Having secured two Premier League titles, two Fizzy Cups, and represented the Republic of Ireland over 100 times, one might assume that guiding Shelbourne to the Irish title would fall somewhere between winning the Community Shield and suffering relegation with Fulham in Damien Duff’s footballing career. Famously dubbed “the problem child” of the FAI by former chief John Delaney, who was far more problematic and childish than the tournament he disparaged, the League of Ireland Premier Division is charmingly amateurish, not through any fault of its own. It has long faced severe financial neglect from both the governing body and a government that makes little to no effort to support its growth. However, in recent years, largely thanks to the arrival of “Duffer,” its popularity has continued to rise despite intense competition for Irish attention from better-funded sports.
League of Ireland stadiums often lean towards the ramshackle, and attendance is frequently low. The clubs rely heavily on volunteers, and the players, while enjoying many of the same perks as their English top-flight counterparts, lack the high profiles, hefty wages, and widespread acclaim. But for the dedicated fans who regularly attend matches to support teams like Shamrock Rovers, Derry City, Dundalk, and Bohemians, winning the league title or FAI Cup is the ultimate goal. On Friday night, under Duff’s leadership, Shelbourne finally claimed the top spot for the first time in 18 years.
Before their final game of the season, which runs from March to November, Duff had stated that winning would “overshadow” all his previous accomplishments. When his team defeated Derry away to edge out Dublin rivals Shamrock Rovers by two points, the 45-year-old described their victory as “pure Hollywood.” He also disclosed that to keep his players motivated, he had employed some unconventional motivational tactics. Notable for his quietly impactful dressing-room speeches, Duff enlisted the help of Lions rugby coach Ian McGeechan for a team talk. On another occasion, Colin Hawkins, a legendary League of Ireland player and former teammate of Duff’s, who is recovering from cancer, provided an inspiring perspective.
For his secret weapon, the former Chelsea winger turned to another manager whose siege mentality he has openly emulated to motivate his players over the past three years. On the day of their win over Derry, the team received a personal video message of support from José Mourinho. “Then in the team meeting, there was a private video message from José discussing what it takes to win a title as a team, as an individual,” revealed Duff. “It left the guys speechless. A video shown at the Everglades Hotel in Derry two hours before the game.” After his team’s tense 1-0 victory, possibly aided by an offside goal, Duff informed his players he would FaceTime the Special One in Turkey and personally contribute €500 to the post-match beer fund if his old mentor didn’t answer. “I’ll add a monkey to the drinking tab tomorrow,” he told reporters, when his attempt at post-match contact was commendably ignored.
Source link: https://www.theguardian.com
