OVER THE NEXT 10 days, our 18 for 18 series will look at 18 Irish athletes aged 18 or younger set for a big 2018. You can read the rest of the series here.
WHILE IT’S STILL very much early days for Adam Idah, there’s no denying that the Corkonian striker has the potential to carve out a very successful football career.
Still only 16, Idah — who’s of Nigerian descent — joined English Championship outfit Norwich City earlier this year after impressing for Cork schoolboy club Corinthians. He’s fond of a hat-trick too.
Idah netted a 10-minute hat-trick as Norwich claimed a 4-1 FA Youth Cup victory over Barnsley at Carrow Road earlier this month. He has also scored eight times in 10 games for the Ireland U17s, including a hat-trick in a 6-0 demolition of Azerbaijan in October.
“It’s my first hat-trick for the club on my first appearance at Carrow Road. I’m delighted about that,” Idah said after the aforementioned victory against Barnsley.
“I was playing locally back in Ireland and one of the scouts came to watch me. I think I scored a hat-trick in that game, came over here on trial and scored a hat-trick against Peterborough.
“I scored a hat-trick recently against Azerbaijan too so hopefully I can keep going. Once I score one, I get more confident.”
This guy is on fire get him in the first team!
— James Foley (@JamesScottFoley) December 12, 2017
Idah was also part of the Republic of Ireland side that reached the quarter-finals of the U17 European Championships in Croatia back in May, before suffering a 1-0 defeat to England.
It may be too soon to expect him to make an impact at senior level for club or country, but the initial signs have certainly been promising.
As a prospect, he’s arguably the most exciting Ireland have got.
