MIPO ODUBEKO has revealed how Damien Duff laid the groundwork to bring him to Shelbourne before negotiations had even begun.
Having made sure the 22-year-old was studying top forwards such as Manchester City’s goal machine Erling Haaland, Duff added Odubeko to his title-winning squad.
Odubeko studied Erling Haaland[/caption]
And the striker gave a glimpse of his potential with an eye-catching display in the President’s Cup win over Drogheda United on Friday.
Odubeko scored with a neat back-heeled finish, could have had a penalty and forced a deliberate handball outside the box by Luke Dennison, which saw the Drogs keeper sent off.
It was a solid start for the Dubliner who is bidding to kick-start a career which has veered off-track.
And the ex-City, Manchester United and West Ham youngster opened up on how Duff convinced him that Tolka Park was the place for him.
Odubeko said: “I’d made the decision in my head long before. We speak on WhatsApp a lot. He’d just message me at random times, even before I signed.
“As a player, you know they want you. You sort of make the decision in your head that as long as the other stuff can go right, like the negotiations. . . I’d sort of made the decision long before I even met him.
“We talk about everything, about football, little stuff like, ‘Did you watch the game tonight? Did you see Haaland’s run in behind?’ — little stuff, even before I came to the club.
“It just shows how much he cares, how much he loves the game. I felt the love from him even before I walked in the door. Even before I came here, I met up with him in the UK, we sat down and had a chat.
“He was very direct, very honest with me, very honest about how he feels the past couple of years of my career have gone and how he sees the future to go.
“He gave it to me direct and it was almost what I needed, I’m very thankful for that.
“We’re very alike as people, very direct. I’m the type of person where I need to be told things direct. It’s almost difficult because it’s the harsh truth and the harsh reality.
“I agreed with him fully. I’d rather him give it to me like that than lie and make me feel happy and comfortable. I’d rather the harsh truth.”
Odubeko played for the Hammers as an 18-year-old in FA Cup ties against Stockport County and his old club United in 2021.
But they were his only first-team outings before he left West Ham, though he did gain more experience in loan spells with Huddersfield, Doncaster and Port Vale.
A move to Maritimo in 2023 did not work out as he lined out only for the Portuguese club’s reserve team.
And he was used sparingly by Fleetwood after joining them last season. He shrugged: “It has been difficult, I’ve not really had the minutes I feel I deserve for various reasons but that’s football, that’s life, things happen.
“It’s nothing for me to be down about. I’m always ready to fight and just keep going because there is no other choice really.”
And he is savouring the experience of working for a manager who is invested in him, even if it means he is receiving video clips at half six in the morning.
The ex-Ireland Under-21 international said: “I don’t need to set the alarm. He’s the one that wakes me up.
“He doesn’t stop, ever since I’ve come in he just makes videos of Haaland and all the top players, the movement. It does help you a lot in the games, you see it in the games and you get in the same positions.”
Asked if Ireland legend Duff could help him become a senior international, he said: “One hundred per cent. I think he will get the best out of me and a lot of people will see that this season.”
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