ADAM Idah is still only 22 but already there’s talk of his second coming on the international stage after falling down the pecking order with the Republic of Ireland and Norwich City.
A key player in Stephen Kenny’s U21 side, Idah received a serious confidence boost when the Dubliner handed the youngster the number nine jersey at senior level.
Although he’s racked up over a dozen international caps, the Cork man has yet to break his duck at senior level.
Knee injuries meant he's made just one international appearance in 18 months – a second-half substitute for Evan Ferguson in Ireland’s Euro 2024 qualifier defeat to France in March – but Idah is confident he can back in the mix for a starting place as the squad prepares for next Friday’s key game against Greece in Athens.
With each passing international window, another striker has put up their hand for the Republic, which has complicated Idah's pathway back to the starting line-up.
Troy Parrott, Michael Obafemi and Evan Ferguson, the English Premiership’s bright young thing, are all jockeying for the striker’s role in Athens, while the emergence of Mikey Johnston has added another dimension to Stephen Kenny’s attacking options.
Ferguson, though, appears in pole position after opening his account in the Latvia friendly and leading the line well against the French a few nights later.
An Idah-Ferguson partnership is surely something Kenny will be considering ahead of the Greece clash.
“It would be great to play with Evan,” said Idah, via a zoom call from Ireland training base in Antalya, Turkey where the temperature is 32 degrees.
“He’s had an unbelievable season at Brighton. He scored in his first game [start] for Ireland as well. To play with Evan would be great. I think everyone knows he’s a fantastic player and, who knows, Evan and me could be playing together in Greece.
“If we’re not, we’ll both support each other and do the best we can for our country.”
He added: “In every team you need some friendly competition, for all of us. There’s not just Evan, there are five of us forwards all chasing for the same spot and I think we’re all doing everything in the right way, we help each other to the best we can.
“Whoever starts in any game I think we all support each other. That’s what’s so good about this team, there’s no ego in this team.”
During his time on the sidelines nursing injury, Idah was leapfrogged at club level too.
Teemu Pukki was first choice, but with the Finnish international striker now exiting the Canaries, Idah may feel he has a better chance of getting more starts next season and has the comfort blanket of a five-year contract with the Championship club who finished in a disappointing 13th place.
“Teemu was massive to me since I came in. When I first came to Norwich, I wasn't playing many games, and I was really frustrated, but he helped me through that.
“Looking back now, it was stupid of me to be frustrated as he was scoring all these goals but even off the pitch he helped me, [showing me] what to do outside of football.
“On the pitch, he was fantastic. He's a great player to look up to with all the goals he has scored in the Championship and the Premier League. He is a great professional.”
Earlier this month, Kenny acknowledged that the next 12 months are critical in the young striker’s career and hopes his former U21 starlet can re-emerge and become the player he’s threatened to be.
“Adam has been a prolific goalscorer for Ireland up the levels, at all the levels, and injury had halted his career, two knee injuries but he's still a very exciting talent,” said Kenny. “He has a lot but he needs to kick on in his career, this is a big year for him also.”
“For me, I've played some good games for Ireland,” Idah said. “I think the best one was probably the Portugal game. That was, what, two years ago now.
“I probably have to be a bit more consistent, but I don't think I've been bad in many games. Obviously, it can be frustrating not scoring goal, but I feel like I've helped the team quite a bit.
“Obviously my job is to score goals and I'm sure that will come soon, but I just have to keep helping the team, that's the main thing.”
