Continuity 'most obvious' option to fill void left by Damien Duff at Shelbourne, say Alan Cawley and David McMillan
Republic of Ireland legend Duff made the shock decision to resign as Shelbourne manager on Sunday just seven months on from guiding the club to a first SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division title in 18 years.
While their title defence has not gone swimmingly this season and Duff's frustrations with his players had become more pronounced, a lucrative Champions League first qualifying round tie against Linfield was awaiting next month which made the timing of his decision all the more surprising.
Speaking on the RTÉ Soccer Podcast, former league winners Cawley and McMillan both opined that the timing was "strange" and offered their views on the factors behind Duff's decision.
But they also cast an eye ahead to how the north Dublin club can reset quickly with the Linfield tie looming, and both feel Duff's assistant Joey O'Brien, who took charge of the team for the 2-2 draw against Waterford on Monday, is an obvious choice to be handed the reins at least until the end of the season, although the ex-Irish international has remained non-committal about the prospect thus far.
"It leaves such a hole for them because you speak about not only the football end of things but also the promotional and marketing side of things," said Cawley of Duff's departure.
"And not just Shelbourne, I think the league was basing a lot of their marketing and promotion on Damien Duff and him being a key figure in our league.
"This was a fella who was getting front and centre all the time on the back pages of the papers, online or wherever and now that's gone.
"So that's going to be a huge void to fill just in terms of the promotional side of things and marketing.
"But in terms of who they bring in from the footballing end of things, I think even listening to Joey O'Brien's interview last night, it could be a thing that he takes it or that might be what they might want until the end of the season, because there's continuity.
"He seems like a similar enough figure (to Duff) in terms of his drive and his motivation. He was obviously a brilliant player as we know and had big success.
"So it could be something that he could be the ideal candidate if he wants to step into the breach. I don't know (if he wants it), it will have to come from him. But even just in terms of until the end of the season till they regroup."
Cawley added that his former club Shels will not be short of suitors for the vacancy given the growing status the club and league has enjoyed during Duff's three-and-a-half-year spell.
"They won't be short on people interested in the job, even from across the water as well. There would be huge interest because of, again, what Damien has brought in terms of the interest, not just domestically but all over the UK as well," he said.
But McMillan agreed that O'Brien would be the best bet particularly in light of the Linfield tie, given the 39-year-old's extensive knowledge of the squad.
"(The managerial change) adds a little bit of confusion for Linfield and that's where I think from Shels' perspective, continuity for the next couple of weeks (is important), as Alan says, until the end of the season - but at least for the next month or two," said the former Dundalk striker.
"Probably if I was a decision-maker in Shelbourne I think the most obvious thing to do is to try and ensure that Joey stays there.
"If he's not committed to doing it long-term, at least have him there for the next month in charge to see through these games because I think if you're bringing in a new manager with such a short space of time to what are such crucial games, that's really hard to try (with) new tactics and everything that a new manager brings. It's really hard to hit the ground running into those games.
"Continuity for Shelbourne will be really important and football's all about timing and I think it's right that Joey will stay there."
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