What comes next for Damien Duff could be as enigmatic as the man himself

Irish Times

9 hours ago

Damien Duff has always been a
man of contradiction
. First there was the big-noise teenager who turned out to be quite quiet, actually; a wide-eyed winger focused on sleep. Then there was the foreseeable yet unstoppable elusiveness. Opposition defenders knew Duff would drop a shoulder and jink, yet even armed with this knowledge, were invariably unable to prevent him going past them.
Then there was Damien Duff the manager who, despite his name and fame, took over at just-promoted
Shelbourne
at closure-threatened Tolka Park. In the League of Ireland. It looked a mismatch.
But the golden child met the problem child with a sincerity of conviction that swept Shelbourne and the League itself along. Of course, there were other factors, including the post-Covid rise in interest and attendances, as well as improved results by some clubs in Europe.
But Duff helped the League onto the back pages and then, when Shels clinched the title at the Brandywell last November, onto the front pages. In terms of sporting culture, this was a step-change.
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It wasn't just about Damien Duff, some said. It was all about Damien Duff.
We are still scrambling to comprehend
last Sunday's walkout
, but those who believe the latter, that Duff is me-me-me, have to reckon with the fact that if Duff had this selfish managerial career-path strategy, the 100-cap Irish international and former Chelsea Premier League winner would hardly have chosen Shelbourne as his starting point. Tolka Park has its charms, but have you seen Celtic's Lennoxtown training ground? Did you notice that vacancy at QPR on the green borders of Fulham and Chelsea?
Duff, moreover, would not have stayed 3½ years at Shelbourne had his commitment not been total – 'always on', '24/7' as he and everyone at Shels said.
Damien Duff resigned as Shelbourne manager last Sunday, following a home defeat to Derry City two days earlier. Photograph: Dan Clohessy
From stability to a cup final to Europe and then to Shelbourne winning the title for the first time in 18 years, Duff worked. He worked hard.
And now, here we are at the point where all that work has produced a Champions League qualifier. Five days after the draw brought an all-island, All-Ireland tie against Linfield, Duff exited.
His departure was in keeping with his arrival in late 2021 – unforeseen – but the timing is, again, contradictory.
Scanning the print editions of nine English newspapers on Monday morning, there was only one mention of Duff leaving Shelbourne
It is possible to decry the Champions League as an entity, its continental economics growing ever-more domestically distorting, but for clubs of Shelbourne's scale it can be transformational. It offers a route into the Europa League and Conference League as well as the prestige, and money, of this Champions League round.
For an ambitious Irish manager, it also offers profile; for an ambitious Irish manager with an alert agent, it is success in Europe that changes perspective in the British market. Doing good things at Sligo Rovers or Shamrock Rovers may be evidence of ability, but it is an unexpected victory in Europe that provokes boardroom intrigue elsewhere.
Stephen Kenny's arrival at Dunfermline in 2006 came three months after his Derry City team had won 5-1 at Gretna in the Uefa Cup. That came after Derry had knocked out IFK Gothenburg in the previous round. When Derry then drew 0-0 with Paris St Germain in the next round, Dunfermline, in Scotland's top-flight, were sure they had their man.
Damien Duff on the sideline next to St Patrick's Athletic manager Stephen Kenny during a recent Dublin derby at Richmond Park. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho
Kenny had demonstrated capabilities to an audience beyond the Brandywell or Dalymount Park. When he repeated European progression at Dundalk, ultimately it led to Kenny becoming manager of Ireland.
When Michael O'Neill guided Shamrock Rovers into the group stage of the 2011-12 Europa League via the elimination of Partizan Belgrade, he turned heads beyond Tallaght and was soon manager of Northern Ireland. From there O'Neill went to Stoke City in the Championship and back to Northern Ireland. His coaching reputation is established.
Stephen Bradley should be in a similar situation at Rovers today. If he wants it.
If a job across the water was Duff's real desire, he would be in the dugout adjacent to Linfield's David Healy in a fortnight. He would know the importance of being seen.
But there is a difference in ego between local swagger – Duff in Dublin referring to 'Duffer' – and a calculated careerism that views Dublin football as barely a stepping stone to bigger and better across the water.
On Monday, about 24 hours after Shelbourne's shock confirmation of Duff's abrupt decision, there was a rush of rumour linking him with a move to Brentford. As a motivation for departing Shels, it sounded a bit far-fetched and someone at Brentford said it was definitely not happening. It was a verdict as emphatic as it was swift, because contrary to Ireland, neither the Premier League nor English football was consumed by the Duff news.
Scanning the print editions of nine English newspapers on Monday morning, ranging from The Guardian to the Daily Star, there was only one mention of Duff leaving Shelbourne. It was in The Sun, 52 words long, beneath a story about a Wolves player possibly joining Birmingham City. So while we may all know and understand what Duff has done at Shels, and in turn for the league, there's a Test match at Headingley and Arsenal still have not signed a centre-forward.
When the question of 'what happens next?' arises, Duff heading off on the boat needs consideration. He has always said he wants to remain at home.
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Stephen Bradley sad to see Damien Duff depart Shelbourne despite rivalry
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What's next should be Duff's Shelbourne v Healy's Linfield in a fixture likely to be more competitive than Shamrock Rovers v Larne last season.
But that won't be happening, which is sad. Those close to the situation say it is irretrievable. From 24/7 to 0/7. Perhaps, indeed, too much has been said by Duff to his squad, even if much praise was given out along the way too.
There is a decent argument that says it should not be irreversible. It is not a sin to think again. It is not weakness. It is the passing of time, the dawning of a reality that might not have been the intended outcome. Did the relentless personal energy Duff spoke of morph from inspiring to intimidating? It would require reflection and generosity from all quarters, but that should not be impossible.
An about-turn may be the ultimate contradiction, but it's also human. In this world of fixed opinion it might not seem so, but you are allowed to change your mind.