Family commitments are why Damien Duff is leaving Celtic after a year-and-a-half at the club.
The former Ireland international joined Celtic as assistant reserve team manager in January of last year. Just six weeks later, he was bumped up to first team coach when Brendan Rodgers departed as manager.
In April, it was announced that Duff will be part of Stephen Kenny's Ireland senior management team. Duff said that a need to prioritise being a father was behind the decision to again base himself in Ireland rather than Scotland.
"The role I had at Celtic was my dream job," Duff told Celtic's website.
"I’m absolutely gutted, devastated to be leaving, especially at this time, when we’re going for 10.
"It was absolutely a family decision. There is no job in the world that would have taken me away from the role I was in. I’d love to be a brilliant coach one day, but I think it’s more important at the minute that I’m just a brilliant dad, I guess.
"For the first while I was away, my kids were like, ‘Daddy, Daddy, stay for nine and 10’, but as time went by, it was more, ‘Daddy, Daddy, when are you coming home?’ Celtic is one big family, but my family is here as well.
"It was the best year-and-a-half of my sporting life, and I include my football career in that. It was an absolute dream with amazing people. I’m gutted, but my kids need me, which is always the most important thing to any dad.
"Like I said when I came in, the only club that would have taken me away from home was Celtic, but then with my family based in Ireland, the only thing that would have taken me away from Celtic was my family."
Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile
