Damien Duff rarely fails to surprise, often providing as much entertainment with his musings on life and football, his touchline capers and feuds with rival managers as he did during his 100-cap Republic of Ireland career.
But Sunday’s news that he had decided to quit his job as Shelbourne manager was a bolt from the blue, even if he had been a picture of furious frustration after his side’s 1-0 defeat by Derry City on Friday night.
Duff confirmed to RTÉ that he had resigned on Sunday morning, ending his three-and-a-half year spell as the club’s manager, Shelbourne later issuing a statement “regretfully” announcing his departure.
“While all at Shelbourne FC are deeply saddened by Damien’s decision, we fully respect that he feels this is the right choice for him at this time,” they said, describing his impact on the club as “transformational”. “He will always be one of our own, and we are eternally grateful for the indelible mark he has left on our club.” Shelbourne co-owner Neil Doyle also paid tribute to the 46-year-old, both for what he did for the club and the league as a whole.
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It was Duff’s first managerial role in football after stints as coach or assistant manager with the Irish under-15 and then senior squad, and with Shamrock Rovers and Celtic. The highlight, of course, came last November when he led Shels to their first league title since 2006. But it was the nature of the defence of that title that rendered him exasperated, and clearly deciding that he’d had enough.
The defeat to Derry left his side sixth in the table, a mountainous 15 points behind leaders Shamrock Rovers. He lashed out at his players after the game, questioning their motivation and professionalism. “I prepared for the game like I was a professional footballer - I would really, really like to know how many of my players prepared as well as me.”
“It’s my energy that has driven the players for four years,” he said. “I’ve offered them the dressing room for them to lead this show. They’ve never really done it. I’m trying to drag them, trying to wake them up, but they never woke up.”
“To become champions again, you have to be hungrier than last year, you have to work harder than last year - I’m not sure how many would say that they’ve done that.”
And the thing about Duff is that you’d suspect he could forgive anything, other than a lack of hunger and professionalism. Once he felt he could no longer extract either of those qualities from his players, that was time for him to bid adieu.
He’ll leave a hell of a hole in the League of Ireland, though, not least because of his passion for it and the raised profile he helped give it. And he was never shy about standing up for it. “This league was called the problem child for many, many years,” he said, “but believe you me, the biggest problem child is the FAI.” It’s unlikely, then, that he’ll choose Abbotstown as his next place of work.
So where next? It was only in April that he dismissed any notion of leaving Ireland to take up another managerial offer, Bolton said to have been the latest club to want him as their gaffer. “I am here because they are here,” he said of his family and their life in Wicklow, “and I want to be here. I don’t picture myself anywhere else but Ireland.”
Look away now, Shels fans: could he be up for taking over at another club in the league some time soon? We’ll see. But one thing’s for sure, you wouldn’t want him staying out of the game for too long.
Joey O’Brien, meanwhile, will take charge of Shelbourne for Monday night’s league game away to Waterford, and could well still be in position for their Champions League qualifying games against Linfield on July 9th and 16th.
“What comes on Monday, who knows,” Duff said after the Derry game. Time, as it’s proved, to think about his next step in football.
