Damien Duff, manager of Shelbourne F.C., has voiced his opinion that the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) needs reform. “I’m all for dismantling Abbotstown,” Duff said, referring to the FAI’s headquarters. “It’s one of the least welcoming and uninspiring workplaces in the world, not just in football,” said Duff, who previously worked as an assistant coach in Ireland. “I used to dread turning up once a month.” He also hinted at a large-scale staff change.
These comments were made before Shelbourne’s first European competition since 2006 where they are set to take on St Joseph’s from Gibraltar in the Uefa Conference League first-round qualifier at Tolka Park on Thursday evening at 7.45pm. Duff, who represented Ireland 100 times between 1998 and 2012, voiced these opinions just hours before Heimir Hallgrímsson was unveiled as the new manager of the Irish football team. Duff adds that Irish football needs a comprehensive overhaul.
Duff, aged 45, also humbly acknowledged the brave women who represented Irish football in the 1990s after an investigative programme by RTÉ revealed allegations of historic abuse carried out by male coaches against female players. Duff decided not to delve deep into the issue but wanted to appreciate their courage for speaking out against the abusive practices.
Tolka Park’s seating capacity has been downscaled to 3,655 due to Uefa regulations for the first game against St Joseph’s. Despite a demand of 900, only 200 away fans will be facilitated in Gibraltar for the following leg next Thursday.
Duff praised St Joseph’s for their organisation, adding laughingly that he had sent a comprehensive portfolio to his players, which took a couple of weeks to make but might be off target when the opposition show up.
There is a prospect of the 4-4-2 formation which is perceived as compact and tough to infiltrate. Care should be taken not to undervalue them since much of their line-up is made up of Mediterranean talent. Traditionally, players from Spain, Portugal, and Brazil employ a higher level of technical ability compared to their Irish counterparts, reflecting what was observed in the recent France vs Spain game. Their strategy is to be organised, unsettle their opponents, and seize the opportunity to counterattack swiftly, sneaking victories as they managed to do at Larne two years ago.
While summarising briefly could leave room for potential inaccuracies, the reader’s patience will be tested, and their reactions will be intriguing.
On another note, Derry City is gearing up for a challenge against the Gibraltar-based Bruno Magpies. The first leg of their face-off will be away and the following return leg is set to take place at the Brandywell on July 18th.
Should Shels progress to round two, their opponents will be FC Zurich. Meanwhile, the victors of the Derry vs Magpies’ bout will confront FC Copenhagen, with both games’ first legs scheduled for July 25th. The financial reward for making it into the second round amounts to €350,000.