THE goal used to be to go to the UK or be an unknown.
But James Abankwah is the latest member of the Ireland squad to show there is a place for some continental sophistication.
Abankwah, 21, hopes to make his Ireland debut against Bulgaria tomorrow or on Sunday in this week’s Nations League promotion-relegation play-off.
The softly-spoken Longford man has been fast-tracked in after good performances last year for the Ireland Under-21s, and this season on loan at Championship Watford.
But while his call-up has come when in England, his future lies further afield at parent club Udinese in Italy, who recently gave him a four-year contract.
Abankwah said: “They’re still interested in me which is why they’ve extended my contract. I’m part of their future.
“Growing up everyone thought the route was England but I took the other route and a few others have too, it’s worked out and I think maybe more players should take it too.”
He moved to Serie A from St Patrick’s Athletic for an initial fee of €500,000 when 18 in 2022, just after helping the Saints win the FAI Cup.
There was a time when going abroad meant being out of sight and out of mind.
Dominic Foley spent six years in Belgium without earning another call-up while Cillian Sheridan was the only Irishman in the Champions League in 2014 and was ignored.
Similarly Ian Harte’s year with Levante in Spain saw him dropped by Ireland, while Steve Finnan fell off Trapattoni’s radar when with Espanyol.
But now Abankwah joins a squad where Troy Parrott plays in the Netherlands with AZ Alkmaar and Gavin Bazunu is on loan at Standard Liege.
Were it not for injury, Strasbourg’s Andrew Omobamidele and Basaksehir’s Festy Ebosele would likely be in the squad.
And Matt Doherty, Josh Cullen, Jake O’Brien and Mikey Johnston also have experience around Europe.
And Abankwah is sure that going to Udinese when he did put him in the fast lane to where he is now.
He added: “It was a massive step for me at the time, playing in the League of Ireland then getting bought by a Serie A club, it took me a lot to adjust.
“I was with the Under-19s for quite a bit when I went over, that helped me settle in and slowly and gradually I adjusted.
“That (the lifestyle) was ok because of my teammates. We’d go out for meals to bond and get to know each other. They showed me different places to go.
“It is very important to at least understand the language for when your manager is speaking.
It is quite difficult but if you can pick up some words its good.”
And having settled, he used Udinese as a springboard for his career.
He was soon in the Udinese first-team squad though, being a centre half, he had limited chances given how rare it is for a team to bring on a defender as substitute.
A first start came on the final day of the 2022-23 season against Juventus – he names Federico Chiesa who he marked that day as his toughest opponent.
But while many players aim for England, he then saw a temporary switch as important to enhance his prospects at Udinese.
He said: “The first season I had there (in Italy), I was on the bench quite a lot and felt I needed to go out and get experience.
“I wasn’t playing senior football and thought to myself I needed to get experience so that is what I did.”
Unfortunately, a move to Charlton Athletic on loan in 2023 saw him join a club with managerial upheaval and he struggled making just two league appearances before being recalled.
Abankwah continued: “That was probably the toughest moment of my football career, not playing or going as planned.
“I thought I bounced back well from it quite well. I went back to Udinese, played some Under-19 games and went into pre-season well.”
And after six Serie A appearances at the start of this season, he was loaned out to Udinese’s sister club Watford.
He has done well making 12 appearances in a row though that streak will now be broken having got sent off on Saturday against Oxford United.
He said: “I’m at Watford until the end of the season. I’m still a Udinese player. I started very well. Obviously, I had the sending-off at the weekend, which wasn’t great.
“But I’ll just look to build on from that when I get the chance to get on the pitch again with Watford.”
And playing regularly has alerted Heimir Hallgrímsson, who had earmarked him as one to watch from last season’s Ireland Under-21s.
Still, Abankwah was not expecting to be in Hallgrímsson’s plans just yet.
He is eligible for the Under-21s again for the next campaign and though the FAI email he got last week was from Jim Crawford for their friendly games with Scotland and Hungary.
SURPRISE CALL-UP
Abankwah admitted: “I just opened it and didn’t know but then saw it was the first-team call-up.
“To be honest I wasn’t (expecting it). I thought I was going to go back in with the Under-21s, but I got the email and was delighted.”
“I spoke to my family straight away and they were buzzing.They couldn’t stop smiling. We’re a christian family so we prayed about it too and gave a lot of thanks to god.”
Abankwah’s father Issac is a reverend minister, and the Longford family have ties in Ghana.
But while former Ireland star Chris Hughton – who also has Ghanaian roots – worked for the Black Stars until last year, there was never an approach.
And Abankwah insisted that he would have said no had there been, as he only wants to play for the Boys in Green.
He said: “I’ve always wanted to play for Ireland growing up. I’ve played right through from Under-16 and that’s where my head was at.”
And now in the senior squad, he is determined to make his mark quickly.
He said: “I wouldn’t say ahead of schedule. I’m here now and I just need to improve once I’m on the pitch.”
“It’d mean everything to me (to play). Not only myself but all those that helped me along the way, my family.
“I’ll obviously give 100 percent if called upon. Hopefully we can get the win in both games.”
