A MONTH or so ago it would have seemed far-fetched that, of all the Republic of Ireland’s options at centre half, Darren O’Dea would be a starter in Skopje. Having shaken off what Paul Jewell suggested was a serious ankle injury, though, the 24 year-old Dubliner is ready to grab the opportunity provided by Richard Dunne’s suspension.

Few would begrudge him the chance and after lengthy loan spells away from Celtic, most recently at Ipswich, he remains unsure whether his long-term future lies in Glasgow.

“I have a year left at Celtic and I’m waiting to see what happens in the summer,” he says. “Nothing really happens between now and the start of pre-season so my only aim is to do well with Ireland.

“I certainly won’t be going out on loan again. If I go permanently, I just have to wait and see. I really don’t know, but I won’t be going up to warm a bench again at Celtic. The club has been great and I’ve been there my whole career. I’d hope that after giving everything to them, if the plan is for me to leave that it would be clean cut, but I’m not saying I’m done at Celtic, it’s just about whether I play or not.

“I have a great relationship with Neil Lennon who has done a fantastic job there and I’m sure he will make the right decision.”

In the meantime, Trapattoni seems inclined to throw him in from the start against Macedonia after insisting yesterday he had been impressed by the defender’s performances against both Scotland on Sunday and this Saturday’s opponents when they came here in March.

For O’Dea the trip to Skopje is something to take his mind of the preparations for his impending marriage later this month and after the injury he feels lucky to be a part of the Italian’s plans.

“When I went over on it,” he says, “I was probably a bit naive coming off the pitch thinking I might even be fit for that weekend. The scan results came back and were not positive at all. I was done for the season. I saw a couple of specialists who were not too positive. But I was desperate to be involved and I’m absolutely fine for Saturday.”

It’s a game Ireland could do with winning and that brings its pressure but O’Dea insists that that will not be a problem.

“I’ve been fortunate to play in some big games with Celtic. I’m used to dealing with the pressures of that and the pressures of winning and having to win. We had to win our last game and we did. They’re a very good team and it’s going to be a lot tougher out there. There will be different circumstances with that, like the heat. So it will be tough, but I’m thoroughly looking forward to it.”