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The Friday Interview: New signing Richie Towell has big goals with Albion [The Argus]



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Brighton 8049
Jun 5, 2011
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If Chris Hughton's latest permanent signing has anything like the impact of his first then Richie Towell and Albion are going to enjoy each other's company.
During the January transfer window, in the early days of his reign, Hughton captured Beram Kayal from Celtic.
The Israeli central midfielder helped Albion stave off relegation last season and is a pivotal figure in their Championship promotion challenge.
Towell plans to become just as influential as his former team-mate to the Seagulls' hopes of playing in the Premier League next season.
The prolific Irishman spent six years at Celtic before going back home to Dundalk.
He made his solitary appearance for the Glasgow giants as a 19-year-old and, during his time with them, played under Albion assistant Colin Calderwood at Hibernian.
Now Towell's goal is to exploit the knowledge and experience gained studying Kayal and working under Calderwood in his formative years to benefit the Seagulls and his own ambitions.
He said: "I made my debut when Neil Lennon was the manager. Tony Mowbray was there as well. so I got to learn off a lot of people which was really good for my development.
"Beram is a top player. I saw that at Celtic. I was a lot younger than him, only 19 at the time, so watching someone like that gives you the aspiration to be like him.
"I saw the way he trained every day and the way he played the matches. It's brilliant, he has a great hunger for the game.
"I moved over when I was 15, just turning 16. I had six years there. During that time I had a year-and-a-half on loan at Hibs, which was great for me, when Colin was there.
"When the new manager came in it wasn't so good, so I went back and played in Ireland then. I hit the ground running over there and put in a lot of good performances.
"We (Dundalk) won a lot of things as well, so it has been a really good last few years.
"Nobody likes to be told that they are not good enough when I got released (from Celtic) but I don't think I would be the player I am today if it wasn't for that.
"My time at Celtic was great, I loved it. It was a great introduction to football. The coaching staff there were so helpful and I managed to make my debut for them at such a young age, which was another positive in my career.
"The setbacks I've had have made me a stronger player and a stronger character now, so it was probably for the best."
Towell has joined Albion on a two-and-a-half-year deal from Dundalk after plundering 29 goals for them in their double-winning season in the League of Ireland, an impressive haul which also helped him to the player-of-the-year award from the Irish PFA.
Other Championship clubs were interested, as well as teams in the US and Turkey, but Towell, 24, only had eyes for Albion.
Signed outside the permanent transfer window, he cannot play until January. The intriguing question, when he does become available, is when and how Hughton will throw in Towell, bearing in mind the manager's well-established 4-4-2 formation this season and the prominent part played in it by Kayal in the company of Dale Stephens?
"Most people probably think I am a No.10 but I actually play a little bit deeper," Towell said. "I like breaking into the box.
"It's something I've worked on a lot, timing of the runs. I've done a lot of video research on players that score a lot of goals from midfield, the likes of Lampard. Learning from the best is helping me. Hopefully I can come here and emulate what I have done this year (for Dundalk).
"I like to go box-to-box, get on the ball, pass it, get forward, score goals. I know I have to do a job for the team as well, defend, put in tackles and put in the hard graft as well which is something I am used to.
"I don't think I would have made the move if I wasn't confident of playing. Obviously I know it's not going to be easy. They have a lot of good players in my position.
"There are a lot of games to be played in the Championship, so at stages people are going to be fatigued and injuries are going to be picked up.
"Once I'm ready to step in and I can hit the ground running I'm sure it will be a hard decision for the manager to leave me out."
Hughton is not the only manager Towell will be endeavouring to impress. He has not given up hope of forcing his way into Martin O'Neill's Republic of Ireland squad for the Euro finals in France next summer.
"It's every boy's dream to play for their senior (national) team," he said. "I played right throyugh from 15's to 21s with most of the lads that are in the squad already.
"It's going to be a big task, because I haven't played in a qualifier or been in a squad. I'm going to have to have some eyecatching perrformances. Hopefully I can give that manager a headache as well.
"I scored a lot of goals last year and didn't get a call-up. I think if I do it in the Championship for Brighton then I will be recognised a lot more."
Scoring goals for fun in the League of Ireland with Dundalk is one thing. Can Towell transform that form into the Championship? Is there any comparison?
"It's hard to gauge," he said. "I'm not too sure. We played in the Europa League and the Champions League qualifiers. We were beaten 2-1 at Bate Borisov and drew with them at our place. They went on to beat Roma, they drew at Bayer Leverkusen, so we're probably not too far away from the English standard.
"But the set up here just blows it out of the water. The professionalism, the way they go about their job day in, day out. It's unbelievable."
Towell, for now, is in limbo, unable to contribute in a hectic and potentially key December for Albion. Once he can, from early in the new year once the transfer window opens and the Seagulls secure international clearance, the Dubliner aims to make the most of it - and Brighton's fair city with his family.
He said: "I am in very good condition at the moment, even though it's my off season. I'm keeping myself extremely fit and the gym work I've been doing over the last few years has given me the solid base.
"I didn't miss a game for Dundalk last year so, touch wood, I can stay injury-free and get a good run here.
"It's a weird, transitional period but my girlfriend is due to give birth so that will probably take my mind off it.
"My girlfriend is going to move over hopefully, depending how the baby is. That's another added incentive. I'm going to be doing it for them, they are my No.1 now, not me.
"I'm going to have to put them first and work as hard as I can to perform for them.
"I had a car trip down by the pier. It was raining, so it wasn't the best day, but I've heard it's a beautiful place. I am really excited about this chapter in my life and I just can't wait to get started."

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