Damien Duff

[Real ale Madrid]

Damien Duff made the UEFA team of the year!
Just rewards in my opinion.
The full team is

Rostu

Nesta, Puyol, Chivu, R. Carlos

Seedorf, Ballack, Zidane, Duff

Henry, Ronaldo

[TheSeagullsNest]

Named in the UEFA team of the year.

Goalkeeper: Rüstu Reçber (Fenerbahçe SK and Turkey)

Defenders: Carlos Puyol (FC Barcelona and Spain), Alessandro Nesta (AC Milan and Italy), Cristian Chivu (AFC Ajax and Romania), Roberto Carlos (Real Madrid CF and Brazil)

Midfielders: Clarence Seedorf (AC Milan and the Netherlands), Michael Ballack (FC Bayern München and Germany), Zinedine Zidane (Real Madrid CF and France), Damien Duff (Blackburn Rovers FC and Republic of Ireland)

Forwards: Thierry Henry (Arsenal FC and France), Ronaldo (Real Madrid CF and Brazil)

Coach: Senol Günes (Turkey)

[Real ale Madrid]

Great minds think alike!!!!

[TheSeagullsNest]

mind thought 1st :D

ah no, good to see him there, especially after his world cup show

[Real ale Madrid]

Hear, Hear to that. Well done Duffer.

[Schumi]

Is that the one that was another e-mail campaign about?

[Real ale Madrid]

Yes, although I don't think it gathered much momentum.

[Éanna]

nice one. thoroughly deserved. looks like a great team too.

[Badweather Fan]

Don't think it needed the campaign and shouldn't be considered in the Ronnie O Brien campaign mould.
Thoroughly deserved.
Fair play.

[Shed End John]

Originally posted by Badweather Fan
Don't think it needed the campaign and shouldn't be considered in the Ronnie O Brien campaign mould.
Thoroughly deserved.
Fair play.

Spot on!!!!

[The Sheliban]

Dont think it was a UEFA poll. More of a "UEFA.com users" poll, which probably isn't quite so prestigious.

[Shed End John]

Originally posted by The Sheliban
Dont think it was a UEFA poll. More of a "UEFA.com users" poll, which probably isn't quite so prestigious.

Jesus, will you stop being so bloody Irish and give a little credit to one of our own? Even if what you say was true, that would mean that footie fans all over Europe voted for Duff.
GO ON THE DUFFER

[The Sheliban]

Lets just say I don't think Damo himself will get big-headed over this. The poll is restricted to people who have the use of a pc, so far from being Europe-wide, it will preclude a lot of Eastern Europe.
And, as stated above, there was an orchestrated campaign to get Duff in. Its like voting for Eurovision. If you're allowed to vote for your own country, not only is it unfair, but it renders the whole thing meaningless.

[Shed End John]

Originally posted by The Sheliban
And, as stated above, there was an orchestrated campaign to get Duff in. Its like voting for Eurovision. If you're allowed to vote for your own country, not only is it unfair, but it renders the whole thing meaningless.

Except as already stated, the campaign didn't exactly gather Earth-shattering momentum. It isn't the least bit meaningless when it's true. Duff was MOST CERTAINLY one of the top players of 2002, and more than deserving of a place in the XI.

[The Sheliban]

Don't agree John. Duff has a lot of potential, but best in his position in Europe??? Come on.
Besides, he spent most of 2002 injured.

[Shed End John]

Originally posted by The Sheliban
Don't agree John. Duff has a lot of potential, but best in his position in Europe??? Come on.
Besides, he spent most of 2002 injured.

But, he had an absolutely sensational World Cup.
Btw, name me ONE better left-winger than him in the World, never mind Europe.

[gustavo]

id say robert pires is better than duff at this moment in time, nothing against duffer he is only young yet but pires is pure class.

[Real ale Madrid]

Originally posted by gustavo
id say robert pires is better than duff at this moment in time, nothing against duffer he is only young yet but pires is pure class.

Pires was injured for the majority of the year.

Well done duffer.

[The Sheliban]

Doesn't really have to be a strict left-winger. It can be a midfielder who plays on the left hand side.
Figo, to name one. Overmars? Wes Houlihan?

[Daxion]

WES Who?:rolleyes:

[The Sheliban]

Ah, ye'll hear about him soon enough.
How about Kevin Kilbane?
Sorry.

[Daxion]

Who does he play for @ the moment?:confused:

[The Sheliban]

Shels.
Rumours abounding that a host of Premiership clubs are interested, but no firm offers. Was called up for the senior squad with Glenn Crowe, but didn't get his game against Greece.

[Daxion]

Yes, I remember his name being mentioned during the build up to the game

[gustavo]

Originally posted by Shed End John
.
Btw, name me ONE better left-winger than him in the World, never mind Europe.


i was replying to that quote

[Dodge]

On the UEFA website, they gave a list of five nominees and of those mentioned Duff was easily the best (and he was the only natural left winger)

Begrudging basterds!

[setter]

The problem for duff will be the amount of new players at chelsea all trying to blend in.
chelsea had a good season last year when they only brought in one player during the summer im afraid there gone back to there big spending with no way of knowing the team will gel.

[Junior]

only joking!!!

Saw the first half of Man City and Blackburn last night with Reid on the left, didn't look too hot to be honest and his delivery in to the box was poor.

Duff has been played wide right for Chelsea, looked very average against Liverpool a few weeks ago, don't know how he got on at the weekend.

Is it me or are these club managers taking the mickey?

[Slash/ED]

I thought Reid played well really, the only complaint I had were his corners were fairly poor aside from his first one really, still better on the right. I've no idea what Ranieri is thinking with Duff on the right though.

[Mondo]

And there was me thinking you were on about ANDY Reid:eek:

[colster]

Since Duff went to Chelsea he has moved onto a different level.
He is now scoring goals regularly. And not scrappy ones at that.
Last night's goal was no fluke, no aberation, he's done it 4 times in the last few months
2 for Chelsea against Newcastle and Lazio and 2 for Ireland against Canada and Russia.
I think this is evidence that he has added that killer instinct in front of goal that has been missing. I think he's added a bit of belief in himself that he is capable of playing against and embarassing the best defenders in the world.

With this in mind I reckon that as an attacking player Duff is now the best player Ireland has ever produced (bar Best) and is fast approaching the best player of any sort that Ireland has ever produced.

The other thing that has struck me is the type of player that Ireland is now producing.
We no longer have a conveyor belt of Centre Halfs but now seem to be producing players who are comfortable on the ball like Duff, Keane, Reid, Thornton, Miller, Healy etc.

[opplock]

I agree that Duffer has moved up a gear since he moved to Chelsea which must partly at least be attributed to the incomprehensible Rainieri. However, let's hold back a while on the best ever plaudits. He hasn't reached his full potential yet although he can even enliven a very dull friendly like last night.

[pete]

Originally posted by colster
We no longer have a conveyor belt of Centre Halfs but now seem to be producing players who are comfortable on the ball like Duff, Keane, Reid, Thornton, Miller, Healy etc.

We are not producing any of them. The english youth system is producing those players.

[colster]

Originally posted by opplock
I agree that Duffer has moved up a gear since he moved to Chelsea which must partly at least be attributed to the incomprehensible Rainieri. However, let's hold back a while on the best ever plaudits. He hasn't reached his full potential yet although he can even enliven a very dull friendly like last night.

Well in my time watching Ireland games he is the most exciting Irish player I have ever seen. This bloke does what every fan wants to see when he pays in to see a game.
He has the talent that everyone who has touched a football wants to have.

When you look at Giles, Brady, Keane, MacGrath etc. you can mention moments of their brilliance but you have to set a scene. You have to explain who it was against. There aren't any of those universal moments of pure magic that Duff has shown.

You know in years to come your kids and grand kids will ask you about Duff just like we all asked about Best.

[colster]

Originally posted by pete
We are not producing any of them. The english youth system is producing those players.

You can't be serious that the skill that Keane and Duff have has been coached into them.
You know these guys were in Ireland until they were 15 or 16.
If anything they are products of the DDSL and not some English Youth System.

[DolansWaistcoat]

Duffer is brilliant no doubt about,just wish liverpool had bought him, but still glad man ure didnt take him when they had a chance this summer,he makes that Ronaldo muppit at the theatre of sh*te look like a sunday league player.

[John83]

Originally posted by DolansWaistcoat
Duffer is brilliant no doubt about,just wish liverpool had bought him, but still glad man ure didnt take him when they had a chance this summer,he makes that Ronaldo muppit at the theatre of sh*te look like a sunday league player.

If that muppet Houllier had gotten his hands on him, he's not be scoring goals right now. He might be struggling to get into the team ahead of Smicer or some other such "superstar", and Ronaldo looks pretty good for an 18 year old. Remember Duff at 18?

[fergalr]

The move to Chelsea has done wonders for Duff - a good degree of credit has to go to Ranieri. If he continues in this form he's in with a shout of winning a player of the year award by the end of the season.

Best of all for Ireland (and Chelsea fans) - he's going to get even better!

[colster]

Originally posted by fergalr
The move to Chelsea has done wonders for Duff - a good degree of credit has to go to Ranieri. If he continues in this form he's in with a shout of winning a player of the year award by the end of the season.

Best of all for Ireland (and Chelsea fans) - he's going to get even better!

He probably won't after some of the brutal selections that they've made in the last few seasons. Someone like Lampard will probably get it.

Ranieri has to be given credit alright but I think that just being surrounded by, training with and playing with the calibre of player at Chelsea is probably more important.
He now knows that he's as good if not better than some of the world class players there.

Having said that I think Ranieri is the most under-rated manager in the Premiership.

[Peadar]

Originally posted by colster
He probably won't after some of the brutal selections that they've made in the last few seasons. Someone like Lampard will probably get it.



Frank Lampard, in my opinion is one of the best midfield players in Britain if not Europe.
He's got a great attitude and surely ranks up there as one of the best buys.
Ferguson and Ranieri now have plenty money to spend and I think they've both wasted it on players in the past.
Duffer though is worth every penny.

[niamh]

Looking at Duff and the form he's in, it makes it even worse that he won't be playing among the best next summer. He looked at home during the World Cup.

[KCFC Bohs]

I hope this doesnt mean that Duffer is going to be demoted to the Chelsea reserves next season for some Dutch flash-in-the-pan, especially with WC Qualifiers kicking off. F*cks sake - he's been their best players this season when he's been playing, and they've been useless without him. At least he'd be able to walk into any other team in Europe.



http://www.rte.ie/sport/2004/0304/duffd.html

Damien Duff has described the arrival of Arjen Robben at Chelsea as a kick in the teeth.

Duff, signed for £17million from Blackburn last summer, has struggled to make an impact at Stamford Bridge after being hit with shoulder and Achilles injuries.

The Republic of Ireland international is on the brink of a return to first-team action after playing for the reserves in midweek but clearly sees the Dutch starlet as a threat to his long-term future.

He said: "I must admit it was a bit of a kick in the teeth after two months out to hear about it. But I'll just have to carry on doing what I always do and work hard hopefully that will be OK for me."

"I hear Robben is a left winger but I don't play there very often so maybe I'll get a game somewhere else in the team!", he added.

[gspain]

No chance. Duffer has been Chelsea's best signing this season. As all Irish fans know the guy is pure class.

Robben can also play up front and presumably Duffer could be moved to the right - I know I know same argument again.

However what could be nore worrying is the rumour doing the rounds among some Chelsea fans that Duffer has a long term injury and this achilles problem is more serious than is being let on. His shoulder also needs an operation.

[Bowsy]

Duffer has a number of injuries and with surgery on his shoulder is going miss quite a bit more football. With Chelsea's money they can afford to bring in top class cover and they need it as they have really missed Duff. I'm not just talking through green tinted glasses here though, any football fan will tell you Duff has been Chelsea's best signing so far and that's some endorsement.

[Footie_Fan]

I think Chelsea's decline in results has been clear for all to see since Duff got injured. Clearly their most potent attacking force has been sorely missed and the suggestion that Duff, at full fitness, would be left out of any side in the world is laughable. I think Chelsea should stop signing more big name players and try to bond as a unit as it is clearly annoying the current ones. Joe Cole asked for a move, how many will follow? Chelsea have the players but they need to come together as a team.

Any if Chelsea don't want him I'm sure there are plenty of other teams who would gladly avail of his services.

[NigeSausagepump]

I agree that when fit Duff has been one of Chelsea's two most effective players this season (the other being the vastly improved Lampard IMHO).

I think though that we are seeing signs of what could be Chelsea's ultimate undoing and the biggest flaw of 'buying' success. Joe Cole was rumoured to be uneasy about his lack fo first team football and Duffer, hardly the most troublemaking player out there, has also just expressed his dissatisfaction with another big signing. Too many big egos will just not fit into a Premiership side if they are not getting regular football. Every team needs a few water-carriers and I'm not sure Chelsea have them.

[eirebhoy]

I'd say Duff really regrets not getting the operation when he got his shoulder injury. He wouldn'y have got the achilles injury then and he would probably be back playing by now. Now he has to get the op in the summer and will probably miss the US cup.

He played the full 90mins for the reserves last night and had a good game. He should start against Stuttgart on Tuesday but its a pity we don't get to see it live. Bloody TV3.

[Slash/ED]

Originally posted by eirebhoy
I'd say Duff really regrets not getting the operation when he got his shoulder injury. He wouldn'y have got the achilles injury then and he would probably be back playing by now. Now he has to get the op in the summer and will probably miss the US cup.


I wonder will his career ever recover from the impact missing the US cup will have on him :)

[Footie_Fan]

Originally posted by Slash/ED
I wonder will his career ever recover from the impact missing the US cup will have on him :)

:D

[gspain]

Originally posted by Slash/ED
I wonder will his career ever recover from the impact missing the US cup will have on him :)

It's worse than that - the tournament has been cancelled.

Maybe if we win the world Cup in Germany in 2006 it will go someway to compensating the players for the disappointment but no probably not. :)