Tallaght-native Mipo Odubeko urged to follow in Robbie Keane's footsteps amid absence from Ireland U21 squad

Mipo Odubeko in action for the Republic of Ireland Under-17 team in 2019. Picture: INPHO/Tommy Dickson

West Ham striker Mipo Odubeko has been urged to follow Robbie Keane’s path from Tallaght to international stardom by opting to play with the Republic of Ireland.

Both players hail from the same West Dublin suburb but Odubeko’s name was absent from Jim Crawford’s Ireland U21 squad yesterday and there are fears that the highly-rated attacker could instead choose to play his international football for either Nigeria or England.

Crawford is unaware if either country has sounded the 18-year old out as of yet but talks were due with the FAI yesterday over a prospect who featured twice for the Hammers in the FA Cup at the start of the year.

“At the minute it’s a little bit stale at the minute, if you ask me,” said Crawford who selected Odubeko for the squad that faced Wales in March but only for the player to withdraw due to what was termed at the time as fatigue.

That he is again absent from the squad named for the upcoming friendlies against Switzerland, Australia, and Denmark is an obvious concern and highlights again the fluid nature of eligibility and allegiances in the modern game.

Ireland lost both Declan Rice and Jack Grealish to England but the swings and roundabouts nature of all this was evident in the presence of Ryan Johansson and John Joe Patrick Finn Benoa in the 21s squad for the trio of games to come in Marbella.

Johansson could have opted for Luxembourg or Sweden while Finn Benoa was eligible for Spain and England. Both are welcome additions to the Irish talent pool and Odubeko would be another given his prolific strike rate in the underage game in England.

Ireland, anaemic in front of goal lately, could certainly do with more fire power.

“Robbie Keane made his debut when he was 17, came, scored goals and that’s something, if I was Mipo, I’d be aspiring to,” said Crawford. “At this point you’ve got a manager with the senior team who’s willing to play young players. I think it’s something for him to think about.

I got a text off him at the last camp, that he was honoured to be selected for the camp against Wales, so there’s certainly something there, that he wants to play for Ireland.

“But, at the minute, he’s a young boy and obviously might need time to make his decision.”

Another youngster with a decision to make is Stephen Ireland’s son Joshua who has represented England underage but was last week part of a UK-based Ireland U19 squad brought together by Tom Mohan.

The Stoke City midfielder is still only 16 but Crawford, who was a member of the extended staff at that camp, certainly took note of a player with potential and someone who seems to have the raw material to develop into what would be a rare Irish No.10.

A chip off the old block, then?

“He certainly… his passing range was very good,” said Crawford. “It’s one of them, I’m not going to lie, that you are told that’s Stephen Ireland’s son, ‘I’ll have a look at what he’s about’. He was very good. Very good.”

Yet another teenager on the radar is 18-year Liam Delap whose father Rory is another ex-Ireland international. Delap, on the books at Manchester City, has played for the England U18s having been sounded out by Crawford.

“I certainly wouldn’t be closing the door on it. It’s something that myself, the staff, Stephen (Kenny) and his staff have to sit around a table and say, ‘okay, what are we going to do about this situation?’

“He’s another player that would add value to the players’ pool and that’s what we need: a competitive player pool to push competition and competitiveness among ourselves, to get the best out of everybody.

“The way I’d see it from my end of things, he hasn’t played a competitive game with England, so why not make contact?

“His family are from around the Donegal area, I did have a discussion with him about it and it was something that he considered.

“But England jumped in and he made that decision. I texted him all the best… If there’s an opportunity to get someone with high potential on board, why not? I’d be on the front foot with getting people on board.”