Darren O'Dea

Darren O'Dea
O'Dea playing for Ireland in 2011
Personal information
Full name Darren O'Dea
Date of birth (1987-02-04) 4 February 1987
Place of birth Dublin, Ireland
Height 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Position Defender
Youth career
Home Farm
2005–2006 Celtic
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2006–2012 Celtic 49 (4)
2009Reading (loan) 8 (0)
2010–2011Ipswich Town (loan) 20 (0)
2011–2012Leeds United (loan) 35 (2)
2012–2013 Toronto FC 26 (1)
2013–2014 Metalurh Donetsk 16 (2)
2014–2015 Blackpool 19 (0)
2015 Mumbai City F.C. 9 (0)
2016–2019 Dundee 88 (4)
2019 East Kilbride 0 (0)
Total 270 (13)
International career
Republic of Ireland U19
2007–2008 Republic of Ireland U21 10 (1)
2009–2013 Republic of Ireland 20 (1)
Managerial career
2021–2025 Celtic B
2025 Swansea City (caretaker)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 19:39, 18 June 2019 (UTC)

Darren O'Dea (born 4 February 1987) is an Irish professional football coach and former player. He played as a centre back for clubs in Scotland, England, Canada, Ukraine and India, and represented the Republic of Ireland internationally.

O'Dea began his career at the youth team of Celtic, with whom he played from 2006 to 2012. During his time at Celtic, he was loaned to Reading, Ipswich Town and Leeds United. While playing for Leeds, O'Dea won the Ireland Young International Player of the Year Award. For more first-team opportunities he switched clubs and countries, joining Toronto FC of Major League Soccer for a year until 2013.

The following season, he represented FC Metalurh Donetsk in Ukraine. O'Dea's stint was cut short due to the Ukrainian political situation, and he returned to England with Blackpool. In July 2015, he signed with Indian Super League club Mumbai City FC. After three years with Dundee, O'Dea retired from playing professionally in 2019. He then became a coach at Motherwell, while playing semi-professionally for East Kilbride.

After being capped by the youth national teams of the Republic of Ireland, O'Dea made his senior-team debut in 2009 and was capped 20 times up to 2013. He represented Ireland at the 2012 UEFA European Championship.