Time for Shels to 'upset the apple cart' on Euro stage

Damien Duff has a history of overcoming the odds. 

Shelbourne manager Damien Duff r. Pic: Jorge Ropero Romero, Sportsfile

Shelbourne’s propensity for being disruptors fuels Damien Duff’s belief of causing an upset against FC Zurich (6pm, Irish time).

Although the teams are oceans apart in terms of European coefficient and budgets, Duff’s progression over his opening two-and-a-half years as a standalone senior boss is his calling card.

An FAI Cup final in year one was followed by ending Shels’ 18-year drought of European qualification.

In this, the Ireland centurion’s third year at the helm, an unlikely league title is within their grasp. They sit top of the table heading into the final third of the season.

By edging St Joseph’s in Gibraltar last week, Shels swelled their prize money from Uefa to €700,000 but memories, rather than money, is what excites Duff.

Zurich’s Letzigrund is a venue approaching it’s century milestone, rebuilt in 2007 to stage concerts such as Taylor Swift’s recent visit, but the Reds boss wasn’t interested in being a sightseer.

He explained: “They offered us the chance for players and staff to come early for a stadium walkabout – I don’t know, to take photos and what have you – but no, that’s holiday’s stuff.

“We’re only here to train and play – then get out of here. That sort of holiday mentality isn’t welcome at Shelbourne.

“It has taken us two-and-a-half years to get here, so the players should be very proud of themselves.

“We might be massive underdogs but our players will be ready to go tactically. I guess then it’s about us giving them belief and motivating them emotionally.” 

Duff has a history of overcoming the odds. 

He was part of Brian Kerr’s Malaysian Marvels that shocked all around them by claiming bronze medals at the 1997 U20 World Cup. 

Injury ruled him out of the following year’s U18 Euros, which Kerr added to the U16 gold he’d overseen that summer too.

The pair remain close and the elder’s influence remains relevant.

“All I thought about for the last couple of days is what Brian did with the Irish teams back in the day,” noted Duff, who went on to win two Premier League titles with Chelsea.

“If we can channel half of what Brian did with those Irish teams as underdogs, we’ll be doing alright. I’m a disciple of Brian, and many of the managers that I had.

“For the past two-and-a-half years, all we’ve done in Shelbourne is upset people and upset the apple cart. Now it’s time to take it to Europe and the rest of the world.” 

St Patrick’s Athletic will start their European crusade at home, hosting Liechtenstein side Vaduz at Richmond Park (7.45pm).

As FAI Cup holders, Uefa afforded them a bye in the first round but their form has been patchy at best, languishing seventh in the table, and their hopes of retaining the Cup were torpedoed by Derry City last Sunday. That 3-0 defeat stung.

“We must put that game behind us by producing a really strong performance,” said Stephen Kenny, in the post since May.

His winger Jake Mulraney admits a jolt is essential to enliven the Saints’ stodgy season.

“When you are in a bit of a rut I think it’s so important to move on as quickly as possible,” said the winger, this week reunited with his former Inverness teammate Zack Elbouzedi when Kenny recruited the fellow flanker from AIK Stockholm.

“I know sometimes it can be up and down, you can win games and lose games, but as a group and especially we’ve got young players.

The visitors actually operate in the second tier of the neighbouring Switzerland league but qualify for Europe as their domestic Cup winners.

Vaduz made history in 2022 by becoming the first Liechtenstein team to break the group stage ceiling in Europe. 

They reached the Conference League by overcoming Rapid Vienna in the playoff but were disappointed to fall at the first hurdle of that competition last year, losing to Belarusian opponents Neman Grondo.

“We just need to now do our best to end the season as positively as we can by getting as many good results,” summarised Mulraney about their plight.

“I’m not saying we'll be challenging for the league or anything but we could jump three or four places with a bit of momentum.”