Two stories about Damien. The first is about getting his 100th cap (literally) and his future - "Damien Duff turned down the opportunity to be presented with an Ashley Cole style “golden cap” on the pitch at Wembley last week, he has revealed, with the Fulham star observing good naturedly that he is happy with the one he got from John Delaney in a Heathrow bar six months ago. Roy Hodgson rang me two weeks ago,” he revealed while in Dublin yesterday for the presentation of 35 Coagu-Chek machines by the charity Heart Children Ireland to the Mater Hospital’s Maurice Neligan Congenital Heart Clinic, “and he offered me to get my 100th cap presented to me on the pitch at Wembley against Ireland last week but I was like ‘gaffer’ - I still call him gaffer – ‘no chance, you must know me by now. It’s not going to happen.’ As much as it would be something to look back on, it wasn’t for me.” Anyway, he added, “I got it in a different way. I bumped into John Delaney in a pub in Heathrow Airport and he said: ‘****ing hell Duffer, funny I should bump into you’. He had the cap on him, he was supposed to meet me in London but he never tracked me down. So I had a pint of shandy looking at my 100th cap . . . some way to bow out.” The timing of the Dublin trip, he admitted, had nothing really to do with last night’s game against the Faroes although Duff, who played 100 times for his country, was hoping to get both of his kids down in time to watch it on TV, possibly, he joked, with the help of some Calpol. Duff, who, still says he will move home and finish his career in the League of Ireland over the next few years, suggested it was “hard to say” whether he misses the international scene although he admits he has only been to one game since; the one against Oman at Craven Cottage last year. And he doesn’t see too many of them on TV either. “I struggle when I am back in England as I don’t have Sky, there’s a recession on.” That much will, of course, be less of an issue in relation to Ireland matches when he moves back to Dublin although he is no hurry. “I have a year left at Fulham, and I love it there, I would love to stay on playing there for a few years; it has been a special place to me." “After that in England? I don’t know (but) obviously I am going to move back here. My wife (Elaine) is Irish and my two kids are Irish and they are going to go to school here. And, as I have said before, if there is anybody who will take me . . . ” Somebody mentions Shamrock Rovers, who would be in what would have been his general neck of the woods, and he laughs. “I dunno, I played against them before and they gave me a bit of stick. We have a few issues, me and the fans! Anyway, that’s the plan and I definitely want to come back and do it. We’ll see what happens.” The second story was one he revealed at the charity event about his young son's fight for life - "Damien Duff has spoken of the “longest four hours” of his life as his baby son underwent heart surgery. Woody Luke Duff was diagnosed with a small hole in his heart 32 weeks into mother Elaine’s pregnancy when his parents decided to have a 3D scan, and the operation was carried out when he was six months old. Duff, now an ambassador for Heart Children Ireland, admitted he broke down when he and his wife were told the news by doctors. “We weren’t even supposed to have it, we just decided to go in and get one of those 3D scans just to get a photo of him. It was a bizarre day, an upsetting day.” The couple were informed that 1% of children did not survive surgery, but Woody, who was operated upon at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London, did pull through after a four-hour procedure. Duff said: “No doubt the longest four hours of my life. We brought him up to the anaesthetic room. He wanted to be in our arms. You more or less have your son in a headlock as you see him drift off. “That was possibly the hardest thing I’ll ever have to do, myself and my wife." “You think it’s nothing, four hours, but it was the longest time in my life because you convince yourself he’s not going to come out.” Woody has made a full recovery and could yet follow his father into football. Duff said: “He’s fully fit. I’m trying to get him kicking balls already. If he doesn’t want to kick a ball at all, I’ll forgive him.” please log in to view this image
Duffer is one of my favourite Fulham players ever. Quite apart from what he's done (and does) on the pitch, he just seems like an absolutely top man. Private, humble, decent: a class act all the way. I never knew about his kid's health scare either - there are some players whose people would have milked that for publicity once the little one was out of danger. It tells us a lot about Duff that we didn't hear about it at the time and I'm sure we're only hearing it now because he sees it can help get publicity for the charity. He scored the first Fulham goal my eldest ever saw, which also did him well in our house. And I love the fact that he doesn't have Sky because 'there's a recession on'!
Spot on Captain - he's a top lad. Great dry, self deprecating sense of humour too. In another version, he was very pleased to have another year with us, but realisitic that he wouldn't be with us much longer...and went on to talk about possibly playing in Ireland for a while and then turning out for "The Dog and Duck" when he's in his sixties Wouldn't surprise me if he did get one more season in 14/15 - he is so fit - I wonder if he could convert to a central midfielder - (Karagounis' type ?)
He's been a very good player for us- seems to enjoy it, shame there isnt really a chant for him. I'd say he will go on to a rolling contract once his current one is expired. He's not really got 90 mins in him and isnt going to be able to do what Giggs has and move infield so I'd say we we're as well to take it one year at a time. He's got another 1-2 years in the Prem, probably 10 in the Irish league, left in him.
Why don't you think he could move inside, silky? I know he's never played there up to now, but he seems to have all the required skills. I'm not having a pop at you, I'm just intrigued as to your thinking on this.
He might have the skills on paper, but I think CM is a more crucial role than on the wing and requires good positional senses and experience. On the wing you generally get the ball in a more advanced position, at which the options are to go wide, cut in or go back. In the centre its different, the player is deeper and has defenders on all sides. The skill there is to find a pass or beat the men ahead. I might be wrong but I dont see Duff as the man to pick a pass- he can beat men but gives his age we'd be as well to have him recieving it closer to goal rather than beating the opp CM and CD from a deeper position.
