Duff says viral photo 'embarrassing' for league
Shelbourne manager Damien Duff says a viral photograph of him looking like "the fool on the hill" while watching his side during a touchline ban is "embarrassing" and "mortifying" for the League of Ireland. Photographs of the former Chelsea and Republic of Ireland winger viewing Shelbourne's Dublin derby away to Bohemians on Friday from a grassy bank behind a stand at Dalymount Park attracted much attention on social media. Duff was serving a touchline suspension after picking up his fifth yellow card in his side's win over St Patrick's Athletic earlier this month. "Probably the most difficult thing of the whole evening was for the league," Duff told Virgin Media before Monday's draw with Drogheda United."I thought it was an embarrassing, mortifying photo for the league when it's in such a good place."Speaking to reporters after the Drogheda game, Duff - who led Shelbourne to the league title last season - said it was an "awful reflection on the league". "We call it the greatest league in the world, I call it the greatest league in the world, but a picture has gone to a lot of countries around the world, some big people in the football world have texted me laughing," added the 46-year-old. "I think for too long now people have laughed at Irish football and everything about us."
Duff added his comments were "not me having digs". "Like I said, it's probably got a lot of traction. I stood in a meadow on top of a hill. Here, as the Beatles sing, I was probably the fool on the hill."But again, I was probably the butt of the jokes, but I shouldn't be. Because it was an awful reflection of the league."That's all I'm saying. Embarrassing. Like I said, you can read into that what you want. I said it before, I said it after, because I utterly believe it."Monday's draw with Drogheda means Duff's side have won just one of their past eight matches, leaving them nine points adrift of pacesetters Shamrock Rovers in sixth place.Last year, Duff - who was appointed in 2021 - led Shels to their first League of Ireland Premier Division title since 2006.
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