O’Brien relishing life in the fast lane

YOU might not know him but you’ll probably remember how he torched the Lansdowne Road turf with his turn of pace two months ago in the otherwise forgettable 4-0 defeat to Holland.

Alan O’Brien would understand if his name didn’t ring a few bells.

Though a regular at underage level for Ireland, a call-up to the senior squad was the last thing on the youngster’s mind before the Dutch debacle.

The first he knew of his new-found status was when he descended from the Newcastle United team bus on arrival for UEFA Cup duty in Latvia.

When he was told, he suspected he was the butt of just another dressing room joke but, once realisation sunk in, he found the moment being framed with a memorable photo alongside compatriots Damien Duff, Shay Give and Stephen Carr.

“It’s been massive,” he beamed this week. “It was the last thing I was thinking of. I was just trying to get my game together at Newcastle. It’s been a big surprise just being here because my main aim has been to get into the team at Newcastle. I was delighted to get the call-up.”

It got even better. At half-time against the Dutch, Steve Staunton told him to ditch the tracksuit and limber up and his sheer pace stood out in what was a pedestrian performance by the home team at Lansdowne Road.

Though he acknowledges the benefits of being so fleet of foot he has made a concerted effort not to be tagged as a one-trick pony ever since his days with Cabinteely and St Joseph’s Boys.

“That (speed) probably is my strength but I need to work on some other small things to try and get my game together. I’ve been working

on my crossing and first touch and hopefully that will progress my game.”

His education has moved up a number of notches since the arrival of Duff from Chelsea. Though Duff has been parachuted directly into O’Brien’s spot as left winger, the youngster has wisely looked on the development as a plus rather than a minus.

“He’s a world-class player and he’s proven it. I’ve learnt a lot from him and always been a big admirer of him. I wasn’t really a regular in the first-team before he arrived anyway.

“I was just looking at it from the point of view that I could learn from him. You just have to believe in your own ability and show that you can play at that level. I just have to wait my turn.”

Last month he was again called away from the bench and onto the pitch with seven minutes to go against Germany in Stuttgart.

The only piece missing from the jigsaw now is his club career. Having been pitched in by Graeme Souness last season, O’Brien has fallen down the pecking order under Glenn Roeder and talk of a move to Wolves persists.

“I need to have a chat with (Roeder) but I only started to play again a week ago. I felt like I needed to get my fitness up before I could go anywhere. If I’m not playing football at Newcastle I’d love to go.

“I just feel like I need regular football. I just want to play week in, week out so if I have to go somewhere to do that then so be it. Wolves are a massive club as well. Glenn has to do what’s right for Newcastle as well, so we’ll see what happens.”