Jack Moylan tips his Shelbourne boss Damien Duff to reach the top level in management

Shelbourne boss Damien Duff sighs during a 2-1 defeat to Dundalk on March 6th, 2023.

Moylan has tipped boss Duff (above) to reach the highest level in management. Credit: Paul Dolan (ETPhotos)

Jack Moylan has backed his former Shelbourne gaffer Damien Duff to hit the top level of management - whatever that may be.

Reds head honcho Duffer has attracted admiring glances from across the water for the job he’s performed at Tolka Park - including at Moylan’s new club, League One Lincoln City.

But the Ballyboden ballboy looks set to remain in Drumcondra after Hull City owner Acun Ilıcalı - who bought a 60% share in the club this year - is to depart on good terms.

The directors and the club were in disagreement over how much control Duff - who stated after the last-day 4-2 win over Drogheda United that he had not been offered a contract - would have.

Ireland centurion Duff looks to have won that battle and Moylan is convinced the boss, who has honed the Kilbarrack man into an attacking midfielder in his own mold, is destined for the best.

That could even include the Ireland job as Stephen Kenny, barring a change of course, looks set to bow out after concluding the Euro qualifiers against the Netherlands next week.

Moylan beamed: “The highest. Whatever the highest level is. [Duff is] the best manager I’ve had. He could be the best manager I’ll ever have. 

“Everyone knows how good he is. He’s had a fantastic year. As high as he wants to go, he can. Everyone knows he’s in the conversation. We don’t know what way the FAI are thinking. 

“It’s their business who they put in charge. If it’s Damien or it’s not, it makes no difference to us. I wish him all the best.

“Definitely capable of doing the job. I don’t know whether he’s up for it. Any country or club in the world would be lucky to have him as their head coach.”



Moylan has called time on his two-year Shelbourne career after scoring two in their 4-2 comeback win over Drogheda United on Friday, which secured fourth place.

But it was his hat-trick in an exciting 3-2 win over UCD in October that really lit the touchpaper for Shels’ surge - which will result in Europa League football if St Patrick’s Athletic beat Bohemians in Sunday’s FAI Cup final.

Asked about the defining moment, Moylan said: “I’d say the UCD winner. It kind of had that moment.  Up to then, we were waiting on results.

“We needed Dundalk to draw, Bohs to win…..we knew when we beat UCD, and that Bohs had lost, that it was in our hands. 

“It was kind of that realisation moment which went on all the whole week - if we win [against Drogheda] we finish fourth. We’ve done it.”

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