Damien Duff

**tricky_colour** · 31/10/2005, 10:24 PM

Incidently I think you can see the Chelsea match in the UK on ITV4 (freeview) tomorrow.
Don't want to miss those back passes do we.

**Kevin77** · 01/11/2005, 1:51 AM

Yeah, you are all right. Duff is finished. Let's hound him into retirement like everyone did with Stephen Carr. There are a plethora of decent alternatives. My choice would be Premier League winner and Champions League superstar Mark Kennedy to take Duff's spot. If not, we could move the mercurial Kevin Kilbane back to the left...my only problem with this is who will then boss the midfield and set the tempo and protect the back four. Maybe not he's too valuable there. Or Andy Reid. Thankfully he's getting lots of time at Spurs and setting the Premiership on fire. Those 7 or 8 minutes against Arsenal were world class. Unlike Duff who hasn't got a look in at Chelsea for the past few weeks. Or maybe Alan Quinn? Everyone has been clamouring for his inclusion.

Let's start the campaign in earnest to get rid of Duff now. At 26, his best days are behind him, he will never ever play well for Ireland again and we are in a position of such amazing strength and depth that we wont miss him at all.

Yours sincerely

Jose...I mean Kevin

**eirebhoy** · 01/11/2005, 10:11 AM

Originally Posted by thejollyrodger

i wonder if his attacking days are gone... most top defenders have figured out what makes him tick. Still, all the tracking back he does should get in on the starting 11.

No defender would figure out what made Duff tick

. He was unstoppable 2 or 3 years ago. He's still regarded as Chelsea's best winger by their fans so he's doing something right.

**eirebhoy** · 01/11/2005, 12:09 PM

Mourinho also revealed that Irish winger Damien Duff has made a quick recovery from knee surgery and will play some part in Tuesday night's UEFA Champions League clash against Real Betis.

The former Blackburn star was expected to be out for a month after picking up the injury on international duty with Republic of Ireland, but after returning ahead of schedule Mourinho hailed the comeback of the star as an example for the rest of the squad.

"Damien is a great player and a special character," Mourinho continued.

"He is very important for us and a great example of how important it is to be a tough guy to recover from surgery like he did.

"The medical department is brilliant and worked incredibly well with him. It is a big award for them to have got him ready to play tomorrow and for sure he will play."

Duff himself was keen to brush aside notions that Chelsea's recent results represented a blip in form, but insisted that the players were unhappy at failing to maintain their 100 percent domestic record.

"Last week was disappointing," admitted Duff.

"I think many people were seeing it as a crisis, or a mini crisis, but we weren't.

"We didn't feel that way at all it was only two draws, it shows how strong we are to bounce back in the way we did against Blackburn last Saturday.

"We were still positive. We had worst points during last season. The way we looked at it was that they were only two draws."

http://home.skysports.com/list.asp?h...ampions_league

**BobbySands** · 01/11/2005, 10:37 PM

Damien seems like a nice enough fellow but I have to say I don't give a damn about his fitness. His recent displays for Ireland have been pitiful and he's part of the reason our national team is on hiatus.

**eirebhoy** · 02/11/2005, 8:47 AM

Originally Posted by BobbySands

Damien seems like a nice enough fellow but I have to say I don't give a damn about his fitness. His recent displays for Ireland have been pitiful and he's part of the reason our national team is on hiatus.

He's not to blame tbh. A mixture of Jose Mourinho and being the only threat in the team (so being marked by 4 players) is. We seen how good he is when teams don't bother to man mark him (vs Italy).

**Littlest Hobo** · 03/11/2005, 3:08 PM

Originally Posted by totalfootball

I couldn't care less how many games Chelsea win with Duff. I'm interested in how Duff performs for Ireland, and in the past year he has not done nearly as well as he should have. Those who suggest that this is because he has been re-trained by Mourinho as a defensive winger have probably got it right. Chelsea have other attacking options, Ireland are much more reliant on Duff.

Yep agree. Its been a while since we last saw him leave a few defenders standing in his wake.

**gustavo** · 03/11/2005, 3:12 PM

i would take eirebhoys point of view on this one , makelele had the french team warned about his threat for the french game and it showed.

**tricky_colour** · 07/03/2006, 6:39 PM

for Chelsea...should be interesting how he does, Chelsea need goals.

**tricky_colour** · 07/03/2006, 6:52 PM

Duff, Robin, Cole...looks like he is copying Stans tactics

**thejollyrodger** · 07/03/2006, 6:55 PM

is it on the internet anywheres ?

**tricky_colour** · 07/03/2006, 7:36 PM

Its on ITV1 in the UK, don't know about elsewhere.
I would think there is a good chance of it being on the internet
somewhere, it's a real big match.

**Roverstillidie** · 07/03/2006, 8:03 PM

duff is having, what can only politely described, as an absolute shocker. chelski arent playing like a team that need 2 goals. not even close.

**cavan_fan** · 07/03/2006, 8:06 PM

Usual thing for Duff, he needs to be at the centre of the game or else he tries to chase it too much, compare to Robben who doesnt seem too fussed what else hapens but whenever he gets the ball he keeps going until he shoots. Seems odd though for Mourinho to try a system like this for the first time here, it obviously doesnt work and he's wasted 2/3 of the game proving it.

**tricky_colour** · 07/03/2006, 8:33 PM

Thing is Chelsea need goals, anyway Duff subbed, Barc score, great
goal from Ronaldinho game over. Barcalona are obviously a great side.

**Kowalski** · 07/03/2006, 8:53 PM

Originally Posted by Roverstillidie

duff is having, what can only politely described, as an absolute shocker. chelski arent playing like a team that need 2 goals. not even close.

He was playing near enough left back, only made one cross in the whole game, Gallas hardly got forward at all. Delighted for Chelsea, serves them right for spending all that money to play unattractive football. Super goal, its not often you see Terry knocked out of the way.

**Roverstillidie** · 07/03/2006, 9:04 PM

Originally Posted by Kowalski

He was playing near enough left back, only made one cross in the whole game, Gallas hardly got forward at all. Delighted for Chelsea, serves them right for spending all that money to play unattractive football. Super goal, its not often you see Terry knocked out of the way.

barca threatened to spank chelskib ut never quite got motoring.

duff gave away a lot of silly fouls and got pegged back along with the rest of chelski's midfield. totally outplayed and outthought. the sulky head on mourihinio was suoer. a great day for football all round.

no doubt livehead will be on soon to tell us english football is still the worlds best

**eirebhoy** · 08/03/2006, 8:42 AM

I have to say, while Duff was poor going forward as he usually is for Chelsea, I thought he was one of the few players trying before he got subbed. The likes of Cole, Lampard and Robben didn't seem too bothered about losing. At least Duff was putting in the tackles and showed he actually cared. He shouldn't have been taken off, I said it at the time and it was all one way traffic when he was taken off.

I can imagine Larsson telling Ronnie and co how well Duff played last Wednesday. They must have thought they mistaked him for someone else last night because as soon as he puts that blue jersey on he looks like Kilbane when trying to go past someone.

**FarBeag** · 08/03/2006, 8:59 AM

You are right Duff did work his arse off but i think he tries too hard playing for Chelsea and just can't perform the way he usually can.I hope that he moves on and finds a manager that lets him play the football he is best at.