Damien Duff
Damien Duff in August 2009
Damien Anthony Duff ( born March 2, 1979 in Ballyboden, South Dublin) is an Irish football player. Used mostly in left midfield, he completed 1998-2012 a total of 100 appearances for the senior team in his home country. He took part in two tournaments finals at the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2012. He spent his club career from a young age in England, where he won the 2005 and 2006 two English championships with FC Chelsea. In addition, he won with Chelsea in 2005 and previously with the Blackburn Rovers in 2002 each of the League Cup.
Sports career
Club career
Blackburn Rovers (1996-2003)
After he had previously played in his Irish homeland as a teenager for Leicester Celtic, St Kevin 's Boys and Lourdes Celtic, Duff himself joined in March 1996 to the still reigning English champions Blackburn Rovers. Around a year later he made his debut on the final day of the 1996/97 season against Leicester City and despite the 2:4 defeat he delivered there on 11 May 1997 its strengths in terms of speed and game intelligence a first taste. With a very agile way of playing good ball control and dribbling skills of young winger in the season 1997/98 was always more to a fixed size and a crowd favorite - especially his runs were praised on the winger to the baseline with subsequent cross into the middle. Alternatively, he showed himself ready for use in the midfield center and in this role he succeeded on December 20, 1997 at 3-0 against West Ham United two goals. After a hernia operation in preparation for the subsequent season 1998/99 Duff came first only sporadically for the course before its competitor Jason Wilcox failed with the same injury. His strengths, he played from December 1998 under the new coach Brian Kidd, however, primarily as a substitute and he had to wait in the current season until end of April 1999 until his first (and only ) league goal.
After relegation to the second division in the summer of 1999, a physically stronger Duff returned permanently back in the team. More and more he became subsequently become an important factor in offensive play of the Rovers and in many games he received in the 1999/2000 season the award for "Man of the Match". In the promotion season of 2000 /01 Duff was despite two short breaks due to Oberschenkelblessuren a fixture in Blackburn's starting line-up and in addition to his qualities in the offensive game, he helped thanks to its improved defensive performance even at times as an attacking left-back ( a so-called " Wingback " ) from. Although he scored a total of only one league goal itself, but due to his constant performances elected him the players' union PFA in the second division team last season ( "PFA Team of the Year ").
After returning to the Premier League Duff succeeded in the English league football the sport breakthrough. With its artful rich playing style and ability to outwit opponents by skillful body illusions and pace, he became one of the most spectacular players in the English top flight and next to the safe relegation he was involved in winning the League Cup in 2002. He had defeated his men in the final Tottenham Hotspur 2-1. With increased expectations that were nourished by his good performances for Ireland in the 2002 World Cup, Duff experienced in the 2002/ 03 initially frustrating times - mainly due to recurring thigh problem - before settling down in the closing stages suddenly form strong and to accurately showed.
Chelsea FC (2003-2006)
End of July 2003 Duff joined for £ 17 million to Chelsea in London. In the club from the west of the British capital, he should not be less than the returning to Italy Gianfranco Zola and replace it turned Chelsea set a new record transfer fee on. He was engaged on the same day as left-back Wayne Bridge, with the Duff well harmonized immediately on the field. By mutual overflowing with offensive actions both seemed ideally matched. The highlight of his first Chelsea season was the 4-0 away win against Lazio in the Champions League, in which Duff on the left side of the Italian defense "mess whirled " and even scored a goal - a total of six goals during the 2003 season / 04 In between, however, he had to struggle with injuries. He dislocated his against Fulham in December 2003, first the shoulder, before later returning his groin and in April 2004 made the further battered shoulder for his early season.
As the position were committed in the summer of 2004 with both José Mourinho a new coach and with Arjen Robben is a winger on Duffs seemed much it to run out, that only either Robben or Duff could find their way into the team. Ultimately, Mourinho decided to use both players as " wingers " who frequently changed sides. This Duff acted occasionally on the somewhat weaker right winger. End of January 2005, he scored the late 2-1 victory in the League Cup semi-final with Manchester United and also during the subsequent playoff victory against Liverpool, he was represented in the starting lineup. A little later he had to stop at the Champions League Halbfinalaus against Liverpool but to win the British Championship in 2005, he had contributed not negligible with 30 league operations.
In his third and final season of 2005 /06 for Chelsea to Duff first showed in good shape and the successful start to the season the club with ten wins and one draw he contributed one goal each to away wins at Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool at. After knee surgery in October 2005, which had become necessary after an injury from an international match, he scored a third and final league goal against his future employers Newcastle United. In the end he had in the successful defense of the English league title with 28 games only a marginally lower proportion than the year before - even though he was only ten of them substitute.
Newcastle United (2006-2009)
End of July 2006 changed Duff to Newcastle United. The transfer fee was five million pounds and in light of the £ 17 million that had Chelsea paid three years earlier, the obligation was perceived as a "bargain". However, Duff was in season 2006/ 06 only sporadically able to demonstrate his abilities - but one of the rare highlights was a 4-2 first-leg victory in the UEFA Cup round against AZ Alkmaar ( which the resignation due to the 0: 2- leg loss followed ). The best performances delivered Duff from left-back and also in the remaining games Duff acted at various positions, including on both wings or as a striker. Numerous injuries attended but always setbacks, including a cartilage injury followed by surgery, a calf injury of the year and a Chipped ankle, which meant an early Saisonaus in April 2007.
End of December 2007 Duff returned back into the first team. However, as coach Kevin Keegan Ground surrounded on a three - attack formation, often remained only the role of the substitute score for Duff. The place in the starting lineup Duff won in the 2008 /09 while back, but this ended for him with disappointing relegation from the Premier League. He had initially contributed vital goals to close wins against Tottenham Hotspur and West Bromwich Albion, but to 0:1 scored the own goal at Aston Villa also on the final day, which ultimately sealed the descent. In the second-rate Football League Championship Duff graduated still a game before he moved in August 2009 back to the Premier League and to hired at Fulham.
Fulham FC (since 2009)
At first go to Duff developed in Fulham to a fixed size. In addition to his tricky game with which he was able to " crack " the opposing defensive lines, he succeeded in spectacular goals against Everton and Birmingham City, the latter was chosen in February 2010 to " Goal of the Month ". If required, he fell back as an outside defender even with the new club. Now He usually acted on the right wing position, he often moved from the center outwards and thereby began the stronger left foot. In this role, he played for Fulham in 2010 and the final of the Europa League against Atlético Madrid, which was lost in the extension ( Duff however, had been already replaced in the crucial period for Erik Nevland ).
In his second year he played mainly in the second half in a good shape and within a month he scored four goals in five games for the " Cottagers " - including hits were against former club Newcastle ( 1-0) and two against Blackburn Rovers ( 3-2 ). In August 2011, he extended his original end of the season 2011/12 expiring contract for another year and after a good start to the season 2012/13, as Duff not only achieved three goals in the first five league games, but also numerous hits for prepared players, it was agreed in February 2013 to a further contract until the end of the season 2013/14.
Irish national
Since his debut on 25 March 1998 until his last international match in 2012 Duff was one of the focal points of the Irish national team. Highlights of his international career was the participation by Ireland in the World Cup 2002 ( Duff played in all four matches and scored one goal) and the European Championships in 2012.
At Euro 2012, he made the final group match as the fifth Irish history his 100th game and led on this occasion the team as captain on the field. It was also his last international game since he announced his retirement from international football in August 2012.
In addition, Duff took part with the boys team Ireland at the 1997 U -20 World Cup 1999 U -20 World Cup.
Title / Awards
Club title
- English Championship (2): 2005, 2006
- English League Cup (2): 2002, 2005
- FA Community Shield ( 1): 2005
- UEFA Intertoto Cup ( 1): 2006
Title with Irish national teams
- Nations Cup (1 ): 2011
Personal honors
- UEFA Team of the Year ( 1): 2002
- PFA Team of the Year (1): 2000/ 01 ( First Division )