CALLUM ROBINSON ADMITS he was sad to see the current Irish management team go and has thanked Martin O’Neill for giving him his senior international debut.
Writing in his column with Lancashire Post, the 24-year-old said he was lucky to have worked under the pair at an international level.
“[Martin] and Roy have always been very positive with me both on and off the pitch, so I owe them so much,” Robinson said.
“He has been at the top level of the game for such a long time that the respect level for him is so high.
When I was growing up, Roy was a top player and someone I watched a lot. So to see them both go is gutting personally and I wish them well.
“Earlier in my career I had worked with Roy when he was Paul Lambert’s assistant at Aston Villa.
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“I was training with the first-team squad at the time but was in-and-out of the matchday squad. That is when Roy first got to see me play and he was later – along with Martin – to give me my chance to play international football.”
Callum Robinson (right) and Kevin Long after Ireland's draw with Denmark in Aarhus. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
Keane’s familiarity with Robinson no doubt played a part in his inclusion in the national team and the Preston forward says he was happy working under the former Ireland captain.
“I’ve got to say that I got on really well with him, I think he liked my cheekiness around the place.
Some people say that he is ‘Mr Angry’ but he is honestly not like that all the time. Don’t get me wrong, he will be angry at times when he needs to be.
“But the majority of the time he is fun to be around and enjoys the training camps as much as any of the players.”
Robinson has been an ever-present in O’Neill’s squad since the start of the Nations League campaign and won his sixth cap for Ireland during the scoreless draw against Denmark on Monday night.
To have got six caps in the last two months is brilliant personally but obviously the results haven’t been great.
“I do enjoy going away with Ireland and everything that goes with it. At the end of the day it is football, it is what I do.”
With the dearth of top-quality options to choose from up front, Robinson is likely to be part of Ireland’s forward line heading into the Euro 2020 qualifying campaign.
Aiden O’Brien, Ronan Curtis and Shane Long could also be the used in Ireland’s attacking set-up, while Robinson’s Preston team-mate Sean Maguire will be sidelined until the new year.
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'People say Roy is ‘Mr Angry’ but he's honestly not like that all the time' - Robinson
CALLUM ROBINSON ADMITS he was sad to see the current Irish management team go and has thanked Martin O’Neill for giving him his senior international debut.
Writing in his column with Lancashire Post, the 24-year-old said he was lucky to have worked under the pair at an international level.
“[Martin] and Roy have always been very positive with me both on and off the pitch, so I owe them so much,” Robinson said.
“He has been at the top level of the game for such a long time that the respect level for him is so high.
“Earlier in my career I had worked with Roy when he was Paul Lambert’s assistant at Aston Villa.
“I was training with the first-team squad at the time but was in-and-out of the matchday squad. That is when Roy first got to see me play and he was later – along with Martin – to give me my chance to play international football.”
Keane’s familiarity with Robinson no doubt played a part in his inclusion in the national team and the Preston forward says he was happy working under the former Ireland captain.
“I’ve got to say that I got on really well with him, I think he liked my cheekiness around the place.
“But the majority of the time he is fun to be around and enjoys the training camps as much as any of the players.”
Robinson has been an ever-present in O’Neill’s squad since the start of the Nations League campaign and won his sixth cap for Ireland during the scoreless draw against Denmark on Monday night.
“I do enjoy going away with Ireland and everything that goes with it. At the end of the day it is football, it is what I do.”
With the dearth of top-quality options to choose from up front, Robinson is likely to be part of Ireland’s forward line heading into the Euro 2020 qualifying campaign.
Aiden O’Brien, Ronan Curtis and Shane Long could also be the used in Ireland’s attacking set-up, while Robinson’s Preston team-mate Sean Maguire will be sidelined until the new year.
Subscribe to our new podcast, Heineken Rugby Weekly on The42, here:
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
aarhus Callum Robinson Denmark grateful Ireland Martin O'Neill