Damien Duff was a box office and a dream for media – but ex-Shelbourne boss' impact on League of Ireland is overblown
SATIRICAL news site Waterford Whispers wrote a story this week about football journalists camping outside Damien Duff's house begging him to return.
It was fairly close to the truth.
2
Damien Duff shocked fans by leaving Shelbourne
Credit: Michael P Ryan/Sportsfile
2
He has been praised as one of the league's most defining personalities
Credit: Seb Daly/Sportsfile
And it wasn't just
Duff's absolute dedication to Shels, authenticity and great one-liners made him a dream for the media.
Our audiences seemed to love it too with even non-League of
reading
and listening.
Read More on Damien Duff
And how could you not? Whether it was wanting to bulldoze
But it still feels to me like all
the talk
about what he did for the
But
And there are no additional
benefits
to the game of
Most read in Football
I'm sure there were some who read the articles or saw the videos and decided to buy
But the League of Ireland's success post-Covid has many parents.
Damien Duff mercilessly trolled by rival fans over bizarre attempt to go incognito while serving ban
Duffer is the most recognisable but others have played their part.
A fortnight ago, when Virgin Media revealed its top-five most-watched LOI ties so far this season, Shels featured twice — highlighting the league's growth is not just down to Duff.
Nevertheless, while I think the Ireland great's importance to the LOI has been overestimated, what he did for his club is perhaps underestimated.
He took his first senior managerial role with a newly promoted team that was about to go full-time with all the growing pains that that can bring. The club has also had three different principle owners in his four years as gaffer and has seen many front-office changes as it adjusts to being a top dog.
But through it all, he guided them to an FAI Cup final in his first year, a top-four place in his second and a title in his third.
Yes, he had a decent budget. But it was far from the biggest and the League of Ireland is one where you have to speculate to accumulate and collect the big cheques from
Which is why it's even more puzzling that he left two weeks out from a
But Shels fans will never forget how he restored them to former glories like when they won titles under Dermot Keely and Pat Fenlon. Rival fans won't forget it either.
Still, flak from opponents will not disappear because Duff got going. Shels were a big club that — in the eyes of their rivals — became a small one.
Duff made them big again and his departure will not change that.
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