Newington College was the very happy beneficiary of a visiting sporting legend, former representative of Ireland Centurion and Chelsea Premier League winning star, Damien Duff, crutches and all. Damien took time off to call into Stanmore to speak to the Talented Athletes Support Program (TASP) boys and 1st and 2nd XI Football teams at a specially convened Q & A event in the Function Room last Wednesday. Damien also met a number of additional staff members and students as he toured the College campus. He was extremely impressed with the boys’ attitude and behaviour as well as the magnificent layout of Newington College.

Damien was born in Ballyboden, County Dublin and was signed by Blackburn Rovers at  age 16. His early potential quickly manifested itself in England and superlatives about this young genius abounded as he made his first team debut at 17 years old, lighting up stadiums throughout England and was very favourably compared to a certain Ryan Giggs – he of 13 record breaking Premier League medals. Damien also catapulted into the upper echelons of international Football as he was star player in Ireland’s sensational third place finish in the U20 World Cup in Malaysia. Consequently, he was voted into the Team of the Tournament. At 19 years old, Damien had a steady career in the Senior International level and he continued to have an absolutely dazzling career with the “boys in green” as he reached the staggering total of 100 caps for his country, including appearances at the finals of the 2002 World Cup in Japan and Korea, and the European Championship finals in 2012 in Poland / Ukraine.

Damien won the League Cup with Blackburn and helped them to finish sixth in the Premier League qualifying for the UEFA Europa League trophy. Chelsea seized the opportunity to sign the most coveted winger in England when they paid him 17 million pounds in 2004. When Jose Mourinho became Chelsea manager, Duff and Arjen Robben became the most feared attacking cocktail in the Premier League as the blues won back-to-back Premiership titles. Mourinho’s admiration for Duff was public and generous.

Later Damien moved to Newcastle United and then to Fulham where he enjoyed a very successful career reaching the Europa League Final. He enjoyed great rapport with the London-based fans, being voted Player of the Year on a couple of occasions – an achievement bestowed on him at Blackburn Rovers.

Damien is currently finishing his career with Melbourne City, a season cut short from injury. With a career total of 612 matches, mostly at top premier and international levels, and with 82 goals to his name, it was his ability to literally tear opposing defences apart with his scintillating blend of pace, deception and coruscating changes of direction and inch-perfect crosses. In this department he had few peers and he created many goals and opportunities for teammates.

Damien was a fantastic role model for young boys and sportsmen. His attention to detail with his lifestyle, diet, nutrition and rest was ahead of his time. His training standards and application standards in preparation always singled him out as a match winner and a game changer. His public persona has always been of humility – “his feet have always done his talking”. He has a beautiful wife, Elaine (from Bray) and two lovely children, Woody and Darcy.

His determination to come to Newington College despite being based in Melbourne simply underlined his character and his loyalty. All of his ex-team mates speak glowingly of the player known throughout Ireland as simply “Duffer”.

The reaction from the boys since the visit has been powerful and many were struck by Damien’s lack of ego and his friendly disposition. A real reminder to all our aspiring athletes that success is reflected in your off-field lifestyle as well as your on-pitch performances.

On a personal level it has been a great honour for me to work with Damien at international level for 12 years. Being the Performance Analyst of the Irish International Team has given me a unique insight and experience into top class players, teams and managers. Damien will always be a star for me. He had the ability to light up a ground anywhere in the world and get people off their feet. Only the greatest have that extraordinary capacity.

A final measure of the man was his appreciation and respect for other people and cultures, demonstrated in iconic fashion with his bow to the Japanese people when he scored in the 2002 World Cup finals in Japan. He garnered a whole generation of Japanese fans from that single moment, showing the true class which always earmarked him as the exception not the rule.

Mr Brian McCarthy
Director of Football