COD

[DT The Optimist]

What’s the future hold for him in Bristol?
I recall some years back he delayed signing the contract on the table  by the  club to see what his options were and nothing materialised from any other club.. here he is still. Perhaps that told a story.

I recall him having one great game at Norwich some years back that I was at…and I think that’s about it, when I have left a stadium being  really impressed by him.  I do not doubt his work rate and effort  and comes across in media as nice guy, but there is simply no end product, no goals, few assists, not a defender…not a particular exciting winger.  

Is it the management who are  not getting the best out of him….or is he simply not a championship wide player.  My own view is he will be gone in the summer….
 

[Numero Uno]

He’s gotta go. Whether it’s his fault, the clubs fault, whatever, the kid just doesn’t perform on a consistent basis for us. Needs a fresh start elsewhere and if he smashes it then so be it and good luck to him.

[BCFC Grim]

Been here nearly 6 years and achieved absolutely **** all. Just completely pointless. Wasted 6 years of his time, and 6 years of ours. Just hasn't worked.

Anyone got his stats to hand?  There was a stage under LJ that I thought he was going to kick on but never happened.

[Sturny]

Gone in the summer I reckon. I don’t think it’s down to coaching, I believe he gives it his all he just doesn’t have the quality. He’s had the chances. He could possibly make a sideways move in the champ or a high end L1 could take him on. 
 

[Fordy62]

Premier League Athlete. League two footballer. 

[Harry]

League 1 player. 
 

That’s not a criticism by the way. To play a career in League 1 is still a great achievement. But he’s a league 1 player. 

[Sleepy1968]

Don't worry, Pearson has his number.

I just worry that he'll accept the offer made (negotiations were opened a while ago) and we'll have to make do with his mediocrity for another two years.

[FForbes]

10 minutes ago, BCFC Grim said:

Been here nearly 6 years and achieved absolutely **** all. Just completely pointless. Wasted 6 years of his time, and 6 years of ours. Just hasn't worked.

Anyone got his stats to hand?  There was a stage under LJ that I thought he was going to kick on but never happened.

Started 108 games, sub on 67 times. Scored 10 goals, subbed off 48 times. All competitions.

 

[Fordy62]

3 minutes ago, FForbes said:

Started 108 games, sub on 67 times. Scored 10 goals, subbed off 48 times. All competitions.

 

Wikipedia has him with 7 goals. 

[tin]

He’s offered very little return over a long time now. This season sums up his time here, really — one goal and no assists. Hard worker but ineffective. Needs to be moved on and I hope Pring makes COD’s position his own. 

[Engvall’s Splinter]

I think he’ll get a new deal on drastically reduced terms. I bloody hope he doesn’t though. 

[E.G.Red]

and yet when we were going through a bad patch  fans were bemoaning his absence.

I think Nigel likes him, but he's not the same player that we signed those years ago and his injury did him no favours.

[Fordy62]

2 minutes ago, E.G.Red said:

and yet when we were going through a bad patch  fans were bemoaning his absence.

I think Nigel likes him, but he's not the same player that we signed those years ago and his injury did him no favours.

Ok. I’ll bite. Please find me one post anywhere on otib where anyone has bemoaned the absence of Callum O’Dowda. I’ll allow you the full 6 years he’s been here. 

[Unan]

We bought him relatively cheap and bet on his potential. He obviously hasn’t achieved what we thought he could. I don’t think it would have been considered a failure of a signing, until we resigned him on a much better deal after doing nothing of note.

Edited February 6, 2022 by Marcus Aurelius

[Fordy62]

Just now, Marcus Aurelius said:

We bought him relatively cheap and bet on his potential. He obviously hasn’t achieved what we thought he could. I don’t think it would have been considered a failure, until we resigned him on a much better deal after doing nothing of note.

Sign of those times sadly. Spunk money. 

[cidercity1987]

2 minutes ago, Fordy62 said:

Ok. I’ll bite. Please find me one post anywhere on otib where anyone has bemoaned the absence of Callum O’Dowda. I’ll allow you the full 6 years he’s been here. 

2017/18, started the season in very good form. Injured in November v Hull, wheels came off us in January, he returned against Millwall in April and many thought he was the missing piece to get us back on the track for the play offs.

[Fordy62]

1 minute ago, cidercity1987 said:

2017/18, started the season in very good form. Injured in November v Hull, wheels came off us in January, he returned against Millwall in April and many thought he was the missing piece to get us back on the track for the play offs.

How’d that work out? 

Nice try, but I was thinking something more time stamped. 

[Rossi the Robin]

Need an Anthony Knockaert type winger with a bit of bite 

[Phileas Fogg]

He's one of the most underwhelming players I can remember playing for us. Right up there with Neil Kilkenny for me.

The fact he hasn't aged a day since we signed him is also suspicious - same hairstyle, pedantically clean shaven and hasn't really bulked up either. I'm not entirely convinced he's real, might well be an NPC. 

[IAmNick]

I'm not a fan of O'Dowda, so in trying to be fair/balanced after a few better performances I was trying to convince myself he should stay in Jan and posted as much. He's reverted to type though and I don't think it's unfair to admit I'm pretty done with him.

It's hard to say he's not a Championship player as he's played fairly consistently for 5 seasons here now. I think in reality though he's in an awkward spot where he'd probably look pretty good at L1 ala Freeman but will struggle (for us as least) in the Championship to produce much.

Lots of "Oh but Leeds/Forest were interested" stuff but nothing has ever materialised, and I'd be surprised if he went somewhere considered an upgrade on us when he leaves.

[The Original OTIB]

Back to Oxford would be my bet, or Ipswich, of course.

[Bernard Lerring]

Been here 6 years. That's approximately half of a footballers entire career, and most fans can only recall a single game that he has significantly impacted (positively) in that time... that says all you need to know!

 

 

[Davefevs]

6 minutes ago, Phileas Fogg said:

and hasn't really bulked up either

I think he has a tremendous, athletic physique…just doesn’t use it.

We saw that in evidence twice yesterday, one where he failed to usher the ball out for a goal kick, the other when through on goal and fell over.  I think JonD said it was a push in the back.  I’ve just d/l the clip, and I can’t see a push at all, just Gabriel using his arms and body as he’s perfectly entitled to, with Callum not trying to give anything back.  Wish I could post the video.

 

[Supersonic Robin]

As someone stated on another thread, I'm surprised by how much patience Pearson has shown him. O'Dowda's lack of aggression and commitment seems like exactly the kind of thing that would frustrate Pearson.

FWIW I thought O'Dowda was looking improved earlier in the season, but he seems to have reverted to type a bit.

If we let him go in summer, I could see him joining another Championship team - he has a strong enough "Championship CV" for it.

[Lew-T]

For a player to have been at a club for 6 years, usually they tend to be cult heroes to the fan base by that time…

But we’re here 6 years later still wondering what we’ve got. That itself is the sad reality of O’Dowda’s time here.

We really need to upgrade and move him on.

[And Its Smith]

Most fans don’t rate him. Most managers at club and international level continue to pick him. A weird anomaly really. Are the fans wrong or are all the managers wrong ?

I made a similar point when Pearson was appointed and was told ‘Pearson won’t pick him’.  Well he does, every game 

Edited February 6, 2022 by And Its Smith

[Garland-sweden]

5 minutes ago, And Its Smith said:

Most fans don’t rate him. Most managers at club and international level continue to pick him. A weird anomaly really. Are the fans wrong or are all the managers wrong ?

Not many goals or assists during his long time here. Think the managers got it wrong.

[And Its Smith]

1 minute ago, Garland-sweden said:

Not many goals or assists during his long time here. Think the managers got it wrong.

Every single manager got it wrong?!  Football isn’t just about stats 

[Ecko]

12 minutes ago, And Its Smith said:

Most fans don’t rate him. Most managers at club and international level continue to pick him. A weird anomaly really. Are the fans wrong or are all the managers wrong ?

I made a similar point when Pearson was appointed and was told ‘Pearson won’t pick him’.  Well he does, every game 

He's crap and the sooner we get rid the better. 

He has had no competition for his place since he's been here. 

[Davefevs]

1 minute ago, And Its Smith said:

Most fans don’t rate him. Most managers at club and international level continue to pick him. A weird anomaly really. Are the fans wrong or are all the managers wrong ?

I just think he’s “okay”.  I don’t think he’s crap, but he is massively frustrating for a player who I don’t think is playing any better than when he joined in summer 2016. His best form was a run in Autumn of 2017, and a period in 18/19 with the odd one-off here and there since.  Been many below the level too.

When I see a player almost 27, I expect him to occasionally take a game by the scruff of its neck.  I sometimes see 45 minutes that give me a bit of hope, but rarely a full 90.  This should be peak O’Dowda years.  It’s not though.

Above is his BC stats.  Of course he’s missed games through injury.

108 starts (completed 60 / subbed off 48 times) / 67 sub appearances.  

An average of 57.76 mins per appearance.

A dwindling return of goals and assists over the past 3 seasons.