Has Duff Fulfilled His Potential?

[White Noise]

http://www.eveningecho.ie/2012/06/07/has-damien-duff-done-enough-for-ireland/


Has Damien Duff done enough for Ireland?


Thursday, June 07, 2012


Barry O'Donovan


A DECADE ago they seemed on the cusp of something different. Irish football fans of a certain generation (actually, any generation) had a prototype Irish player in their heads and these guys weren't it.

Irish players didn't smack last-second equalisers against Germans or knock in last-kick penalties against Spain like it was the most normal thing in the world. They certainly didn't beat players for fun, skipping down wings like there was no tomorrow.

Robbie Keane and Damien Duff did, and they did it at a World Cup and they were about to take Ireland new places and become superstars. 10 years on, we still can't figure out how close they got.

It was Duff we were more excited about to be honest. Sure he'd been promising at Blackburn but the chasing he gave to that Spanish defence in that second round game was a statement of intent.

He moved to mega-bucks Chelsea and was so generally decent Claudio Ranieri's mom gave out to her son if Duff wasn't played. He went into a different level, scored goals against Barcelona in the Champions league, a wonder goal against Lazio, performed as part of a wonderful, unplayable double act with Arjen Robben for a sensational few months under Mourinho.
 
On a Goals on Sunday programme at the time, Eidur Gudjohnsen was asked by Rob McCaffrey who the most skilful player in the Chelsea training ground was under the new Abramovich era (McCaffrey offered Joe Cole, Veron, Crespo etc) – he answered Damien Duff, as beating players was the greatest skill of them all.

For Ireland at the time, he became the go-to player to the extent it was just too obvious in that 2003-2006 era where the only gameplan seemed to be feed Duff and wait for inspiration; we remember a game in summer 2003 where it was pretty much Duff v Russia (it ended 1-1, Duff scoring, obviously). In short, he was a serious guy in a serious league.

But, this was a while ago. Since the highs of 04/05, in order. 05/06 – replaced by Joe Cole at Chelsea. 06/07 – moved to Newcastle, injury hit year. 07/08 – no goals or assists, dropped by Newcastle. 08/09 – on a relegated Newcastle side, struggled so much he was played left-back at one stage.
 
09/10 – to Fulham, average. 10/11 – see previous year. 11/ 12 – lost place at Fulham before having a pretty decent last few months.

 
Total goals/ assists in first two years with Chelsea:  11 goals/ 16 assists; Total goals/ assists over seven years in Premier league since: 16 goals/ 11 assists (we realise this can be a crude, overused stat, but a forward like Duff needs to be scoring or creating goals, if not then what's the point exactly?)

The nagging worries we had through that special time – the weak crosses and shots, the fitness issue, the lack of real killer speed – all took their turn.

Duff went from the brink of genuine excellence to ordinary, where he's still neat and tidy in possession, still has a little trick to beat a player now and then but just doesn't put bums on the floor like he used to or frighten teams (and he did frighten teams).

He's scored once for Ireland since 2006 and had no assists in the last qualifiers. He's hardly been a failure, but he just didn't kick on for quite long enough to become that superstar he threatened for two years.

If Duff is a tough one to classify, Robbie Keane's probably the most complex player we've ever analysed.

(And he's got competition. As a fun game, let's offer the same critique to the rest of the 'golden generation' – John O'Shea, Richard Dunne, Shay Given.

O'Shea: Premier league medals hanging off him, consistent twenty-five games a season for Man Utd or the guy who could never perform quite well or quite long enough to be more than a utility player.

Dunne: reliable, backs-to-the-wall stopper who was consistently voted player of the season by Man City or stodgy, one-paced, defender with a knack for own goals who struggled to maintain a serious level of performance.

Given: one of the most respected keepers in the Premier league generation but never been trusted at a top club and always strangely behind a shaky defence.

See how awkward it can get? See how easily you can make an argument they're Irish legends or disappointments in the same breath?)

Keane's a humdinger though. 10 or more Premier league goals for seven seasons in a row but eternally failing to convince of belonging at that level.

Holds title of player most likely to nab important winner/equaliser for Ireland while also player most likely to evoke intense feelings of frustration.

Since 2002 he's both fallen from favour with every single Spurs manager and been their main man at different times, mixing spells where you think, "Yeah, he's really got it at last" with months of nothing.

Keane had two years after World Cup 02 where he was bright, sparky and scoring goals for Spurs, then eighteen months of poor form, then a really decent few months at the end of 05/06 partnering Mido, then six months of bitty form, then the back end of 06/07 and 07/08 in the form of his life up front with Dimitar Berbatov.

Around this time, he scored a double at Anfield which contained two typical Robbie Keane goals (running in behind a defence onto flick-ons, though there's also that trick where he pretends to move near post but drifts far post), a belter of a late equaliser against Chelsea, crackers away at Fulham and it appeared he was actually becoming the player he had promised.

The Liverpool move though, just brought up all those limitations – tactical unawareness of the headless sort, lack of real killer finishing at times of doubt – and he hasn't had a decent season since, to the extent three seasons of mediocrity had made him unwanted at the top level.

The feeling with Keane was always that he was just a step below that place where you could comfortably put him in the top bracket, a very good Premier league player but not close to a great one.

He'd get 10-14 league goals but wouldn't get twenty. He'd never quite give a chasing to a top defence or defender (I've never seen him perform against United for example). For Ireland, he's had nights where he's contributed very, very little, but he's tended towards the good stuff with his country more often. And in truth, if you're backing someone to take a chance, you wouldn't pick anybody else in the squad right now.

A tournament like 2002 might just mean history looks a little kinder on Robbie than sometimes suggested. Like Damien Duff, there's a small sense of what-might-have-been though.

[Rambling_Syd_Rumpo]

bank account full of cash,he can retire at 38 and play golf everyday-doesn't sound to shabby to me :001:

[HatterDon]

I've never seen him mail it in, regardless of the shirt. He's scored some brilliant goals for us and messed with the minds of several left backs. Numbers be damned, he has been great for us.

[gezkc]

Duff's a fantastic player - always has been.

He still has what it takes at the top level, and I hope he (and Ireland) have a great Euro 2012.

[finnster01]

The man is fantastic off the pitch as well. Has helped out several children hospitals in a big way. He also has the smarts and is one of the most successful footballers growing his own net worth outside the game through savvy investments. He can retire tomorrow if he wants to and live a very comfortable life indeed

[cmg]

Another triumph of journalistic brilliance.

"33 year old player not quite as good as he was seven years ago - Sensation."

The fact that he was crap at Newcastle need not concern us. He has been excellent for us. His contribution has been immense and his attitude exemplary. Yet another shrewd buy by the Fulham management.

He may not have many miles left on the clock, but, whatever the Irish might think, he certainly owes us nothing.

[EJL]

I didn't think he was average during the 2009-10 and 2010-11 seasons like this guy is saying. Especially during the 2010-11 season I remember he was starting to put in these performances resembling his Chelsea form. He had that game against Stoke where he was absolutely incredible. Every single time he took on his man he beat him. If I'm not mistaken he scored two goals in that game as well. (?)

[cebu]

He's one of my favourite players for Fulham -he seems to give his all in every match for club and country.

[Mr_Moon]

Hope we get rid of him. Waste of wages and every opposition manager has him sussed out.