Damien Duff retires from the NT.

Oat23

Just reading on twitter via Daniel McDonnell that Duffer has decided to retire. Another legend gone.

Thank you for the memories, Duffer!

Daniel McDonnell ‏@McDonnellDan

Damien Duff retires from Irish duty. And Trap was confident he would stay on - not to mention some people who knew him well. Sad day.

the realpigiron

Duff will be missed, a great Irish player and performer for the national team. I'm guessing Robbie Keane - another legend - will follow. I don't understand why these retirements have been left to the day a squad is announced.

Seaneh

The Duffer will be missed.

Maybe this will force Trap to play people in their proper position.

McClean on the left and McGeady on the right doesn't sound too bad!

Eathrin

At least in Duff's case we have decent cover.
Given's retirement was a bigger blow.

Mars Bar

What a legend.

This probably means McGeady on the right and McClean on the left?

WindmillWarrior

All the breast to the Duffer, great player.

Please Zod, Keane will follow suit now...

Blue Shamrock

Remember watching him part of Brian Kerr's underage team think he scored goal that secured 3rd place in the U20 World cup? against Spain has being my favorite Irish player since then sad to see him go

GavRedKing

WindmillWarrior wrote: »

All the breast to the Duffer, great player.

Please Zod, Keane will follow suit now...

Really, you hope our top scorer retires?

I dont even know anymore.

Anyway, if its true wish Duff well with his Fulham career, he was an excelent servant for the Irish team.

That_Guy

Real pity. Great servant to the national team. Will be missed.

cgpg5

Great servant over the years. Not as big a loss as given at this moment in time as I believe Duffer shouldn't start anyway but wish him well with his Fulham career

StephenHendry

Eathrin wrote: »

At least in Duff's case we have decent cover.
Given's retirement was a bigger blow.

id agree to an extent but kieran westwood has very impressive in the games he stood in for shay. maybe paddy kenny might come out of retirement

WindmillWarrior

GavRedKing wrote: »

Really, you hope our top scorer retires?

That's beside the point. When you're past it you're past it.

BOHtox

Good man Duffer. An absolute legend. Will be sadly missed.

McLean and Westwood have big boots to fill

Father Damo

WindmillWarrior wrote: »

All the breast to the Duffer, great player.

.

I agree. Ravaged by injury but for his commitment when he could play he deserves all the tits he can grab

tbh with Keane, he simply is not playing at a top enough level at his age to compete with even the mid rankers. Not really sure he has it in him for a 24 hour round trip from LA to Kazakh.

Jimmy Iovine

It's a sad day. I grew up watching him terrorising defences. One of the most naturally talented player we've ever produced. He'll be missed.

Hopefully McClean can step up to the plate and make that position his own for the next 10 years or more.

Father Damo

Jimmy Iovine wrote: »

Hopefully McClean can step up to the plate and make that position his own for the next 10 years or more.

While we owe Duff, fact is he is old and injury prone, and yet Trap would probably have preferred a Duff not even match fresh over an on fire McClean who he still likely reckons does not get "the system". Lets not forget, McClean would not have even went to Poland only the FAI forced Traps hand by saying an ommission would be a step too far in his conservatism in terms of fan opinion. Despite his great season, if it was solely up to Trap, McClean would not have went to Poland.

bren2001

He will always live on as one of the greatest wingers we had. I remember being chuffed when Mourinho wanted him.

My best memory of him has to be Saudi Arabia, I was only 11, great memories. I had hope he would stay on as cover.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbFX3cVrncs

StephenHendry

sad day for us, another legend retires. this will however force trap to put more faith, play the likes of mclean. duffer was a great player for us, never let us down and scored/created lots of important goals for us. my favourite is the one he got against saudi arabia in the WC in 2002 and equally his celebration was class !!!

noodler

An absolute legend.

From the moment I first saw him at the World Youth Championships in 1997 I was always excited at the thought of watching any game in which he was involved.

Outstanding for his country even in the later years when he may have lost a bit of pace but managed to be become one of our smartest users of the ball, taking it back inside and retaining it under pressure or even knowing when and how to win a free kick if our backs were to the wall.

Our highest assister as recently as the WC 2010 qualifying campaign and played his part in an absolute peach of a goal in Paris when Kilbane and Duffer combined to setup Keane.

We'll remember the bow in Asia but we'll also remember how immensely proud we all were, particularly when Englnad were going through a drought of left-sided players, to see Duffer test the best defences in the league and in Europe in the Champions League.

We are better served in the wide areas then we have been for years (McClean, Hunt, McGeady, Coleman, Lawrence if needed and even Keith Treacy) but I am still sad to see our best technical winger call it a day.

Thanks for the memories Duffer.

noodler

WindmillWarrior wrote: »

That's beside the point. When you're past it you're past it.

??

Top scorer WC 2010 campaign

Top scorer Euro 2012 Campaign

Fizman

Good night, sweet Prince.

aindriu80

Adios Duff, best time to go after a great international career. Hopefully enough of the young players come through now.

Maybe next up will be Robbie, it has been a while since he has done it for us.

Leiva

Thanks Duffer .



legend.

TheBunk1

Farewell Duffer. Legend.

Dempsey

I always felt that he would retire after the Euros, just expected it to be announced quicker than this tbh.

Thanks Duffer for the great memories, a great servant to Ireland over the years.

sweetie

bren2001 wrote: »

He will always live on as one of the greatest wingers we had. I remember being chuffed when Mourinho wanted him.

My best memory of him has to be Saudi Arabia, I was only 11, great memories. I had hope he would stay on as cover.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbFX3cVrncs

he was signed when ranieri was chelsea boss and morinho had him for a single season before selling to newcastle

noodler

aindriu80 wrote: »

Adios Duff, best time to go after a great international career. Hopefully enough of the young players come through now.

Maybe next up will be Robbie, it has been a while since he has done it for us.

Well he did it for us in the last qualifying campaign in fairness by scoring 7 goals in fairness..

Roger Sterling

One of our greatest ever.I remember seeing this little blonde fella destroy Norwsy on the wing in an underage game when he was around 16 and thinking "if he can't make it no one csn."

noodler

sweetie wrote: »

he was signed when ranieri was chelsea boss and morinho had him for a single season before selling to newcastle

Mourinho had him for two seasons.

Coillte_Bhoy

Father Damo wrote: »

While we owe Duff, fact is he is old and injury prone, and yet Trap would probably have preferred a Duff not even match fresh over an on fire McClean who he still likely reckons does not get "the system". Lets not forget, McClean would not have even went to Poland only the FAI forced Traps hand by saying an ommission would be a step too far in his conservatism in terms of fan opinion. Despite his great season, if it was solely up to Trap, McClean would not have went to Poland.

what proof if any have you for this?

noodler

Coillte_Bhoy wrote: »

what proof if any have you for this?

You'd be best off ignoring that.

For your sanity like.

ScummyMan

Very sad to see him go, one of my favourite ever players. Cheers Duffer

RayCon

Thanks Damien. Hope you have many more years at club level.

Duff

Cheers, lads.

Coillte_Bhoy

noodler wrote: »

You'd be best off ignoring that.

For your sanity like.

My sanity went out the window shortly after i joined boards

Xavi6

Cheers Damo

castletownman

first Given. Now Duff. Am I the only one ****ting it that Dunne will retire next week?

Truly the end of an era with Shay and Damien gone. Such memories

eagle eye

Great servant, legend.

HalloweenJack

A real pity to see him go, always was a great player for us.

My favourite goal was the one he got at Landsdowne against Russia in the Euro 2004 qualifiers. Can't find a vid on Youtube but, iirc, he got the ball about the thirty yards, had a short run then smashed it in from the edge of the box. It was a beauty.

For some reason, I thought we won that game but Wiki says Russia equalised a few minutes after.

eagle eye

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGnw0rh58Us

gnfnrhead

It's a shame to see him go but thankfully we actually have some cover in his position. He's the one we could most afford to lose of the old guard but it still sucks to see him go.

Good luck Damo.

syngindub

he's only 33 , whats he retiring for, plenty more miles in them legs

Rekop dog

Our number of free kicks per game will dramatically decrease from here on in without him. Master at the art of diving!

wonderfullife

Rekop dog wrote: »

Our number of free kicks per game will dramatically decrease from here on in without him. Master at the art of diving!

harsh! low centre of gravity, dribbled a lot, always twisting and turning......... hence he gets caught a lot and goes down relatively easy. Tom Daley esque Diving? negative!!

Rekop dog

wonderfullife wrote: »

harsh! low centre of gravity, dribbled a lot, always twisting and turning......... hence he gets caught a lot and goes down relatively easy. Tom Daley esque Diving? negative!!

He purposely flops to the ground every time he receives even the slightest touch from an opponent(often no touch). I'm in awe how he's got away with it all his career without having any bad reputation, a master as I said. And fyi low centre of gravity= more balanced usually.

devotional1993

I wonder if a new manager had come in after the Euros would they be retiring?

Sanity_Saviour

Rekop dog wrote: »

He purposely flops to the ground every time he receives even the slightest touch from an opponent(often no touch). I'm in awe how he's got away with it all his career without having any bad reputation, a master as I said. And fyi low centre of gravity= more balanced usually.

Dear God you do get the worst on these forums.

Actually devastated to see him retire. Him and Given emerged as I got into football and were always my favourite Irish players, will not be the same without them.

His emotion after Paris really embodied the passion he put into the green jersey.

tim_holsters

I think it's the right time, one of our best ever but let's give the new guys a go.

LostBoy101

I will always remember Duff's brilliant performances at the WC 2002 in Korea and Japan. Great servant to his country and gave it all.

Mr.Nice Guy

Anyone else feel really old upon hearing this? Seems like only yesterday he burst on the scene.

Thanks for everything, Duffer. One of the most reliable crossers of a ball I've seen pull on the green jersey. Gonna miss that Duff-Keane combo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yo2EnR6m-s

Would be interesting to know how many of Robbie's goals were Duff assists. Feels to me like a good few were.

noodler

Mr.Nice Guy wrote: »

Anyone else feel really old upon hearing this? Seems like only yesterday he burst on the scene.

Thanks for everything, Duffer. One of the most reliable crossers of a ball I've seen pull on the green jersey. Gonna miss that Duff-Keane combo.

Would be interesting to know how many of Robbie's goals were Duff assists. Feels to me like a good few were.

Off the top of my head:

WC 2010 Qualifiers:

Cyprus (H)
Cyprus (A)
Georgia (H)
France (A)

I can't remember as well before that!