It's fair to say that Damien Duff seems to have a rather odd relationship with the Republic of Ireland national team at the moment.
In regular circumstances, it is likely that he would have been among the main candidates to replace Stephen Kenny as manager. Not only is he one of the finest Irish players of all-time, but he has also built up an impressive CV with coaching roles with Celtic and Ireland before doing a brilliant job in his first managerial gig at Shelbourne.
However, his name was never really mentioned as being in the frame for the position.
It is likely that his relationship with the FAI had something to do with that. Duff's exit from his role as assistant under Kenny was a fairly inconspicuous, with the reasons behind it never publicly acknowledged.
In saying that, it has been suggested that he was not pleased with the Association's handling of the fallout from the video shown to Republic of Ireland players ahead of a game against England.
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Damien Duff throws Republic of Ireland dig
Damien Duff has been been less than complimentary about the Ireland team in recent times, admitting after John O'Shea's appointment that he had not bothered to watch them play in quite some time.
He threw another subtle dig at them ahead of this week's League of Ireland action.
Speaking ahead of Shelbourne's game against Dundalk this evening, he suggested the most recent international break showed that the Republic of Ireland were no longer the biggest show in Irish football.
Damien Duff is relishing the return to action after the international break.#DublinsFinest | #Since1895 pic.twitter.com/fPzqQzgjJN
— Shelbourne FC (@shelsfc) March 28, 2024
The last two weeks has highlighted that the leading light of Irish football is not the national team but the league itself.
It is bigger, better, more exciting and more important. Every true Irish football fan has been waiting for this Friday – nothing else.
Damien Duff has certainly gone all-in on the League of Ireland, becoming perhaps the biggest advocate of the league during his time at Shels.
It seems he would not swap his place at Tolka Park for any other gig in football, including the Republic of Ireland one.
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