Callum’s commitment to the Irish family Robinson

Callum Robinson is as bright and bubbly in conversation as he is on the ball.

And the Preston striker has every reason to feel upbeat just now, having scored his ninth goal of the season last weekend to claim a 1-0 win over Bristol City and secure his team’s first away win of the Championship season.

“We’ve been doing well recently,” he says. “We’re seven unbeaten now but we need to make sure there aren’t too many draws in there, so it was good to get the win.”

After Preston’s previous game, a 1-1 draw with Ipswich, manager Alex Neil had called the player into his office for a tete a tete.

“It was not a telling off or anything,” Robinson clarifies with a grin.

“He just looked at my stats and my running stats weren’t as high as they normally are. That could have been down to having played a lot of games but he thought that it was down to me wanting a goal or an assist, goal-hanging as such. We just had a chat about the game. I said I could have done more in it and then I worked very hard in training and, probably without knowing it, put in an extra 10 or 20% against Bristol.”

Robinson reckons playing international football for Ireland has had a beneficial effect on his club career. And, in turn, he hopes his refreshing willingness to get on the ball and take on players will be equally good for the country.

“It has definitely helped playing against such good quality and being involved here with the top level,” he says.

“I’ve just tried to be positive, both on and off the pitch, it’s just the way I am, trying to get at players and be as creative as possible. Obviously I’d love to get my first goal soon, that’s the only annoying part.

“Surprisingly sometimes you get a bit more time (in international football) than you would in the Championship. The Championship is quite a quick and fast pace while this is probably more down to quality and how to break down a team. But I’ve adapted quite well considering I’ve just got my first few caps. I’ve been really enjoying it.”

Having originally been sounded out by the FAI when he was 15, only for the approach to get bogged down in paperwork before fizzling out, the Northampton-born Robinson represented England from U16 to U20. But, qualifying for Ireland through a Monaghan-born grandmother — and encouraged by, among others, his Cork-born Preston team-mate Alan Browne — he eventually made the decision to switch allegiance.

“For about two years I really wanted to do it but it was one of them where I was playing a lot of football in the Championship and I was still growing and didn’t want to play too much football and kill myself,” he says.

“I spoke to Browney about two years ago saying I really wanted to do it. He was telling me to and it’s probably one of the best things I’ve ever done.”

Family were key to the decision, he says, especially his mother Claire who was only nine when, tragically, her own mother lost her life.

“My mum really wanted me to do it. My grandma was from Monaghan and I still have some family members who live there. It was nice for my mum as well as she got back in touch with all her family. My mum always wanted me to do it and my dad was also very eager for me to declare.”

“I was obviously playing for England through the youths but family plays a big part and I’d say for my mum it would mean more to her for me to play for Ireland than it would me playing for England.

“Even my brother — he’s my half-brother, we’ve got the same dad — but his mum is from Ireland as well, so he’s always supported Ireland. He’s got Ireland tops that I’ve never seen before, the old jerseys and stuff. He’s older than me by the way, he’s 31.”

Have you given him one of your own Irish shirts?

“I have, I gave him my Wales one. It won’t fit him, though, he’s too big (laughs). Pierre Coleman, give him a little shout-out. He’ll be buzzing.”

The only downside to Robinson’s declaration for the Republic was that, in England, he found himself subjected to an amount of ugly abuse, some of it racist, on social media.

“There were a few tweets here and there but for me it’s down to me and my close ones and I know it means more for me to play for Ireland,” he says.

“We had to sort it, reported it and got some of the tweets deleted. People can tweet whatever they like and we can’t reply. It shouldn’t be part of the game. You have all different cultures in the game now and it should all just be focused on football.

“Racial comments shouldn’t be happening. It’s definitely getting better at the grounds. And I think even on Twitter. I reckon when Twitter started, there would have been more racial abuse than now but you’re always going to get some people. Anyone can tweet whatever they want but it was good that we got some of them deleted.”