'I didn’t like who I was becoming' - Damien Duff opens up on leaving Shels and potential LOI return
DUFF LOVE: Damien Duff after a match in charge of Shelbourne. Pic: ©INPHO/Bryan Keane
Almost ten months after his shock departure from Shelbourne, Damien Duff is back involved in the League of Ireland. Sort of.
The Republic of Ireland centurion has often been spotted at League of Ireland matches since his shock departure from Shels last June, close to seven months after he famously guided them to the Premier Division title.
But on Friday he returned in an official capacity as he made his Virgin Media debut as a pundit for the Dublin derby between Shamrock Rovers and Bohemians at Tallaght Stadium.
“I’ve slept a lot the last ten months, I’ve done a lot of boxing, watched a lot of football, lot of school runs, but outside of that not a lot,” began Duff when asked what he’s been up during his time away from the game.
But he soon opened up and why he needed the break.
“Going over old ground, I needed to do what I did. I needed to slow down before I quicken up again. I needed to put myself first for once before a football club.
“I didn’t like who I was becoming at times. I was fighting the world, I was angry, running on anger, just highly emotional.
“But it was something I felt I had to do to get Shelbourne back to the top. I felt if I didn’t do that, we wouldn’t have won the league, I absolutely stand over that.
“Worrying for me is if I got back, when I get back in, would I be the same again here? Probably.
“I remember he (Brian Kerr) rang me a couple of days afterwards and firstly he wanted to see how I was but also to say that, yeah, I probably stopped being Damien Duff.
“Believe it or not I’m a softly spoken guy. Bit of a mammy’s boy and there was at times where I turned into a bit of a wild animal which isn’t me.
“It was just a call that also resonated with me for what Brian said to me, it was really touching and it did hit home that I came away from who I really am.
“But to get Shelbourne back to the top I absolutely had to fight every club, every manager, every player, fight the FAI, the establishment, absolutely everybody.
“I probably upset an awful lot of people along the way, but it gave me the greatest night of my football life.”
Asked about the prospect of Duff returning to a League of Ireland dugout, or maybe taking a managerial job further afield, in the future, the former Chelsea winger refused to rule anything out.
“It’s a small country here, there’s not a big football industry so there’s not a lot of jobs on offer,” he laughed.
“I might work in football again, I might not. I’m always open to absolutely anything. But as the year has gone on it’s probably hit home that I belong in football in some capacity, it’s probably why I’m here tonight.
“Football is my life, that’s not going to change. I don’t think they’d want me (League of Ireland clubs). I’ve fallen out with every club, every fanbase, I’m not sure where would welcome me.
“But Shelbourne was an amazing time in my life so never say never. I’ve had some nice offers over the last year, but I just wanted to stay at home with my family.
“They’re probably sick of me but in Ireland, there’s not many jobs so the UK or further aboard like Robbie (Keane), you’d have to look at everything but for now I’m busy sleeping, boxing and watching football.”
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