GreenScene » Alex Pearce called up to Ireland squad to replace Darren O’Dea

Alex Pearce called up to Ireland squad to replace Darren O’Dea

24 January 2013 2,156 views 12 Comments Written by Ronan

Reading defender Alex Pearce has been called up to the Republic of Ireland squad to face Poland as a replacement for Darren O’Dea.

O’Dea is currently in pre-season with Major League Soccer club Toronto FC, and the Canadian side have requested that the 25-year-old centre-back stay with the club rather than flying to Ireland to play Poland on February 6th. Ireland boss Giovanni Trapattoni has agreed to the club’s request, calling up Reading’s Alex Pearce in his place.

Pearce made his Republic of Ireland debut in September against Oman, coming off the bench and scoring in the 4-1 victory. He had been out of the Reading team earlier this season, but has returned to the side in recent weeks to help them battle relegation in the Premier League.

12 Comments »

Ronan said:

Thank Jesus!!

# 24 January 2013 at 2:06 pm

John said:

I hope he impresses Trap this time around, and doesn’t do anything to annoy him. Like score.

# 24 January 2013 at 2:32 pm

John said:

Thank God for that,Should logic exist pearce would be ahead of Richard Keogh given that he is a Premier league regular.

# 24 January 2013 at 11:04 pm

Propagandhi said:

He may have scored against Oman but his job is to defend and he didn’t inspire that much confidence doing that. He warrants a further look anyway.

I think people are a little hard on O’Dea. He had a nightmare against Germany but he has largely been dependable for Ireland, including the draw in Moscow.

We also leaked goals in Poland and O’Dea didn’t play in any of those games. The problem therefore probably lies at Trapattoni’s feet and not at those of any particular players.

# 25 January 2013 at 7:26 pm

Franco Baresi said:

Pearce should have been in the squad ahead of O’Dea right from the outset

# 26 January 2013 at 7:59 am

Mikeire said:

Have to agree with Franco Baresi on that. O’dea is as poor a defender as you can get. He has had some half decent performances but when he’s bad he’s hopeless

# 26 January 2013 at 5:26 pm

Propagandhi said:

It’s unfair to characterise him on one performance against Germany. Simon Cox and Jon Walters have looked pretty hopeless in the last several games as well. At least O’Dea is actually Irish.

# 26 January 2013 at 5:59 pm

John said:

Roll up! Roll up! Old chestnuts for sale!

# 26 January 2013 at 7:34 pm

Propagandhi said:

I’m just defending O’Dea. Walters was crap against Kazakhstan and we only won when we brought Long and Doyle on. Cox has been atrocious for just under a year and the decision to bring him on to play at left wing probably ended any chance we had of getting anything out of the Croatia game and left us with a virtually impossible chance of getting out of the group.

Yes. O’Dea was crap against Germany but look at who he was playing beside. Look how the defense had been leaking goals since the European Championships. For God’s sake, O’Dea had been sound until the Germany game but people started looking to make him a scapegoat because he moved to the MLS when the decision to play Cox and Walters ahead of Long, Doyle and McClean has been far more detrimental.

Funny how Kevin Kilbane can be a liability in every single game but he is a folk hero yet Darren O’Dea is the worst player ever because he, the rest of the team and the manager all failed us against Germany.

# 26 January 2013 at 8:14 pm

Franco Baresi said:

O’Dea is very very average. There is a reason he never made it at Celtic in a poor Scottish league, a reason why Neil Warnock did not keep him at Leeds and there is a reason why he is now playing for Toronto, a team that shipped goals every week. He should be added to those who do not deserve a call up.

Our best 5 defenders in central defence are Dunne, O’Shea, St Ledger, Pearce and Clark. No way should O’Dea be getting a call up unless we are severely stuck.

# 30 January 2013 at 2:33 pm

John said:

We all dream of a team of Frank O’Baresis. If only.

O’Dea probably gets a bit of a hammering considering how well he has played for Ireland in some games, but let’s face it he is not getting any better. MLS at 25 does not bode well for his future. If you look at Pearce’s clearance stats he looks much more capable of filling the Dunne role than anyone else we have at the moment.

# 30 January 2013 at 9:52 pm