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Damien Duff On Managers Underestimating Richard Dunne Is Just Perfect

Mikey Traynor
By Mikey Traynor
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We've seen many a 'One2Eleven' on Sky Sports' Fantasy Football Club, but none have left us feeling as happy inside as Damien Duff's take at his all-time teammates XI, which aired just before Chelsea wrapped up the Premier League title on Friday night.

Duff makes some bold calls, but his justification for each selection is absolutely hilarious at times.

Most surprisingly, he picked Mark Schwarzer from his time at Fulham over Shay Given and Petr Cech, but Duffer described him as the hardest working man he's ever seen in football.

There was a space for Ian Harte in an impressive back four, and extremely high praise for his left boot, but when it got to Richard Dunne, his old pal Duff revealed that every manager he played under singled Richard Dunne out as a weakness in their tactical preparation. And Damien couldn't understand it.

A toss-up between Brede [Hangeland] and Dunne, but I a bitta Irish in my team, so we'll throw big Dunney in there.

Again, so underestimated. When I played against him throughout my career, every team meeting seemed to be about Dunne and that he can't run, can't move and can't turn.

I always felt like putting my hand up and saying, 'You've got it wrong here, gaffer', because literally every manager would mention Dunney.

He's possibly the quickest centre-half I've played with or seen. Just a top lad who gets on with things. Old school. You'd go have a few pints with him on Saturday, and maybe Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday as well with Dunney. An amazing lad.

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Outstanding.

The midfield was an outstandingly balanced three of Roy Keane, Lampard, and Moussa Dembele who clearly left an impression on Duff at Fulham. The front three was equally impressive, with Arjen Robben and David Villa, who Duff only played four games with as the Spaniard was loaned to Melbourne City before moving to New York, backing up none other than Robbie Keane.

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Here is the team in full:

GK: Mark Schwarzer
RB: Denis Irwin
CB: John Terry
CB: Richard Dunne
LB: Ian Harte

DM: Roy Keane
CM: Frank Lampard
CM: Mousa Dembele

RW: Arjen Robben
LW: David Villa
ST: Robbie Keane

Duffer's comments on his "old mucker" Robbie were fantastic too:

I remember at 16 I played a pre-season friendly against Wolves and I think he bagged two. But he was doing stuff that seasoned pros did.

Just so clever around the box and he never lost that. A fearlessness and care-free attitude, which wasn't coached into him, he learnt that on the street - he taught himself.

Not the quickest, not the strongest, doesn't leap the highest. But a hell of a footballing brain. A lot of teams go for athletes but give me Robbie any day.

You can watch Damien Duff's One2Eleven below, and we highly recommend that you do because it's the best one we've seen. Every player has something interesting or funny said about them, g'wan the Duffer.

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[via Sky Sports]

 

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