DARREN O'DEA will be a a Bhoy on a mission at Motherwell tomorrow - to confirm he is in the first team on merit, not just as emergency cover.

The 19-year-old central defender has already impressed manager Gordon Strachan with his cool performances when filling in at the back this season.

Now, with Bobo Balde ruled out for three months with a broken fibula and ligament damage, and Gary Caldwell still weeks away from a return after injuring knee ligaments last month, O'Dea will again take his place in the starting line-up.

The rookie has closely monitored the manager's chase for a new signing to ease the pressure at the back, and knows the vast experience of No.1 target Steven Pressley makes the former Hearts captain very attractive to Strachan.

But O'Dea - who scored his first goal for the club when he replaced Balde against Dundee United on Tuesday - believes he can do more than fill the breach meantime.

He said: "I'm sure in January we will be looking to bring in new players.

"At a big club like Celtic, that is always going to happen. So it's up to me to get into the team and to keep my place.

"I'd like to think I could get into the team off my own bat rather than because of someone else's misfortune.

"But I still have to work to take that chance.

"It's up to me to prove to the manager that, if someone picks up an injury, he knows he can rely on me.

"Hopefully he has seen enough of me in recent weeks to have no problem throwing me in."