HE’S CALLUM & COLLECTED
CALLUM O’DOWDA took the positives from his Euro 2016 disappointment - now he wants to rule the World. The Bristol City winger, 21, narrowly missed out on a place in Martin O’neill’s 23-man squad for the finals in France. O’neill revealed that squad in the immediate aftermath of Ireland’s friendly defeat to Belarus at Turner’s Cross in May. Those who missed out returned to the team hotel and packed their bags for their summer holidays and a Euros spent watching the TV. But not O’dowda. He may not have landed a golden ticket but O’neill asked him to stay in Cork for the pre-tournament training camp. The Derry man even claimed that O’dowda could be the future of the Irish team so it’s no surprise he already has three caps. While he is unlikely to start against Wales, he is being tracked this week by a Fox TV camera crew. They are making a fly-on-the-wall documentary about players who could star at the World Cup finals in Russia next year. And O’dowda – who won the FAI’S under-21 Player of the Year on Sunday – made their shortlist, along with the likes of England and Tottenham star Deli Alli. “When you think about the last year it’s crazy,” said O’dowda. “Noel King brought me in for the under-21s in 2015. “I played a few games and then it was straight into the senior squad and to be named as 24th man for the Euros, just missing out, it meant a lot. “People say ‘do you feel left out as you didn’t go to the Euros’ but I was quite positive with the way I saw it and how far I had come. “I was grateful to Martin O’neill for even bringing me into the squad and then playing me in the games, to bring me on in a qualifier.” Winger O’dowda knows he is unlikely to start against Wales tomorrow, but has told O’neill to count on him just in case. “I’m ready if needed,” he said.