Bosun Lawal looked up to Robbie Brady more than Beckenbauer

Bosun Lawal during a media conference at the FAI National Training Centre. Picture: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

Bosun Lawal was compared to Franz Beckenbauer earlier this summer but the Republic of Ireland player had eyes for players closer to home when it came to people he wanted to emulate.

“There's no player I modelled myself on but there's players I looked up to, like Robbie Keane,” Lawal said on Tuesday. “I enjoyed watching him play, [and] others. Even Robbie Brady when he used to play, still does obviously, I just enjoyed watching them play.” 

Lawal was compared to the German Kaiser after a pre-season friendly for Stoke City and it was his club manager at The Potteries, one-time Manchester United striker Mark Robins, who delivered the killer line.

Robins has since said that his reference was tongue-in-cheek but his words have served to draw focus on the Dubliner whose skills and style make him a viable option for Ireland as they start their World Cup qualifying campaign against Hungary this Saturday.

Still uncapped at senior level, Lawal was drafted into the squad by Heimir Hallgrimsson as recently as for the friendly against Luxembourg in June but didn’t get game time. That should change by the time the qualifiers are done in mid-November.

Lawal was actually hours away from a flight to Malta for a summer holiday when the Irish boss phoned. Luckly, he happened to be home in Dublin when the contact was made, and he is ready to play a larger role now if required.

“It's always an honour to play for Ireland, to get called up for Ireland, and any opportunity that comes around for playing or getting called up for Ireland, I'll always take it, no matter what.” 

He hasn’t had that chance much of late thanks to an injury that wrecked his first season at Stoke and saw him miss out on the final stages of the U21’s latest qualifying campaign but he is fit now and offers Hallgrimsson more than one option.

Lawal can play at centre-back or in central midfield. He has played in both positions for Stoke and, again, is more than comfortable with whatever role it might be that comes his way, either at home to Hungary or away to Armenia next Tuesday.

“I’m not that bothered where I play, I’ve said many times, as long as I am playing on the pitch, I will give it my all. There are a couple of positions where he [Heimir] said he wants me to play but it doesn't really bother me where I play.

Lawal training with the Irish team. Picture: Ryan Byrne/Inpho

“I’ve played in most positions in my life, I think I can take different elements from different positions, I am prospering.” Lawal’s talents are obvious on the field of play but equally in the fact that Stoke signed him even when they knew he was injured, and given how he was called up for Irish squads when struggling for fitness or with League One Fleetwood Town.

Ireland are well stocked in the centre of defence, not so much so in the engine room where Josh Cullen’s partner is still up for debate come kick-off in the Aviva Stadium at the weekend. Either way, Ireland look to be on to a winner.

“As a centre-half, [I’m] someone that likes to play a lot. I like to win all my duels, where it's early, on the ground. I like to cover. As a centre mid I'm physical, I can get around. Very good carrying the ball. I've got some goals in me as well, so yeah.”