Damien Duff: 'Playing in your National Stadium - there's no greater moment'

They say a team should represent their manager both in the style of play and how they conduct themselves on and off the pitch and Shelbourne do just that.

It’s easy to understand why plenty get riled up when Shels are dubbed ‘Damien Duff’s Shelbourne’ and the celebrity status being one of Ireland’s greatest players brings.

But if you walked into the Duff household, the last thing you would assume was that a two-time Premier League winner with 100 Republic of Ireland caps lived here. That is unless you went into the bathroom.

“I’ve one picture in the house,” Duff said of his memories of playing in the Aviva Stadium. “Elaine put it up but you wouldn’t know there is an ex-footballer living in the house. The one where I'm facing the wrong way for the National Anthem – that stands out straight away when I think of the Aviva. I remember going to St Ledger ‘would you not f**king tell me I was facing the wrong way?’

“I remember the first ten minutes of the Armenia game I was horrendous because all I could think about how much of an idiot I looked!”

Duff burst onto the scene at the 2002 World Cup and was probably the best winger in the world at that time before he was a vital cog in a fantastic Chelsea team as Jose Mourinho ended 50 years of hurt at Stamford Bridge – but you won’t find any mementos in Duffer’s attic!

“No jerseys, no nothing, just the way I like it. I don’t see why there should be, you watch football documentaries and they have rooms in the house like shrines. We all have egos but I don’t think mine was particularly big, yeah there’s none.”

The Dubliner while self-deprecating at times is emotionally charged when it comes to managing Shelbourne, his passion and antics on the sideline make Tolka Park the place to go – he is box office.

A workaholic who admittedly spends too much time in front of the laptop, Duff’s biggest task in the build-up to 3pm on Sunday will be to keep his young side’s emotions in check.

“It hits home when you come here to the stadium. I brought the guys here to get them familiar I'd say a few probably haven’t been here or pitchside. I know for a fact some have never worn a suit – Shane Farrell being one!

“I wanted to bring them here just to feel it not to take their phones out and be a tourist. Phones weren’t allowed, just get a feel of the place, lads went away and sat in seats, visualised what they might do on Sunday. I forget at times they are 19, 20 I treat them like senior men like Lukey (Byrne) and Brendan Clarke but they’re young boys it needed to be done.

“The boys would die to get on the pitch. It's every young boy’s dream to play in their national stadium so they would die to get on the pitch and when they’re on the pitch they would die for each other.

“Playing in your national stadium, there’s no greater moment, you don’t have to be pulling on the green shirt, the Shelbourne shirt on Sunday is just as proud a moment.”

Duff originally turned down the Shelbourne hot seat before reconsidering despite admitting he was ‘scared.’ The narrative had already been written that the League of Ireland – a basket case at the best of times – would prove to be beneath the Irish legend but he has completely bought into domestic football in this country and he really does mean it when he says winning the cup would be his finest hour in football.

“Massive occasion. I know what I said after the Waterford game and I'm sure people were like it’s only four games anyone can do that. It's not just the four games, it’s the whole journey.

"I never planned to be a manager I was scared when I took the gig, I said no because I didn’t back myself then I took it. That's why it’s the biggest pinnacle of football.

“I played football whereas this is totally out of the comfort zone that’s why it’s wow, number one.

“Winning would definitely plant a marker! Doesn't mean we’ll be challenging for league titles next year but we’ll keep working we’ll add to the squad no doubt. Listen to go and win the cup would be absolutely amazing, I don’t think anyone was thinking along those lines at the start of the season it was just hoping we were safe.

“To be in a cup and to go and win it would be incredible.”

Duff’s attitude is reflected in his team, everyone working for each other, passion, grit and desire. Videos have been part of the cup run to this point often leaving himself and players in tears, but there will be no need for him to showcase his filming skills when the bus makes the journey along Landsdowne Road.

“I haven’t looked back on what we’ve achieved or what we’ve done. We've stayed in the league another year and we’re in a cup final but with me it’s just head down, work hard and work hard I never really come up for air, maybe I should more often but it’s something I need to address.

“I need to stop working as hard it kind of got out of hand at times this season. I say 24/7 focus I wouldn’t be far off that.

“I like touching on emotion. Waterford was probably too much. I was in tears going out it reminded me of the Brian Kerr days he would have you highly emotional, highly strung and I probably went over the edge. We played four games to get here, made a video in three, you don’t need it for a cup final.

“The wave of emotion driving in on the bus it will hit you then, three minutes to three, the National anthem, that’s the video.”

A potential Shelbourne win sealed with a kiss of the badge?

Luke Byrne: ‘I’ve had managers of other clubs telling me to retire. I’ve had people who I knew over the years asking me if I was retiring. That’s when I was 25 or 26.’ https://t.co/UbbKsmHjVIpic.twitter.com/VPyJs6njY1

— Extratime.com (@ExtratimeNews) November 11, 2022