Callum O'Dowda (Merged)

[WAHGS.]

Fulham like him.

[Major Isewater]

Just now, EmissionImpossible said:

2.5 million at most.

It will be more than that I reckon. His agent will have his goal against Norwich on repeat and he will be promoted as Ireland’s answer to George Best to any potential suitors.

The fee you’re quoting, whilst wholly reasonable, doesn’t seem very high for a player at a top half Championship club.

 

[Merrick's Marvels]

50 minutes ago, FOTC! said:

Fulham like him.

Excellent news - a club desperate for a fresh start, with money to spend, and a record of paying over the odds for average players. We'll take £10 mill.  

[Lanterne Rouge]

If he goes we will miss that uncanny ability he has to drift in and draw fouls on the edge of the box.

[Robin-hugh-blind]

Can't help but feel he will score against us next season. One of those players that will move on and become a star. I suppose a real statement would be not selling him to a rival championship club, unless £10m. 

[BTRFTG]

Norwich away aside what else did he do recently? As authentic a winger as he is an Irishman....

[BCFC11]

Reported Prem interest in COD? He’s shown glimpses of how good he can be when given a run in the side but that’s it, yes he’s had a few injuries etc, I could well be wrong but to me I think there’s been more to his latest injury and he’s said he’s not signing a new deal so he’s been frozen out, get what we can and sell him now.

[Sturny]

11 hours ago, BCFC11 said:

Reported Prem interest in COD? He’s shown glimpses of how good he can be when given a run in the side but that’s it, yes he’s had a few injuries etc, I could well be wrong but to me I think there’s been more to his latest injury and he’s said he’s not signing a new deal so he’s been frozen out, get what we can and sell him now.

I'd be very surprised if a Prem team sign him. I would imagine what ever prem team sign him their fans would be seriously underwhelmed.

I do believe in 2-3 years if he remains fit he'll be a top quality championship winger getting the goals/assists to prove it  

[LondonBristolian]

On 08/05/2019 at 10:34, Casualobserver said:

I started reading OTIB when COD joined your team. I have very much enjoyed your banter, passion and insight - I thank you all!

As an Oxfordian I was interested to see how he developed at a higher level. It had been great to watch a local lad, with obvious talent, (literally) grow and become an increasingly important asset to his home club. So I write to ask you a question and this concerns COD's decision making on and off the pitch.

I believe that he should have stayed at Oxford for one, maybe even two more seasons. He left, of course, at the same time as Kemar Roofe who is two years his senior and therefore two years more experienced. It is my submission that COD could have matured in his play, developed leadership skills and become, to use a phrase I've seen on the forum recently, a big fish in a small pond. I think he could have impacted hugely on Oxford's performance in League 1 and maybe opened up other transfer possibilities as well as BCFC (no offence meant!).

Of course life is full of "ifs", "buts" and "maybes" but I would argue that he may have made better decisions on the pitch, specifically the tackle at Hull, had he grown more.....organically.

I don't criticise ambition or desire but it kind of feels like groundhog day and, as his departure looks imminent, I'd like to hear what you guys and gals think.

Thanks for this. I feel similarly to where you did when he left. He has a lot of potential, and has shown it in flashes, but never quite established himself. As you say, a season or two as the key player in a team and he could really put himself on the map but, whilst his time with us has been interrupted with injury, he's sort of leaving before he has given himself a chance to show what he can do. 

There is clearly a great player in there but I think a move to a bigger club would mean he might struggle to get the run of games needed to really show what he can do. I think he has the skills and attributes to eventually play in the Premier League. But, in all honesty, so do a lot of Championship players who never make it any higher for one reason and another and I think it is fair to question whether he makes the best decisions. I guess we will see how it plays out. I get the sense he is ready to move on and I'll wish him well if goes but I hope he doesn't look back in ten years time and feel he never quite gave himself a chance to fulfil his potential. 

[Natchfever]

46 minutes ago, LondonBristolian said:

Thanks for this. I feel similarly to where you did when he left. He has a lot of potential, and has shown it in flashes, but never quite established himself. As you say, a season or two as the key player in a team and he could really put himself on the map but, whilst his time with us has been interrupted with injury, he's sort of leaving before he has given himself a chance to show what he can do. 

There is clearly a great player in there but I think a move to a bigger club would mean he might struggle to get the run of games needed to really show what he can do. I think he has the skills and attributes to eventually play in the Premier League. But, in all honesty, so do a lot of Championship players who never make it any higher for one reason and another and I think it is fair to question whether he makes the best decisions. I guess we will see how it plays out. I get the sense he is ready to move on and I'll wish him well if goes but I hope he doesn't look back in ten years time and feel he never quite gave himself a chance to fulfil his potential. 

I would imagine he and dad possibly dream of signing for Celtic.

[iamalagerdrinker]

If Dan James leaves Swansea I can see him going there

[WolfOfWestStreet]

We can surely find a better player than him for the money we would get selling him. Probably my least favourite player in the entire squad. 

[Red Army 75]

3 minutes ago, WolfOfWestStreet said:

We can surely find a better player than him for the money we would get selling him. Probably my least favourite player in the entire squad. 

Doesn’t do a lot for me . Always seems injured at a young age . Sell him 

[Scrumpty]

9 minutes ago, iamalagerdrinker said:

If Dan James leaves Swansea I can see him going there

In exchange for McBurnie... please!

[Merrick's Marvels]

13 hours ago, BTRFTG said:

Norwich away aside what else did he do recently? As authentic a winger as he is an Irishman....

To be sure.

(Although his goal against Norwich at home was tidy too)

8 minutes ago, iamalagerdrinker said:

If Dan James leaves Swansea I can see him going there

Swansea are a shambles off the pitch atm and their manager has worked wonders this season in extremely difficult circumstances, so I'd see that move as a step backwards for the lad right now.

[simon uk]

27 minutes ago, Loon plage said:

I would imagine he and dad possibly dream of signing for Celtic.

I wouldnt be surprised if that happened either

[phantom]

31 minutes ago, Loon plage said:

I would imagine he and dad possibly dream of signing for Celtic.

Assume people realise that his dad ISN'T his agent?

[JBFC II]

He's shown a distinct lack of effort at times this season. If we can get 3-4 million for him that would be good business. 

He's nowhere near as good as Eliasson 

[Mr Popodopolous]

13 hours ago, BTRFTG said:

As authentic a winger as he is an Irishman....

The nature of wingers, it has changed, so just because he isn't out wide and hugging the touchline doesn't make him less of a winger- modern wingers are increasingly less like this at decent levels- which the Championship definitely is.

The fact that O'Dowda frequently drifts in- when he plays that is- reflects the fact.

It looks like he is off now, but one idea could have been asymmetrical- O'Dowda wide RM or narrow RW, Eliasson a more traditional winger, the former with license- and perhaps obligation to drift in and out, the latter can stay wide and play there more frequently. Or more readily deploy a 4-2-3-1 with those 2 and Weimann central behind a good lone striker compatible with the style of play- Weimann and O'Dowda can both drift in and out fairly readily- as they don't strike me as more traditional wingers.

[Rudolf Hucker]

4 minutes ago, phantom said:

Assume people realise that his dad ISN'T his agent?

I think that most people realise this @phantom but Callum's dad does appear to be intent upon playing professional football vicariously and is thus steering his son in the direction that he would follow. So whilst he's not Callum's agent, he does appear to be project managing him.

Callum needs to cut that apron string and start making his own decisions.

[Red Army 75]

11 minutes ago, Rudolf Hucker said:

I think that most people realise this @phantom but Callum's dad does appear to be intent upon playing professional football vicariously and is thus steering his son in the direction that he would follow. So whilst he's not Callum's agent, he does appear to be project managing him.

Callum needs to cut that apron string and start making his own decisions.

Zach Clough springs to mind hucker 

[Sturny]

36 minutes ago, JBFC II said:

He's shown a distinct lack of effort at times this season. If we can get 3-4 million for him that would be good business. 

He's nowhere near as good as Eliasson 

Different kind of wingers I guess, but I agree with having Eliasson over him any day

[phantom]

38 minutes ago, Rudolf Hucker said:

I think that most people realise this @phantom but Callum's dad does appear to be intent upon playing professional football vicariously and is thus steering his son in the direction that he would follow. So whilst he's not Callum's agent, he does appear to be project managing him.

Callum needs to cut that apron string and start making his own decisions.

Out of interest mate, where does this assumption on his dad come from?

Surely he is no different to any other footballers parents wanting the best for them?

[Davefevs]

1 hour ago, iamalagerdrinker said:

If Dan James leaves Swansea I can see him going there

Rumoured to be going to Man Utd for£15m

1 hour ago, Scrumpty said:

In exchange for McBurnie... please!

I think the appropriate response to this is, “I'll drive him and his dad there myself”

Although more than happy to pick McBurnie up on the way back.

[Robbored]

CoD will be off during the summer for sure and tbh I don’t really care where he ends up. It’s how much City will get for him that’s more important.

[Swede]

I really like COD. He has the ability to make a difference in a game. I think part of the problem for him is becoming a more integral part of the Eire international squad & rubbing shoulders with more established Premier League players. You can just imagine the conversation "who do you play for, Bristol City?"

He definitely has had his head turned [as Lloyd Kelly has] and sadly he's one of our assets that more than likely will make a move over the summer. I really hope not though as I think there are some truly outstanding times just around the corner for this club and he could have a massive part to play.

Eliasson is very different type of player. I don't get this "he's only average at best". He's a game changer & when he's running at pace its marvellous to see.

If he moves it will be too early for him as others have said.

I hope he stays and gets his head down and plays.

[Davefevs]

22 minutes ago, Swede said:

I really like COD. He has the ability to make a difference in a game. I think part of the problem for him is becoming a more integral part of the Eire international squad & rubbing shoulders with more established Premier League players. You can just imagine the conversation "who do you play for, Bristol City?"

He definitely has had his head turned [as Lloyd Kelly has] and sadly he's one of our assets that more than likely will make a move over the summer. I really hope not though as I think there are some truly outstanding times just around the corner for this club and he could have a massive part to play.

Eliasson is very different type of player. I don't get this "he's only average at best". He's a game changer & when he's running at pace its marvellous to see.

If he moves it will be too early for him as others have said.

I hope he stays and gets his head down and plays.

I could see an exciting City team with Brownhill and another energetic CM in midfield, Eliasson on one flank, O’Dowda on the other, with two strikers in a good old 442....would take me back to Gavin, Smith, Bob Taylor and Turner days. 

[BTRFTG]

1 hour ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

The nature of wingers, it has changed

Says who? The ability to get the ball, run forward at pace, take on the defender either side, deliver quality ball into the box or occasionally go for goal oneself and actually hit the target. So what the hell are wingers supposed to be able to do these days?

Sure as hell CoD doesn't have the ability to do the above with any level of consistency.

[Drew Peacock]

41 minutes ago, Swede said:

I really like COD. He has the ability to make a difference in a game. I think part of the problem for him is becoming a more integral part of the Eire international squad & rubbing shoulders with more established Premier League players. You can just imagine the conversation "who do you play for, Bristol City?"

 

Turns to the bloke standing next to him "What about you?" "Shamrock Rovers" comes the reply..............

[Natchfever]

1 hour ago, phantom said:

Out of interest mate, where does this assumption on his dad come from?

Surely he is no different to any other footballers parents wanting the best for them?

If you check back in the thread someone confirms that he WAS Callum's agent, and there is also reference to the "Phenoms" program where the impression was that it seemed dad had more coverage than his son.

I agree that nearly all parents want whats best for their kids and thats how it should be but on this occasion that doesn't seem to reconcile with whats best for BCFC which is our priority.