'I don't have to stay inside all the time - I'm human': Adam Idah defends social media storm

Irish Examiner

2 days ago

Paradise hasn't turned to hell for Adam Idah despite an inauspicious end to the season.
Brendan Rodgers shelled out €10m last summer to upgrade the Corkman's loan move from Norwich City into a permanent, fresh from his Scottish Cup winner against Rangers, clinching the double.
Idah was motoring well in his full-time surroundings, scoring freely in their Champions League campaign, until a moment caught on video in April propelled him into the limelight for the wrong reasons.
Back on the pitch, their strut towards a treble was neutered on the final day by losing the Cup final against Aberdeen.
Rodgers had no issue with the footage circulated on social media, apparently showing Idah throwing up in a taxi and, speaking about the matter for the first time this week Ireland duty, the player launched a staunch defence of himself.
The notion of barricading himself inside his dwelling just because the pressures of lining out for the Glasgow giants wasn't an option.
"It didn't impact me,' asserted the 24-year-old. 'I was out on a day off - that was that. The manager understood. I was off, I went out with the boys and that was that.
'There was no problem with the manager - he spoke about it really well.
"I will be videotaped but at the end of the day, I am a human being. I go out.
'I don't have to stay inside all the time.
'It's hard when people are videoing you. It can be quite upsetting, especially when the story is made out to be what it is not.
'It can be tough but, like I said, I am human and I'm going to carry on with my life."
Life has been good, in the main, since he left behind his first professional club in Norfolk.
Adam Idah during a Republic of Ireland training session. Pic: Seb Daly/Sportsfile
It wasn't enough to earn a starting place in Ireland's team for the Nations League playoff wins over Bulgaria in March but he bagged the decisive goal in the second leg as a substitute.
'It was a disappointing end to the season for us but an overall fantastic season,' he reasoned.
'I came away with two trophies, scored 20 goals and got the winning goal in the last camp for Ireland. I feel really good.
'Most strikers will say the same thing that you get that feeling from scoring goals and you're hungry for more. It's great to have. I got into a nice little rhythm towards the end of the season and hopefully I can come into this camp and score more.
"If you don't score for a couple of games, it is not helpful to listen to an ex-player. I am not really concerned with what he thinks - I am there to my bit.
"There is a lot of pressure at the club to be successful, it is good I think. Every player wants to play at a big club, but what comes with a big club is the pressure."
Heimir Hallgrímsson has yet to crack the code of including Evan Ferguson, Troy Parrott and Idah in the same team. The latter expressed his dissatisfaction at being the odd man out in March but had two friendlies, at home to Senegal on Friday and away to Luxembourg next Tuesday, to press his claims.
Ireland's tilt at reaching a first World Cup since 2002 begins on September 6 when Hungary visit Dublin.
Idah has known nothing except international mediocrity since making his senior debut in 2022. All five of his goals have come over the last two years.
'The last couple of years were frustrating, not winning games that we should have and not qualifying for tournaments,' he summarised about his 30-cap Ireland service.
'These last couple of games have been brilliant for us, changing that mentality by having that winning attitude.
'We've gelled really properly together. We've been together for the last five years and there's been new boys who've been brilliant.
'It can take its toll because coming into camp on the back of losses is not a great feeling.
'There's nice vibes around the group now. We've won the last two games which we probably haven't had for a while.
'We have not played well in some but managed to get results. That was lacking in previous games. It is a lot more positive in the group, we are closer together, it was tough to get going but some of us have been together four, five years now so we really want to push for qualification."