Updated at 19.57
DAMIEN DUFF has admitted to being a “football snob” in the past but says his time in the League of Ireland has helped change his thinking in that regard.
The former Blackburn and Chelsea star spent the majority of his career playing in the Premier League but has seen a different side to the game since then, undertaking a short stint playing with Shamrock Rovers, while he has now just finished his debut season as a manager in the domestic game.
Speaking following a comprehensive 4-0 FAI Cup final loss against Derry City, Duff hailed the atmosphere created by an official attendance of 32,412 fans, explaining: “A fantastic day for everyone, not just for Derry. The whole League of Ireland family, it sucked me in. For many years, trust me I was a football snob. I wouldn’t look at Championship, League One, or any of it.
“Quinner [Alan Quinn, Shelbourne coach] could tell me the result of any game any weekend in any league in the world. He’s a bit like Kerrser [Brian Kerr]. But now, no — I’ll be here every year until the day I die. It’s a great day, it’s the showpiece, amazing.
“But disappointing from a Shelbourne point of view — to a point. Because it’s a very proud day — we’ve been in the wilderness for many, many, many years. To be back at Lansdowne on the day of the big game — it’s an opportunity, an opportunity for me now to build.”
Derry’s fourth goal was scored from the penalty spot by Jordan McEneff, moments after he came off the bench. The former Arsenal youngster previously had a loan spell at Shelbourne before joining Derry on a permanent deal last August.
“Listen, I always call a spade a spade. I’ll be blunt — he didn’t slip through my net. He played many times and minutes for us and he didn’t do much, that’s why I let him go.
“But look, football’s a funny old game. When I saw him stepping up for the penalty I was thinking: ‘What are the chances?’
“But I wish him the very best. He’s a great boy and you always felt that off him, that he wanted to go home to his family. So maybe that’s the best place for him. Well done to him, Derry, Ruaidhrí.”
Some key players on the Shelbourne side, meanwhile, didn’t perform at their best. Shane Farrell was substituted at half-time, having been a doubt ahead of the game, and Duff suggested the player’s fitness troubles may have contributed to a below-par display.
“It’s not one where you have time to sit down with Shane at half-time and tell him why [he was taken off]. He’s struggled with an injury leading into Waterford and I’d say it was likewise again today. Sometimes if you don’t get that training load into your legs, which he hasn’t had leading into a game, it can come back to bite. Maybe it was that, I’m not so sure. It’s disappointing for him, but as I’ve always done, I’ll look after guys and speak to him in the next few days. He’ll be disappointed but at Tolka Park, he’s a superstar, he’s a living-day legend, so he should be proud as well.”
Attention now turns to next season, with Duff citing Matty Smith, who has impressed on loan from Derry City, as one player he hopes to sign on a permanent deal.
Much will, of course, depend on the club’s budget, which the 43-year-old says has yet to be finalised and will depend on developments at ownership level.
“I haven’t really asked about the budget, just gone out and started spending it anyway,” he jokes.
“Listen, let’s call a spade a spade here. You’ve seen the articles about whether Sports Republic get involved or not. I know as much as you but that could drastically change things.
“But for our working budget, it will be bigger but still a long way off the six teams above us.
“I know people speculate on teams below, saying Shels are this and that budget-wise, but we’re not.
“We are where are in the league and you could see the table doesn’t lie — that [position] mirrors our budget.”
Duff consequently hopes he can build on an encouraging 2022 next season and ultimately claim the crucial European spot they narrowly missed out on this year by losing the cup final.
“It’s a goal of mine, to do it very, very quick. I want to build Rome in a day. I know you’re told you can’t but I’m trying. So I would like to do it.
“How quickly we get there depends on many, many things — how good I am, how good the staff are, how good the players are, how good recruitment is, how big the budget is. Many factors come into that, but it’s an absolute goal.
“I’m not doing this day-in, day-out, not seeing a lot of my kids or my wife, just for the craic. I want to succeed.”
