Joey O'Brien opens up on his decision to replace Damien Duff at Shelbourne

Irish Daily Mirror

5 hours ago

Joey O'Brien still refers to Damien Duff as 'the manager', but it's the former who gets to lead Shelbourne back into the Champions League next Wednesday.
It speaks to the respect between the two men that O'Brien, brought to Shels by Duff in November 2021, still speaks in such deferential terms about his close pal and former boss.
According to O'Brien, their relationship 'is concrete.' Clearly he has Duff's backing as he looks to build on the club's achievements under the guidance of the 100-time capped Ireland legend.
The pair even spoke by phone in the run-up to Friday's 3-1 win against Cork City.
That match took place 24 hours after Shelbourne confirmed that O'Brien had accepted the offer to replace Duff on a 'long-term' contract.
It wasn't a decision that the ex-West Ham, Bolton and Ireland defender took lightly. O'Brien took a few days out before confirming his intentions to the board at Tolka Park.
That, he explained, was because Duff's departure from the role was as much a shock to his assistant as it was to the wider footballing public. And then there was the proximity to two key League of Ireland games, against Waterford and Galway United.
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But for the ambitious Dubliner there was only ever going to be one decision.
Asked when he decided that he wanted the job, he said: 'Listen, obviously after the manager left, it was such a quick turnaround, I suppose, to get into the Waterford and Galway games.
'After that, it was put to me if I was interested in it and if I wanted to take it. I had a couple of days thinking about it. I didn't want to rush into it really.
'I just weighed it all up and just thought, yeah, I have had a great learning here under the manager, what he's built over the last number of years for me as a coach to improve, what I've learned of him, it's just been brilliant.
'That's ultimately where I was at. It is a fantastic squad of players. They are a massive part of it as well and that's the squad that has been built over the last few years.
'I know there is disappointment where we are in the league but you look at our performances across the board against so many teams, we've dominated them and we've been the better team. It was an easy decision in the end, I suppose.'
When O'Brien hung up his boots - after a three-year spell with Shamrock Rovers, the team he supported as a child - he was eager to get stuck into coaching.
He was immediately thrust into a senior role as Duff's number two and the pair led Shelbourne to an FAI Cup final, European qualification and, last season, the Premier Division title.
'I probably looked into it when my career ended as a player,' he said, when asked if he had ambitions to step into management.
'I wanted to get involved in coaching and then leading into management, but I don't think you can never make it out exactly how you want it to.
'The opportunity to work with the gaffer (Duff) was obviously a huge part in me stopping playing football and I don't regret it for a second.
'What I learned, and the moments we had over the last three and a half years have been unbelievable. It happened (Duff's decision to step down). He made his call and then it was up to me to make my call and I did.'
As for why he took a few days before getting back to the Shels board, O'Brien, a participant on the FAI's upcoming Pro Licence course, replied: 'It was just so unexpected.
'I'd never thought about it. So that was my thinking about the whole situation. I just never thought of taking this job.
'So suddenly there was the news that the manager was leaving. It is a great football club that's been built and has great memories here. Hopefully we can write new memories again with the players, we have a great squad, great lads. That's why I wanted to hang around.'
O'Brien confirmed that he spoke to Duff in the run-up to Friday's game and he said: 'My relationship with the manager is concrete. I have a personal relationship (with him) and we'll have that forever.'