“With the Euros on the way, who knows what could happen for me if I get to play there, it could open up lots of doors for me. It will probably be a move to England, I can't see myself going to a Scottish club at this stage.

“People do call a tournament like Euro 2012 a shop window, but international football in general is a chance to show what you can do.


Qualifiers
“I’ve played in some of the qualifiers and a lot of the friendly games, and it’s a great stage to test yourself, it’s a great thing to have on your CV, having played in the likes of Moscow or Macedonia in the qualifiers, so I’m not just going out there trying to do well on a personal level to get myself a club,” added O’Dea, who made his competitive debut in the home win over Macedonia and made four appearances in the qualifiers.


The 25-year-old knows that if fit, Richard Dunne and Sean St Ledger will start the tournament in central defence and O’Dea is hoping that Dunne comes through the rehab from his shoulder injury and is cleared to play.
“I want Ireland to do as well as we can and do that we need our best players, so I want Dunney to be fit. But if he’s not I would like to step in. I can’t see Richard being out, it’s his shoulder and not a hamstring or anything like that,” he says.


“Once you get to Poland anything could happen, suspensions or injury, and I just have to be ready. I know I might not get to play at all but I am ready for that too and once the team does well, that's all that matters.”
But O’Dea’s club situation is confusing: Leeds hired him on a loan deal from Celtic but two weeks ago manager Neil Warnock said that the club would not be signing the Dubliner on a long-term basis.


“Celtic have a year’s option on me and they have to make it known before the end of May whether they will want to exercise that,” he said. “I can’t do much until then, if Celtic don’t take that option I will be a free agent and it should be easy enough to get a new club, it’s just down to me to decide what to do. If Celtic do take up that year’s option then it's more complicated because they would be involved in terms of what happens next,” he says.

“I’m 25 now so Celtic wouldn’t be entitled to compensation if I went on a free, so what they could do is take up the year's option and then try and sell me, which they could well decide to do. “In January there were a couple of options in terms of a move but I had signed for Leeds for the season so I couldn't go in the end.


“I played 40-odd games for Leeds, I played a lot of the internationals so I feel as if I’m in a strong position, if Celtic don’t take up that option on me I’d be confident of finding a good club but I’ll only find that out when Celtic make up their minds.”

[Charlie Darwin]

Released by Celtic. Good news as it should make it a lot easier for him to find a club.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2012/0601/1224317057539.html

[geysir]

The long goodbye has an amicable closure.

[seanfhear]

Will Darren be off to join Inter Milan (I can't actually remember who it was) like Gary Breen was supposed to be after one of the tournaments. Apologies for being a bit light on detail !

[Junior]

Nope. Its Paul Green whos headed there.

[CraftyToePoke]

Will Darren be off to join Inter Milan (I can't actually remember who it was) like Gary Breen was supposed to be after one of the tournaments. Apologies for being a bit light on detail !

It was Gary, but I think it was Barcelona he was linked with, at the time I think it was the West Ham team he couldn't get in. The quality of his performances in green upset Glenn Roeder terribly I remember. Funny.

[passinginterest]

I was looking at the old threads on heat the other day when someone linked to the Saipan thing and it claimed he turned down €50,000 a week from Roma to sign for West Ham. I car defintiely see Paul Green getting a big money move to Juventus.

[seanfhear]

Its Darren and Paul to Barcelona then.

In fairness Barcelona could have done with Darren against chelsea. Were Barcelona playing that midget(Tempory memory loss of his name) that used to play for Liverpool at centre back. It beggars belief that a club the size of Barcelona had so little cover at centreback.

[drummerboy]

Simon Grayson is a bit of a fan of Darren O'Dea. WOuldn't be a bit surprised to see him end up at Huddersfield, who have been promoted to the Championship.

[Predator]

Its Darren and Paul to Barcelona then.

In fairness Barcelona could have done with Darren against chelsea. Were Barcelona playing that midget(Tempory memory loss of his name) that used to play for Liverpool at centre back. It beggars belief that a club the size of Barcelona had so little cover at centreback.Fernando Torres probably stilll would have left O'Dea for dead and scored. As much as I like O'Dea's tough old-fashioned centre back style, he does seem a bit too sluggish at times.

[tetsujin1979]

O'Dea linked with a move to Bolton, Peterborough and Burnley: http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11672/7789995/O-Dea-set-for-English-return
Story is a fortnight old, can't find anything more recent

[tetsujin1979]

Darren has signed for Toronto FC: http://www.torontofc.ca/news/2012/08/tfc-sign-defender-darren-o%E2%80%99dea

[Charlie Darwin]

Dear God. What a terrible move.

[Colbert Report]

His career is over. Toronto FC are a cursed franchise.

[SkStu]

Christ almighty.

[Junior]

That is a shock alright.

A 'lifestyle' choice I guess rather than football career choice? 5 or 6 years of loan spells, back and forth to Celtic with bit part involvement - Even the depressing Euro's experience. I sense a bit of disillusionment with the game but then again I'm a drama queen.......

[Bottle of Tonic]

This is actually a bit of a blow to the Ireland team............potentially anyway - I'll admit to having an old fashioned view of the American league ie total garbage, but I know its improved in recent years. But has it improved enough or is this Darren practically chucking it in terms of making it in Europe and at International level?

A limited enough player but he's had his fair share of misfortune and poor treatment. Never majorly let Celtic down when fellas no better and often worse (McManus, Caldwell, Loovens, K Wilson, Pressley etc etc) got more games than him. Farmed out on loan here and there and never seemed to settle. I don't think he ever had a real bad game for Ireland either.

Shame. I was out in the San Siro when he made his bow in the CL vs Milan - superb performance. Bar headering in the first vs the huns in the Scottish league cup final a few years ago it has been all downhill since then and for my money he hasn't done anything majorly wrong. Quite slow, yes. But brave and dependable enough. Hope this is just a temp thing for Darren.

[Charlie Darwin]

I'd say his lack of speed is the major reason he never made it, which is a shame because I think he reads the game superbly well. He'll easily be one of the top centre halves out in the MLS and will hopefully use it as a stepping stone back to a decent European league.

I think he's a victim of the uncertainty over the SPL tv money right now, and perhaps Championship clubs are also keeping their options open until the same is resolves, so he's decided to take the security of a contract over another month or so in limbo.

[Sullivinho]

5 or 6 years of loan spells, back and forth to Celtic with bit part involvement

That bears repeating.

I doubt this chap was inundated with offers.

[EastTerracer]

So the three Canadian MLS teams have signed centre-backs in recent weeks:

Toronto - Darren O'Dea
Vancouver - Andy O'Brien
Montreal - Alessandro Nesta

Even at 36 years old I think I know which one I'd prefer.

[irishultra]

Never get MLS clubs signing players like O'Dea and particularly Andy O'Brien. O'Dea most definitely won't be one of the best defenders in the MLS, I think he'll struggle tbh. He's just not very good.

[DannyInvincible]

So the three Canadian MLS teams have signed centre-backs in recent weeks:

Toronto - Darren O'Dea
Vancouver - Andy O'Brien
Montreal - Alessandro Nesta

Even at 36 years old I think I know which one I'd prefer.

O'Brien is 36 now?!

[brine3]

Good luck to him, I'm sure Canada is a nice place to spend a year or two.

Better than some hole in the north of England.

[Colbert Report]

Montreal is nice, Vancouver is awesome, Toronto is a hole.

[back of the net]

Good luck to him, I'm sure Canada is a nice place to spend a year or two.

Better than some hole in the north of England.

From my own experience of immigrating there , Canada is a fantastic country with great people.

But what does frighten me from going to alot of Toronto FC games is how bad they are. I mean really bad. Every team and league has to start somewhere of course and fair play to TFC for getting him but he is better than the level of their quality and Im shocked he hasnt stayed in england. Im even more shocked that Trap has given him his blessing on the move.

[the bear]

That bears repeating.

I doubt this chap was inundated with offers.

What do you mean? What do you mean?

[Irish_Praha]

What do you mean? What do you mean?
lol :)

[jbyrne]

That bears repeating.

I doubt this chap was inundated with offers.

he should sack his agent. far worse players playing in the championship than O'Dea. i am shocked that a better move couldnt have been sorted

[Serb]

he should sack his agent. far worse players playing in the championship than O'Dea. i am shocked that a better move couldnt have been sorted

Maybe it's the move he wanted.

[EastTerracer]

Another full 90 minutes for O'Dea tonight away at Kansas City. Toronto threw away a 1-0 lead to lose 2-1.

Darren was even upfront at the end trying to find an equaliser. It's not the highest level but regular football is better than no football if he is needed next Friday.

[Charlie Darwin]

Looks like O'Dea was the man sent out to the media yesterday. He seems to think the MLS is as good as the English Championship and sees himself spending a good few years there. He confirms that it was in part a lifestyle choice too.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2012/0906/1224323654317.html

[EastTerracer]

Darren just about to kick-off against Thierry Henry and co. here in New Jersey.

UPDATE: on the wrong end of a 4-1 defeat. Caught out a couple of times by Henry and Toronto were punished (he's not the first player to have that happen him). He is Toronto's captain and clearly the leader on the pitch. Seems like Paul Mariner has a pretty good opinion of his contribution.

Not his best night but in general he looks pretty comfortable at this level.

[Olé Olé]

Just a quick word on the management team at O'Dea's side Toronto FC for next season. It'll comprise of an accomplished Premier League centre-half as manager (Ryan Nelsen) and he'll be assisted by an Irishman, Fran O'Leary.

I'm not sure if Nelsen intends to take up a player-manager position with Toronto, which would make some sense, unless he feels playing wouldn't be to the benefit of the time (which is unlikely). The possibility of him being beside O'Dea in the heart of the defence, or managing him on the training ground and from the touchline should help O'Dea.

Don't think Nelsen can coach pace though.

[Stuttgart88]

Darren was SKY pundit at Aberdeen v Celtic today. Seems like a nice fella, articulate and well presented.

[DeLorean]

Seems a good pro. Has he been linked to any clubs at all? He hasn't hired Sledge's agent by any chance?

[BonnieShels]

Maybe he's lost in music?

[Stuttgart88]

That was Sledge's Sister. They are family.

[tetsujin1979]

Seems a good pro. Has he been linked to any clubs at all? He hasn't hired Sledge's agent by any chance?
He was training with Celtic, but there wasn't any link to a move to the club itself

[Charlie Darwin]

Off the Blackpool it seems: http://t.co/IvNV0e92YE

[DeLorean]

Ten points adrift at the foot of the Championship. He can only improve them surely.

[Olé Olé]

They're looking putred but similar circumstances (in a different context) to Brian Lenihan- he's going there to get his foot on the ladder at a Championship side. The performances will look after the rest.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

If he can help Blackpool out of the relegation zone, he deserves another look in. Always looked solid for Ireland, Germany game aside; and the whole team was a shambles in that game.

[tetsujin1979]

Blackpool are a shambles off the pitch at the moment, hope he does well there to earn a permanent move to a Championship club

[DeLorean]

A bit slow on the uptake but Darren O'Dea was made Dundee captain last month - http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/teams/dundee/darren-o-dea-announced-as-new-dundee-captain-1-4480074

Here's an interview on Simon Ferry's 'Open Goal' series (Episode 1)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujUij0VdqyA

Episode 2 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gXwKY8_79g) Episode 3 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYNnY1Is_W0) Episode 4 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXGzlJyC37U)