JAMES ABANKWAH HAS played two and a half hours of senior international football. Over half of that total came in the just-about-official meeting with world No.163 Granada last month. Yet here in Canada this week the Watford defender can, remarkably, be counted as a veteran.
Of the 24 Irishmen who crossed the Atlantic, 14 have fewer caps than Abankwah. Ten of them have none at all. Just 15 months after his first ever senior call-up, the 22-year-old is, for a week at least, a wise old head.
“[I’ve] tried to help as much as I can. When I hadn’t made my debut yet and was looking to get my first cap, there were a lot of experienced lads around me,” said Abankwah, who leaned on Chiedozie Ogbene for help, as well as the man who has for so long occupied Abankwah’s position in green.
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“Chieo has helped me a lot. He’s always been a bit of a benefit,” adds Abankwah. “Séamus as well, Seamus being a massive one. He’s good with all the lads. Every new guy that comes in, speaking to them, making sure they’re at home, making sure they feel welcome.”
Leadership comes in all shapes and sizes. Abankwah has appreciated Coleman’s this past year as he’s started to feel comfortable finding his own.
“I think [especially] my leadership qualities on the pitch,” replied the Waterford native when asked how his game has grown in a season in which he featured 32 times for Watford.
The Waterford native has been on loan at Watford from Udinese. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
“I wouldn’t be one to really talk or tell people where to go. Being at Watford in a young team has given me that licence to be more free in terms of doing that. I’ve added that to my game now and just being more of a leader on the pitch.
“In my family I’m actually more probably the loudest one. [My dad] is a Reverend Minister, goes around preaching the gospel. Obviously faith has been the foundation in our family and I’ve grown up having that faith. He’s a very good talker and I’m trying to gain a little bit of his faith as well.”
The faith of Heimir Hallgrimsson has mattered to Abankwah of late. He’s one of the few who’ve been involved from early in May, travelling first to the camp in Spain, then home for the Qatar victory and now here.
“He just said that he’d like me to be in both camps and once he said that to me there was no doubt in my mind that I’d obviously make myself available for both camps and leave all the holiday stuff to after,” added Abankwah, due to return to parent club Udinese this summer.
“Obviously I’m contracted to Udinese as of 2029 so I’m going to go back and do a pre-season with them and then we’ll see where it goes from there. I’ve just said to my agent to hold off and let me focus on international first and then we’ll see from there.”
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'In my family I'm probably the loudest one' - Abankwah learning to use his voice with Ireland
JAMES ABANKWAH HAS played two and a half hours of senior international football. Over half of that total came in the just-about-official meeting with world No.163 Granada last month. Yet here in Canada this week the Watford defender can, remarkably, be counted as a veteran.
Of the 24 Irishmen who crossed the Atlantic, 14 have fewer caps than Abankwah. Ten of them have none at all. Just 15 months after his first ever senior call-up, the 22-year-old is, for a week at least, a wise old head.
“[I’ve] tried to help as much as I can. When I hadn’t made my debut yet and was looking to get my first cap, there were a lot of experienced lads around me,” said Abankwah, who leaned on Chiedozie Ogbene for help, as well as the man who has for so long occupied Abankwah’s position in green.
“Chieo has helped me a lot. He’s always been a bit of a benefit,” adds Abankwah. “Séamus as well, Seamus being a massive one. He’s good with all the lads. Every new guy that comes in, speaking to them, making sure they’re at home, making sure they feel welcome.”
Leadership comes in all shapes and sizes. Abankwah has appreciated Coleman’s this past year as he’s started to feel comfortable finding his own.
“I think [especially] my leadership qualities on the pitch,” replied the Waterford native when asked how his game has grown in a season in which he featured 32 times for Watford.
“I wouldn’t be one to really talk or tell people where to go. Being at Watford in a young team has given me that licence to be more free in terms of doing that. I’ve added that to my game now and just being more of a leader on the pitch.
“In my family I’m actually more probably the loudest one. [My dad] is a Reverend Minister, goes around preaching the gospel. Obviously faith has been the foundation in our family and I’ve grown up having that faith. He’s a very good talker and I’m trying to gain a little bit of his faith as well.”
The faith of Heimir Hallgrimsson has mattered to Abankwah of late. He’s one of the few who’ve been involved from early in May, travelling first to the camp in Spain, then home for the Qatar victory and now here.
“He just said that he’d like me to be in both camps and once he said that to me there was no doubt in my mind that I’d obviously make myself available for both camps and leave all the holiday stuff to after,” added Abankwah, due to return to parent club Udinese this summer.
“Obviously I’m contracted to Udinese as of 2029 so I’m going to go back and do a pre-season with them and then we’ll see where it goes from there. I’ve just said to my agent to hold off and let me focus on international first and then we’ll see from there.”
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James Abankwah Soccer son of a preacher man Ireland Republic