Shane Duffy happy to keep out of harm’s way

It’s all gone very quiet for Shane Duffy and that’s been no bad thing.

Central defenders aren’t all that different to referees in that they’re probably doing a perfectly acceptable job if nobody is talking all that much about them. For a while there, Duffy’s was a name on everyone’s lips.

Bad news.

A decent showing with the Republic of Ireland at the European Championships was ended prematurely by a red card against the hosts in Lyon and then the start of the domestic season in England delivered similarly conflicted emotions.

After just five games of the campaign with Blackburn Rovers, Duffy had scored five goals — three of them at the wrong end — and earned another red card.

So it was probably with some relief that he signed for Brighton.

A fresh start, as it were.

“I knew there was interest but I never knew if it was going to be concrete. I got there in the end, it was a bit dragged out. I enjoyed my time there at Blackburn. The way it ended wasn’t the way I wanted it to end.

“It’s a great club and I haven’t a bad word to say about them, but my circumstances changed and so did the club’s. I obviously wanted to better myself and go as high as I can. That’s the only reason I wanted to leave in the end.

“Obviously the club’s not the best but I can’t say a bad word about them.”

Not the best? It’s grim up north. Blackburn sit 22nd in the second tier and further fan protests against owners Venky’s are planned for the next game, against Wolves.

Life on the south coast has been far less vexatious.

One yellow in seven games suggests the transition has been smooth for Duffy who has slotted straight into Chris Hughton’s back four.

Fourth in the Championship, Brighton are well poised to claim a first ever member’s pass to the Premier League.

That madcap run earlier in the season must seem a lifetime ago now.

“It was one of them where you’re thinking ‘where do I look next?’

“But I had good people around me, family. I tried to do my best and I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. It’s past me now and I got a good move for myself.

“I’ve a new lease for me there under a new manager at a new club going a new way.”

He’s stronger for it all now. More mature.

The same can be said for his experiences in France.

Duffy still has all the games on his laptop — squared away with tidbits on this week’s opponents — but he has yet to click on the French video nasty, or any of the other match files either.

Time, rather, than queasiness, have dictated that to date but the moment he brought Antoine Griezmann to the turf at Stade de Lyon last June seems fresh enough in his mind over three months later.

“I honestly thought I was going to win the ball. I knew I was coming from behind and had to be careful but I wasn’t and I was more disappointed with my movement that left me in the position before I had to make the tackle.

“That was disappointing from me personally. There was a lot of different things I could have done to stop it.”

Ireland were already in difficulty by then anyway.

The repercussions of his faux pas have been more personal than collective with the Derryman missing Ireland’s World Cup opener against Serbia in Belgrade through suspension, but he is very much a contender again this week.

With John O’Shea, Richard Keogh and Ciaran Clark also in the mix for the two spots at the heart of the defence, and Martin O’Neill willing to mix and match them all in the summer, the competition for places is far from sedate.

“I just have to try and focus on my club football and, if I’m playing well enough, hopefully I’ll get selected in squads. If I get my chance here then I need to take it and try and stay in the team.”

And the less fuss the better.