Source: Team_Talk
Cup hero could still leave Hoops
O'Dea was an unlikely star of Sunday's 2-0 win over Rangers, heading in his first goal for more than two years to set up the extra-time victory.[LNB]The 22-year-old academy graduate has struggled to establish himself in Gordon Strachan's plans and has only played recently because of injuries.[LNB]He was "desperate" to go out on loan in January and came close to joining Burnley.[LNB]And while he would love nothing more than for his moment of glory at Hampden to cement his place in the Celtic side, he would consider moving on again if he ends up back in the reserves.[LNB]"I'd rather be playing football somewhere else than not playing at all," he said.[LNB]"I'd obviously have to assess things in the summer.[LNB]"I've got the shirt at the moment and I'm lucky enough to have it so I'll be doing everything I can to keep it.[LNB]"I'm not thinking about anything else but playing at the moment."[LNB]He added: "If I was to play with Celtic week in, week out, I don't see any other club I'd rather be at. But obviously it's just a matter of playing week in, week out.[LNB]"I've managed to put a few games together and hopefully I can stay in the team."[LNB]O'Dea insisted it was no consolation to him that current Celtic captain Stephen McManus struggled to establish himself in the first team until he was 23.[LNB]He said: "It doesn't really give me any comfort. You always want to be playing, no matter what age you are. So age isn't really an issue."[LNB]O'Dea, whose cup final goal earned him a call-up to the Republic of Ireland squad for their World Cup qualifiers with Bulgaria and Italy, described just how low he felt at the turn of the year.[LNB]"At the time, I was probably the most desperate man on the planet to get out of the club," he said.[LNB]"It was literally just a footballing thing. I needed to play.[LNB]"But if I ever had a thought I'd be playing games now at Celtic, there's nowhere else I'd rather be.[LNB]"As luck was, I stayed and I'm delighted I did now."[LNB]O'Dea is still struggling to absorb the magnitude of Sunday's win, which was Celtic's first in an Old Firm derby final for 20 years.[LNB]"Just reflecting on it now, it's a massive achievement," he told BBC Scotland.[LNB]"At the time, you don't really take it in.[LNB]"It's something that at the end of the season, and even in years to come, I'll really appreciate but just now it's hard to enjoy it because you know you've got a massive game coming up again (at Dundee United) at the weekend."[LNB]He added: "You just want to go on and win the next thing and, for us, the next thing is the league."[LNB][LNB]
