Shane is interviewed by Richie Sadlier as part of the Second Captains World Service, a podcast with a cost.
Richie delves into a bit of detail regarding the switch from NI. Shane says it's something he always wanted to do and even was involved in a camp for us at 15 and his father made it known that was where they say his future but it didn't materialize. So he kept going with NI as he was in the schools system. He said that he went to the senior friendly with Italy only for the experience and in the knowledge that it was a friendly and he wouldn't be tied. He also says that he would still have declared for us even if it meant he never got a cap for us.
Richie asks him about the abuse he gets for the switch but Shane and whether it went as far as death threats like James McClean to which Shane responds with a chuckle "Well James doesn't help himself!"
It's actually quite worrying to think that his father made it clear at 15 that Shane wanted to play with us and it wasn't followed through. I suppose it was eventually rectified by Shane's doing so we got a 100% committed player but I hope others haven't slipped through the cracks that way. It's also important to note in that context that Shane's father is a Donegal man which might make things easier for him.
It's a policy with which I don't agree, but the FAI's failure to follow through on the expressed wishes of Shane's father was, as far as I understand, rooted in a reluctance to approach or be proactive in selecting northern players (perhaps ones already in the IFA set-up?). In my opinion, if a player is eligible and good enough, there's no harm in making an enquiry or inviting him to declare rather than the FAI waiting for the player to make a formal move towards the association first.
This was something I'd posted back in 2011, but it relates to what Shane spoke about in the podcast:
Great memory. That post ties in very well with what he States in the interview.
I'm listening on to the rest now. It's very interesting. He's very honest, in fairness.
Every lad born on the island of Ireland should be routinely contacted to invite them into squads from 15s upwards. Let the players and their parents then decide. Easy. I'm Always really disappointed when I hear Brian Kerr talking about it not been morally right to encourage kids from the norths set up. Not sure when anything from the creation of the northern state has been morally right up there
'Shane Duffy reveals he refused to delete Martin McGuinness tribute tweet after Brighton asked him to': https://www.independent.ie/sport/soc...-36529162.html
Originally Posted by Irish Independent
From the interview he did with second captains during the week
Nothing wrong with the tweet.
Shane has his say on Michael O'Neill's recent comments/statement: https://www.herald.ie/sport/soccer/i...-36701626.html
Originally Posted by Aidan Fitzmaurice
a)bored stirrers
b) daydreaming Shinners
c) simpletons who think merging 2 mediocre teams will provide a World beater almost by definition
As an Irishman what category does Duffy fall into?
d) Proud Irishman
Folding my way into the big money!!!
Thanks for quoting me Gastric- although you seem to have missed or misunderstood the bit about wanting the NI sides to be abolished linked to those categories. Which I doubt Duffy falls into anyway, given that he played for them in numerous games
Which footballer was nicknamed Douglas Bader (the decorated RAF pilot who lost both legs in a crash) because he was good in the air but rubbish on the ground?
No idea, sorry
Looking at the EPL stats, Duffy comes top of the "most blocks".
Forget about the performance or entertainment. It's only the result that matters.
Strange as I read this earlier, Gareth Crook's team of the season. He seems to credit Lewis Dunk with most blocks. The stat about Duffy that Tets mentioned above is off the charts though!
Lewis Dunk: I have watched this lad in the Championship and I have watched him again in the Premier League and I can't believe it's the same player. The growth in the space of a season has been quite extraordinary.
It would have been very easy for me to have selected Jan Vertonghen (who has had another good season for Spurs) but Dunk has had to be outstanding week in, week out. Without that level of performance, Brighton would have sunk without trace.
If any of the big six have any sense whatsoever they should get their chequebook out immediately. He's worth £30m of anyone's money in the current financial climate.
Did you know? Dunk made more blocks than any other Premier League defender this season (56).
According to this - https://www.premierleague.com/stats/top/players - Duffy(59) is ahead of Dunk(58) in blocks, maybe Gareth Crooks wrote the article before the weekend's games?
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