O’Dea only has eyes for Dundee as he faces his first love Celtic

DARREN O’DEA admits he has had commitment issues since leaving first love Celtic but is happy to report that his football fling with Dundee has blossomed into a full-blown romance.

In January of last year the Irishman penned a short-term deal to play for his former Parkhead team-mate Paul Hartley and never intended to stay more than a few months.

Now he is part of the furniture at Dens Park, his roles as player, captain and youth coach all tied up in a three-year contract.

At 30, he cuts a contented yet driven figure and, while glad of the experiences gained playing in Canada, India, Ukraine and England, he is relieved to have put down some roots.

‘It was never the plan to stay, so it’s a testament to Dundee that I wanted to remain here,’ he said. ‘I’ve no doubt I made the right decision. I’ve done enough jaunting around the world and I wanted to settle down.

‘It’s the first time in my career, being older, that I’ve cared. I care about the younger players coming through, I care about the club and I’ve not really had that since I left Celtic, where it mattered to me so much.

‘A lot of players will flit in and out of clubs. It’s a job. But I’ve really put myself into it and my only negotiation was to have a long-term contract. Because when I do something, I like to do it full-on.’

On that basis, Celtic should not expect any favours from an old flame when they visit this afternoon, intent on taking a stride that will bring them to within an inch of the Premiership crown.

A two-times title winner who also played in the Champions League for Celtic, O’Dea knows what it takes to succeed in green and white.

‘I grew up with Celtic, first as a fan and then I played there,’ he said. ‘I knew how the club worked and I was a proper Celtic player. Everything I did I wanted for the benefit of Celtic and that’s what I feel here now.

‘I loved seeing different parts of the world but in all honesty I was floating through. I was never going to be a lifelong fan of Metalurh Donetsk. I was just a player picking up a wage.

‘When I left that was it. Done. Here, I feel a belonging. I want to leave my mark at Dundee.’

O’Dea took his first steps away from Celtic in October 2009 when, after the appointment of Tony Mowbray, he accepted the chance to play on loan for Reading, who were managed at the time by an aspiring young manager named Brendan Rodgers.

‘I have to keep reminding people I’m not old,’ laughed O’Dea. ‘I signed for Reading under Brendan Rodgers and I was brought in as “experience” — I was 22.

‘I went to Toronto and was called a veteran. I was 25. Maybe it’s the way I carry myself but I’ve always been thought of as an experienced player, even when I wasn’t.’

Capped 20 times by the Republic of Ireland and now entering his fourth decade, O’Dea has earned the experienced tag but still feels strong.

He explained: ‘When I came in for pre-season, I know people thought I’d be one of the lads at the back of the group. That’s not the way I work.

‘I actually spoke to Kenny Miller recently about it. I rang him up and the first thing he said was age is just a number. If you think you’re old, you will be. So I just keep working as hard as I can.’

In that regard, O’Dea takes his cues from Hartley, a man consumed by his work in a manner that is not dissimilar to Rodgers, who has blown away the staff at Celtic’s Lennoxtown complex with his drive and attention to detail.

‘I wish I’d worked with him (Rodgers) when I was a bit older,’ said O’Dea. ‘He was fantastic even then but I would love to have taken in more. He was immaculate in the way he trained. I speak to lads at Celtic now and they say it’s perfect. There’s a real method to everything. ‘Going back to our manager, that’s what we needed here. The club had certain standards. The manager has brought in completely new ones. ‘I would say the main comparison between the two is in their work ethic. He (Hartley) sets the benchmark for the players. If he is working that hard, it’s only fair that he expects the same from the rest of us.’ O’Dea (left) admits that from week to week he cannot decide if Dundee should be targeting a top-six finish or striving to maintain distance from the relegation contenders. As if to prove the point, Hartley has just collected the Ladbrokes’ Manager of the Month award for February, yet has lost both games so far in March. ‘When we beat Rangers here for the first time in 25 years, it was a massive thing for the club but for me it was three more points,’ said O’Dea. ‘At the time, it’s fantastic with the fans and the atmosphere, but then you look at the table and move on. ‘Of course beating Celtic, the best team in Scotland, would be brilliant but it’s another three points which we desperately need.’