Bradley hits out at O'Dwyer's Ireland call

Shamrock Rovers boss Stephen Bradley has described 16-year-old Josh O'Dwyer's recent call-up to the senior Republic of Ireland squad as "nonsense", and warned there's a risk around young footballers when "you're pushed before you've earned it".

Heimir Hallgrimsson brought O'Dwyer into the camp ahead of the international friendly against Canada in Montreal nine days ago. The Hoops academy starlet was invited in as a training player.

O'Dwyer, who has been capped up to Under-17 level for Ireland, will join RB Salzburg from Shamrock Rovers next month.

The midfielder has been with the Hoops academy from the age of 10 having joined from Dublin club Leicester Celtic.

Three other Shamrock Rovers players were called up for the Canada clash: goalkeeper Ed McGinty, Matt Healy and Adam Brennan, and while Bradley took great pride in their inclusions, he admitted he was unimpressed with O'Dwyer getting fast-tracked.

"I don't agree with the Josh one, I have to say, I didn't agree with that at all," Bradley told the RTÉ Soccer Podcast.

"You have Heimir speaking about people needing to play for the Under-21s before they go with Ireland. You have a kid (O'Dwyer) who hasn't played for the Under-19s.

"Now I've been that young player, that superstar at 15 that everyone talks about. When you're pushed before you deserve it, it can really really hurt you. I've seen Keith Treacy talk about it and he was spot on, you need to be very, very careful.

"Josh has a really high level of ability, there's no doubt about that and he can be something very, very good but... it baffled me.

"There's players that have earned it."

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When asked if he felt Victor Ozhianvuna was more ready for the step up, Bradley replied: "Well Victor was injured. That type, and like I said when you have that discussion (about players getting called up) the word is, 'well he hasn't played for the 21s'. Well neither (has O'Dwyer).

"That doesn't make sense. It's nonsense. Trust me, I know how to develop players, I've done it for a long time and I've been that player. When you're pushed before you've earned it, it can play with your mind. It's a lot for a kid to take in and I don't agree with that at all."

Bradley said Hallgrimsson had spoken to him about McGinty, Healy and Brennan, but claimed there'd been no dialogue in relation to O'Dwyer.

"Yeah regarding the first three, Matt, Ed, Adam, good conversation," he said. "I like Heimir, I think he's a good man, I think he's done a good job, the play-offs, that would have been his aim I'm sure. Unlucky not to qualify but look that's football, it happens.

"I don't know (why he didn't speak to him about O'Dwyer). That's a question that needs to be asked from within there. Did he make that decision? I'd question that, if he made that decision, because it doesn't make sense, in any regard it doesn't make sense.

"And again, nothing against the kid - good family, I've watched him since he's 10, 11, he played in my son's team. I know him really, really well, really good, he's trained with us quite a number of times. He has a really good chance but you need to be really careful."

When it was put to Bradley that the RB Salzburg move could help O'Dwyer to kick on and realise his potential, the Dubliner said: "Hopefully, but we've all seen the story before, so hopefully."

Bradley also referenced Naj Razi, who is back with Shamrock Rovers after a spell with Serie A side Como 1907.

Razi, then 17, joined the Italian club in February 2024 but returned to Tallaght last February.

"He was mad to go, everyone was mad to get him there, agent, the lot," added Bradley.

"And me and Naj must have spoken 20 times when he was away in terms of how disillusioned with it he was. He was going to stop playing at one point, comes home, he's starting to find himself again. Naj is at the age where he will develop with us, hopefully be successful and he will go again, I've no doubt.

"Like I said, we've seen the story so many times but he's a player that has a real chance.

"It's a really good group we have at the moment, a young group. But you need to be really careful when and how, how many times and the environment you expose them to. There's so much that goes into it.

"We've definitely got some really good young players for sure."

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