Back in the early days of 2009/2010 I was one of those who questioned the signing of Damien Duff.
Having been part of the relegated Newcastle side, in fact the very player who`s own goal got them relegated on that dramatic last day of the season, at Villa Park, I thought he was injury prone and to be honest, shot.
I couldn`t have been more wrong!
Duff has been a delight this season, sure he`s had a few injury problems – but haven`t they all?
Duff, in my opinion, is one of the candidates for ‘Player of the Season` and it`s yet another tribute to Roy Hodgson that he recognised, having also worked with Duff at Blackburn previously, that Duff was different to others he`d worked with, or as Roy is quoted as saying on the official site,
“He`s [Duff] been outstanding and he`s a very, very good player,” Hodgson told fulhamfc.com.
“I`m sure when the annals of Irish football history are written, and there have been some good players over the years, Damien`s going to be right up there with them.
‘If he wanted serious money he`d of stayed at Newcastle and seen his contract out. He came here to play football and that`s what he`s done.
“Knowing the person, knowing his character and knowing his reasons for wanting to leave Newcastle and come here – to play football. It was, quite frankly, ‘I`ll come to Fulham and earn less, because that`s where I want to play my football.`
“That is very, very rare in football terms and it`s the mark of the man and his character. He has an unbelievable desire to play football. Damien will always play football, god willing that his legs keep going. I can imagine Damien playing at the age of 50, just for the fun of it, because he`s a football man.”
We`re not sure Damien will be still pulling on the splendid top of Fulham but we get your drift Roy.
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