Suspended for the first two games of the season, Denis Odoi is back in the Fulham starting lineup under Slavisa Jokanovic, and he’s doing so at centre-back.
Playing most of his career as a right-back, the 30-year-old was used as a makeshift central defender last season, ended up doing well, so when asked by his manager where he’d like to continue going into the Premier League campaign, he told him he wanted to remain there.
This is one of the many things Odoi discussed with DH over the weekend in a lengthy interview, welcoming the outlet at Craven Cottage and opening up about his new life.
Playing in Belgium’s second league just three years ago, the defender has yet to fully take in how far he’s come over the past three years, especially now that he’s playing in a new position, where he’s technically the shortest centre-back in the Premier League.
Explaining ‘it’s a shame’ that Roberto Martinez has yet to come see a Fulham game, Odoi feels he could bring something to his country, especially since he ‘doesn’t think’ some of the players getting called up to the Belgium squad, like Christian Kabasele, are better than him.
Fully settled in London, the defender is thrilled with his life, even enjoying the fact he’s not that well known on the streets, allowing him to be a normal person when he steps out of his house.
He even shocked DH when he told them he takes the tube to the centre of the city.
He said: “Well, yeah. A bus and then the tube and I’m there. My teammates tell me I’m crazy, that I have enough money to take my car or an Uber, but it’s just quicker that way.
We were staying at a hotel before the Watford game and a teammate saw me at the bus stop. He thought I was mad, but they’re the crazy ones wanting to get stuck in traffic.”
Unsure if he’s peaked yet, Odoi just wants to continue the season as he’s started it, and whatever happens in the future happens.
If that means getting noticed by Roberto Martinez, so be it.
If it doesn’t, it seems he’ll just be happy being able to mingle among the masses in the centre of town knowing he did his best, and it’s not his fault the Spaniard didn’t notice him.
