For club and country

Bill George on the Irish defender Andy O'Brien and his path to glory

THE ROADWAY that led Andy O'Brien from modest Bradford to an exotic World Cup and the European delights of the Champions League was clearly sprinkled with stardust. It has helped to define his future and inflame his ambitions.

The next step for the earnest young defender is to replicate the journey, but this time as a first-choice centre-back with Ireland and Newcastle United.