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'Like Staying In Ayia Napa' - Damien Duff Highly Critical Of FAI's Handling Of Euro 2012

PJ Browne
By PJ Browne
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Just like Kevin Doyle, Damien Duff is highly critical of the FAI's decision to base the Irish team in Sopot during Euro 2012.

According to Doyle, the wives and girlfriends of several players were accommodated above a lap-dancing club - not an ideal situation. It was one which some players felt could have led to speculation of them visiting brothels.

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Speaking to the Sunday Independent, Duff compared staying in Sopot to staying in a major party holiday destination such as Ayia Napa.

It was like staying in Ayia Napa or Playa Del Ingles. You look back and think, 'who goes over and chooses these things?'. We had been in a long camp and remember it being tough and boring. I guess that's the Italians; like a Serie A team which goes to hotels three days before a game and even stays the night after the game.

You can't expect to be going out on the piss every night - England did that in 1996 and got slaughtered after 'the dentist's chair' - but there is a happy medium with a couple of nights out. That's our culture.

Duff believes, come this summer, things will be different under the Martin O'Neill and Roy Keane regime.

Martin and Roy aren't stupid. I'm sure Robbie (Keane) said 'give us a couple of nights out'. The Irish players like to drink and, if you give us a couple of beers, then we'll live off that for a week. Sometimes it's nice to have a wander out and have a beer, but Sopot was pretty extreme. I know my history and I wouldn't say there's an awful lot going on in Versailles.

Picture credit: David Maher / SPORTSFILE

Read: Gareth Barry Has Had His Say On The Diego Costa Biting Allegations

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