Duff: I’d welcome Ireland

DAMIEN DUFF says he will welcome Stephen Ireland “with open arms” should the Manchester City player decide to return to the Irish team.

And the Newcastle United winger reckons that some of his Irish colleagues have been “naive” in expressing reservations about the prospect of the Cobh man resuming his international career.

However, Duff doesn’t believe that his fellow Magpie Kevin Nolan will avail of FIFA’s new eligibility rules to declare for the Republic.