Damien Duff

[elroy]

Duffer one of Fulhams best players 2n so far, they are on the verge of a massive result. What a difference a year makes for the lad!!

[SkStu]

didnt see the game but i cant help but wish we had gotten Roy Hodgson as irish manager. Or at least that we might get him in the future. Such a good and professional manager.

[geysir]

The impression I got from somewhere at that time was that he was keen/had big ambition to manage in the EPL.
He already had done a very good job with an average international team and was ready to move up.

[dr_peepee]

didnt see the game but i cant help but wish we had gotten Roy Hodgson as irish manager. Or at least that we might get him in the future. Such a good and professional manager.

The sad thing is he was availible when we were looking before Stan got the job. Went on to manage Finland then if I recall correctly.

[geysir]

Not so Doc, he was already appointed or agreed to be manager of Finland before we played the last games of Kerr's era.

[gspain]

He was in the running for the job before Trap was appointed.

He is an excellent manager although there was a Fulham fan on the 5 Live phonein last week who wanted him sacked after their defeat by Juventus. I didn't hear last night's phone-in but I assume he will keep his job for another few weeks. I recall being in London in the mid to late 90's and choosing to watch Leyton Orient in the 4th division rather than Fulham in the 4th division as the biggest game in town that night. If you had told the Fulham fans that night they'd be playing Juventus in Europe within 15 years they would have laughed at you. Of course the guy phoning in last week probably had never heard of Fulham in 1996.

[geysir]

Was he in the running ? he did say he was interviewed by the panel when he took the Fulham job, end of December?

[gspain]

Was he in the running ? he did say he was interviewed by the panel when he took the Fulham job, end of December?

OK depends on your definition. He was considered but not a serious contender.

[Stuttgart88]

I'm actually quite happy with the manager we have, though Hodgson was my favoured choice, especially when El Tel was seemingly in pole position and endorsed by the likes of Dion Fanning. Fanning dismissed Hodgson as a Houllier-style UEFA-crat.

[fu1ham]

Damien was absolutely brilliant last night , showing the electric pace that some of us thought he'd lost. You're so right about Fulham 1996 (and 86 and 76). This is like wonderland , last night was marvellous, capped for me only by Stuttgart 88. An honourable mention should go to Kelly , who had an excellent game . Shame Hughes and Baird aren't ours though. Baird and Duff are great pals apparently.

Hodgson is a fantastic manager . I wouldn't be surprised if he moves on in the summer after all this. I wonder if Stan will be available?

[SkStu]

Duff standout player again tonight and just scored a nice goal to put Fulham 2-0 up. What a season for Duff and what a great move Fulham has been for him.


Fulham on fire. Two goals in three minutes. Danny Murphy finds Bobby Zamora in the box with his back to goal but the scorer of the first goal is strong enough to hold off his marker before teeing up Damien Duff to rifle in from 15 yards.

[yapster]

Duff it seems is more suited to smalltime clubs such as Fulham & Blackburn as the pressure is less intense on him. Good to see him enjoy his football again.

[Charlie Darwin]

He had a great spell at Chelsea when they were challenging in the Champions League. He just seems to do well in a structured team under a good manager. He had that with Chelsea, at least in the early Mourinho days, and he has it again at Full Hams.

[Paddy Garcia]

And he had the balls to pick joxer goes to stuttgart for that Chelsea CD

... not sure of the link to the above posts really, just love Duffer

[yapster]

joxer goes to stuttgart is cringeworthy now....

[tricky_colour]

Scored for Fulham tonight, not too difficult, set up for him in front of goal.
He also played a significant roll in the first, making a run to drag a defender off Zamora to giving him space to score.

[rebelmusic]

From the sky match tracker looked like he had a great game. Pity about the away goal. Really hope fulham win it this year, great for football.

[yapster]

It is good to see the likes of Fulham go this far and it would be nice if they won it...

[drummerboy]

When Trap steps down, i think Roy Hodgson would be a great replacement for our national team manager. He has had a great career and is a student of world football. Here's hoping the FAi have a it of insight.

[Razors left peg]

When Trap steps down, i think Roy Hodgson would be a great replacement for our national team manager. He has had a great career and is a student of world football. Here's hoping the FAi have a it of insight.

If the English FA had any insight they would appoint him after Capello

[seanfhear]

If the English FA had any insight they would appoint him after Capello
If Liverpool had any insight they would appoint him now. This could run and run.

[Razors left peg]

If Liverpool had any insight they would appoint him now. This could run and run.

haha, as Rafa would say....FACT

[Yard of Pace]

Scored for Fulham tonight, not too difficult, set up for him in front of goal.
He also played a significant roll in the first, making a run to drag a defender off Zamora to giving him space to score.

He took it well though, very tidy finish.

[Declanus]

Roy Hodgson is to be the manager of the GB team for the Olympics in London 2012. Fergie was supposed to be the manager but the Scotish FA, Welsh FA and IFA said they don't want to participate so Fergie won't do it if Scotland is not part of it. If Hodgson does well he will probably get the English job.

[Serb]

Damien Duff qualifies for his first major European final. Sounds like he didn't have the best of games today, spent most of the time being fouled and delivering poor set pieces. Great achievement for him and Fulham (who also came from a goal down against Hamburg). Hope they can go all the way.

[Acornvilla]

nearly scored a very clever goal, he was OK hamburg were the better team until fulham got the goal! delighted for them thou

[Razors left peg]

After seeing his tears on the pitch in Paris I couldnt be happier to see him get the consolation of making a european final.Absolutely delighted

[Stuttgart88]

Yeah me too. Delighted for Fulham too, and delighted that Liverpool didn't make it. For Liverpool to possibly block Fulham's way would have been terrible. It was a barely wanted consolation prize for them, but it'll be Fulham's biggest ever night. Did Atletico qualify for this at the start of the season or by the CL back door? I hate the back door / 3rd place rule.

During the group stages some fans and commentators talked about the need to rest players during Europe because of some crappy EPL game a few days later. I hate how the Premiership has distorted priorities. European football is flippin great.

[Charlie Darwin]

I've really warmed to Fulham during this campaign - Hodgson's put together a really gutsy team with plenty of underappreciated talent too. Gera is a smashing player and Duff's touch is incredible at times. Really hope he carries this form forward into next year.

[Razors left peg]

yeah Athletico did qualify from Champions League, think they got a hiding from Chelsea in group stages if I remember rightly

[tetsujin1979]

considering Fulham started in the first qualifying round, waay back in July, it's some achievement to get to the final.
I did apply for tickets to the final, but was rejected. I wasn't too bothered at the time, but I'm a bit disappointed now.

[geysir]

I thought since Rangers and Middlesbrough made the final that the sensation value had greatly diminished.
I think a club has to at least come very close in the final if not win it, before being worthy of some acclaim.
The football standard has been more noted for its excitement value than its quality.

[irishfan86]

That was probably the most entertaining match I've seen all season. What a comeback. I really like the characters on that team, and I'm delighted for Duff. It wasn't his best game, but judging from the amount of times he was fouled, I think he was a marked man.

[back of the net]

What i thought was a lovely tribute from Roy Hodgson to Duffer:


http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11095_6139552,00.html
"Duff is outstanding. When the annals of Irish history are written, and there have been some good players over the years, he will be right up there with them. He'd have 100 caps already but for one or two serious injuries.He's been the Damien I got to know as a young boy at Blackburn. Several people tried to dissuade me that he was a totally different player I was signing but I'm pleased to say they were wrong and I've been right. If anything he's a better player today because he was always very clever in his play but the 10 years of experience has not done him any harm.
Damien Duff didn't come to Fulham for money, that's for sure. If he'd wanted serious money he would have stayed at Newcastle to see his contract out. He came here to play football."

[tricky_colour]

http://videos.sapo.pt/JRUYJ7UKd6tJtTyBYdld

Nice work by Duff on the wing there, like a hot knife through butter :)

[DannyInvincible]

That was wonderful.

[rebelmusic]

Bit lucky with the deflection but lovely first touch. Great to see

[Sullivinho]

Classic Duffer.

Wish I was Evra...he had he best view.

[osarusan]

Crazy penalty decision against him too in my opinion.

[Closed Account]

Crazy penalty decision against him too in my opinion.
I've just watched that now after hearing about it and here's my tuppence(if that's worth anything)
If you mistime a tackle in the box, it usually results in a foul, penalty, no argument there. Now what Duffer did was mistime a volley, which resulted in him fouling the ball. Penalty. In my mind there's no question about it. Ball to hand/Hand to ball? Not applicable as Duff hit the ball with his knee first. How would you feel if Duffer was attacking and handled the ball like that into the net?

[osarusan]

As I understand the rule (and I may well be wrong on it), it must be deemed deliberate for it to be considered a foul. I don't believe that Duff deliberately played the ball onto his hand, nor did he deliberately handle it after his poor first touch, nor was his hand in an 'unnatural position'.

[passinginterest]

As I understand the rule (and I may well be wrong on it), it must be deemed deliberate for it to be considered a foul. I don't believe that Duff deliberately played the ball onto his hand, nor did he deliberately handle it after his poor first touch, nor was his hand in an 'unnatural position'.

That's also my understanding, it was never deliberate in which case it shouldn't be called as a foul.

[Closed Account]

As I understand the rule (and I may well be wrong on it), it must be deemed deliberate for it to be considered a foul. I don't believe that Duff deliberately played the ball onto his hand, nor did he deliberately handle it after his poor first touch, nor was his hand in an 'unnatural position'.
Technically, the hand ball rule does include the work 'deliberate' but in effect it doesn't work that way. Shy of admitting that you wanted to handle the ball, there is no way to prove deliberacy. What makes Duff guilty, in my eyes, is that the ball shouldn't of hit his hand, and it was his deliberate actions which resulted in the ball striking his arm. Had the ball come from a yard away or at an unbelievable speed then I'd give him the benefit of the doubt but he was on the receiving end of the one of the rare times John O'Shea found a teammate. As I said, if he'd scored with that kind of handball, the United players would be calling for a replay of a 39th game or something redelaneyiculous like that.

[tricky_colour]

Bit lucky with the deflection but lovely first touch. Great to see

It's hard to tell what happens there, i'd like to see a slow-mo of it, I don't see how he got the ball
past him but I'm not complaining! It seems it came back to him, but he did well to control it.

[Stuttgart88]

Great to see him playing well again. Guardian gave him MOTM this morning. Wrap him up in cotton wool next weekend please.

[shaneker]

I'm sorry to say I was one of the doom-and-gloom brigade regarding Duffer a few years back, and I genuinely didn't believe he would be able to get back to (close to) his best.

Some of the best tasting humble pie ever, this. Keep it up Damien, you've a European Championships in you yet!

[Charlie Darwin]

Technically, the hand ball rule does include the work 'deliberate' but in effect it doesn't work that way. Shy of admitting that you wanted to handle the ball, there is no way to prove deliberacy. What makes Duff guilty, in my eyes, is that the ball shouldn't of hit his hand, and it was his deliberate actions which resulted in the ball striking his arm. Had the ball come from a yard away or at an unbelievable speed then I'd give him the benefit of the doubt but he was on the receiving end of the one of the rare times John O'Shea found a teammate. As I said, if he'd scored with that kind of handball, the United players would be calling for a replay of a 39th game or something redelaneyiculous like that.
When it's not obviously delibrate, the interpretation is supposed to be whether the player's hand was in an unnatural position and whether he gained an advantage from it. Duff's arm was out as he was swivelling and he definitely didn't gain an advantage (quite the opposite - it stopped his clearance), so I don't really see how it could be considered handball.

[osarusan]

and whether he gained an advantage from it.
I don't have access to the rules right now, but from memory, the issue of whether it's of advantage to the player isn't part of the question. As I remember it, the referee must declde if it's deliberate or not. Guidelines to help the referee make this decision are, first, if the player moved his hand towards the ball, second, if he had time to move his hand out of the way but didnt, and third, if his hand was in an unnatural position.

Again, I am just going from memory on these.

[Charlie Darwin]

That sounds about right from an official point of view, but I think any referee with a bit of sense should (and usually will) take advantage into account.

[Junior]

http://videos.sapo.pt/JRUYJ7UKd6tJtTyBYdld

Nice work by Duff on the wing there, like a hot knife through butter :)

Think I remember big Clint doing that in a green shirt once for us. Great to see Duffer start the season in good form.