O'Dea focused on Ipswich

Darren O'Dea is still desperate to establish himself at Celtic but admits he remained focused on Ipswich during the Parkhead club's recent defensive crisis. Neil Lennon was left struggling at the turn of the year due to injuries to central defenders Daniel Majstorovic, Thomas Rogne and Glenn Loovens. However, the Parkhead boss could not recall O'Dea from his loan spell at Portman Road, and had to use natural full-backs Charlie Mulgrew and Mark Wilson while simultaneously searching high and low - and ultimately without success - for a centre-back before the window closed. However, O'Dea, who came on as a late substitute for the Republic of Ireland in the 3-0 Carling Nations Cup win over Wales at the Aviva Stadium on Tuesday night, insists that during Celtic's highly-publicised plight he had to concentrate on Ipswich and not on what might have been in Glasgow. "It wasn't a frustration," he told Press Association Sport. "It is a season-long loan and because it involves two different FA's you can't be called back so it was never in my head. "I'm a Celtic fan and I follow what's happening up there but from a football point of view, it was in the back of my mind because I tell you what, I went to Reading on loan last year and all I thought about was Celtic. It ruined my time there because I was so worried about was happening at Celtic. "At the time Celtic had a lot of injuries and I was thinking I should be there. This time I have left Celtic and I have properly left them, in my head. Obviously it's a club I love and would love to play for, but at the moment my head is completely at Ipswich."

Source: PA