Adam Idah determined to take his chances - and Ronaldo's jersey

The Republic of Ireland striker also has the opportunity to nail down the Republic of Ireland's No.9 jersey as the national team faces into a trio of vital World Cup qualifiers

 Adam Idah of Republic of Ireland and Laszlo Kleinheisler of Hungary during the international friendly match in Budapest

Cristiano Ronaldo was the player Adam Idah idolised when the latter was a kid growing up in Cork and the Norwich City striker has already called dibs on the superstar’s jersey when the Republic of Ireland face Portugal this Wednesday.

What was already a huge World Cup qualifier in the Estadio Algarve has taken on an even greater significance with Ronaldo’s sensational transfer from Juventus back to Manchester United where he spent six wildly successful seasons back in the noughties.

The game against Ireland will also offer him the opportunity to become the leading goalscorer in the history of international football. He needs just one more to move beyond Iran’s Aali Daei with 110 in what will be his 180th appearance.

The 36-year old’s return to England late last week has, naturally, made for a topic of conversation in the Ireland camp and Idah was positively beaming when confirming that he had already let it be known that he will be the one swapping shirts with the legend.

“I’ve got a couple of contacts,” he smiled when asked how.

His admiration for Ronaldo is hardly a surprise given the latter’s career and the timeline involved. Idah was just two years old when a teenage Ronaldo made his debut for Portugal against Kazakhstan in 2003.

The Portuguese sensation has been knocking it out of the park throughout Idah’s childhood, and into the early years of his adult life and senior football career, and the Irish striker confirmed this week that Ronaldo has always been his favourite player.

Why? Why not?

“Just the way he carries himself. I think he’s got an unbelievable attitude. Obviously a great worth ethic. What he does on the pitch is amazing. His goalscoring record is just outrageous. Overall, he’s one of the best for me.”

His eagerness to claim possession of the jersey might seem a tad premature given the serious business that precedes it but it’s easy to forget that Idah is still only 20 and at the foothills of his own career.

After all, he spoke with an identical delight last June when recalling his appearance for Norwich City against Manchester United in front of 70,000 supporters at Old Trafford. These are standout moment’s in anyone’s career.

That particular game came just seven days after Idah had scored a hat-trick away to Preston North End in the FA Cup but his progress at Norwich has not progressed at the same speed since with bench duty more often than not his starting point.

There was talk earlier this month about a switch to Blackburn Rovers as part of a deal that would take Adam Armstrong, who eventually moved to Southampton, in the opposite direction but he remains a Norwich player for now.

“I’m getting minutes here and there for Norwich. Sometimes it can be difficult. I’m training day in, day out. When I come here (with Ireland), we’re training a lot. I just have to do the best I can.

“Show what I can do in training and get those minutes with Norwich and show what I can do, what I’m capable of. But I just think I have to keep working hard and do the best I can when the opportunities arise.”

Minutes have been easier to come by with his country, on those occasions when he hasn’t been absent through injury or Covid issues. He has seven senior caps to his name now and is clearly seen as a man who can lead the line going forward by Stephen Kenny.

Goals have almost always been an issue for Irish teams, and Kenny has found them harder to come by than most in his position, and he probably hasn’t been helped by the constantly changing cast of characters available to him up front.

Injuries are one thing but Covid has only added to the headaches in settling on a regular formation with Callum Robinson’s absence for this latest camp due to a second positive test inside a year all too typical of the team’s rum luck in that regard.

All going well, Idah should see plenty of action between the trio of upcoming fixtures away to Portugal and at home to both Azerbaijan and Serbia. There is certainly an opening for someone to claim Ireland’s No.9 jersey.

“Look, there is a couple of strikers with Ireland. Unfortunately, Callum Robinson is out with Covid. There is a lot of opportunities for everyone, whether it is me, James Collins, Shane Long, Aaron (Connolly), we’re all fighting for that top.

“But whoever has the top at the time, I’m sure everyone is rooting for them to do the best they can in the games. And obviously we need to score goals in these games. And if that person is scoring goals, no-one is complaining. It’s all for the team.”