A stolen moment with the Duffer

Other than straight after games, Damien Duff doesn’t really do press but he’s such a much-loved character in the Republic of Ireland ranks that even the most demanding hacks are generally happy to cut him some slack.

By the same token, when we do get some rare access to the one they call Duffer, we’re always anxious to make the most of it.

So when we head him off at the pass as he attempts to slip away from the training pitch in Montecatini, there’s no messing around and we’re straight in with the big one.