[Archived] What's eating Damien Duff

[Torgeir]

Is he bitter at being 'forced out' for £17m? Used to think he was a Rover at heart but weeks into his Chelsea career he was kissing the CFC badge and today was padding the Fulham badge.

Used to be my favourite Rovers player, now he's just the symbol of modern day football for me.

[rovers11]

He did that last season as well when he scored against us at craven cottage. It's not our fault that he's now rubbish.

[Hughesy]

Its because he decided to stay but we told him he had to go as the £18m was too much! Little dwarf!

[T4E]

He did that last season as well when he scored against us at craven cottage. It's not our fault that he's now rubbish.

Do you see the irony here?

[rovers11]

Do you see the irony here?

The only good games he has are against us. His legs have gone now.

[bellamy11]

It's how he celebrates goals.

[Torgeir]

The only good games he has are against us. His legs have gone now.

He was still good in all the games I watched him last season, and wasn't injured a lot either. This season he's back to being injured but maybe scoring just makes him emotional and he likes to show affection to the fans. Still, doing so after a couple of weeks at Chelsea was a major blow - and it's not like Fulham is his one and only club either.

[trueblueroversiloveu]

Bitter bitter duff, used to love watching him back in the day, think he was kinda forced out and has never been the same player. I'd still take him back though

[Josh]

when he scored two goals against us at Craven Cottage he didn't over celebrate, for people to boo him is ridiculous. He went to Chelsea when they were becoming one of the best teams in the country with Abramovich's money

[ada2020]

Its because he decided to stay but we told him he had to go as the £18m was too much! Little dwarf!

Yeah, what a ####, wanted to stay at the club he loved and show loyalty but was forced out. Crying ###### shame that numerous others over the years couldn't show the same loyalty.

No need for that dwarf comment hughesy, none at all.

[Amo]

Its because he decided to stay but we told him he had to go as the £18m was too much! Little dwarf!

I thought you'd turned the corner a little while ago, Hughesy, but posts like these.... Yeesh.

[Brfcrule1]

Jeepers Topman how many gorgeous women avatars do you have you must have enough to have a different one every day of the week!. By the way does Mrs Topman know about all these women?

[Pedro]

Duff didn't want to stay at Rovers, he mulled over the move for a few days and decided to opt for a new challenge - where have these "he was forced out" rumours come from??

At the time he joined Chelsea he was one of the best players in the World and had an unbelievable World Cup. One of the three best Rovers players of the last 20 years in my opinion and we probably got the best out of him too.

[Paul]

Its because he decided to stay but we told him he had to go as the £18m was too much! Little dwarf!

It just gets worse by the post....

[doctorryan]

Duff didn't want to stay at Rovers, he mulled over the move for a few days and decided to opt for a new challenge - where have these "he was forced out" rumours come from??

At the time he joined Chelsea he was one of the best players in the World and had an unbelievable World Cup. One of the three best Rovers players of the last 20 years in my opinion and we probably got the best out of him too.

The bid came in on a Wednesday morning just before the team plane left for Washington DC for a week of training and then a friendly v. DC United. He finally accepted the transfer and Chelsea's offer the following Monday when the Blues threatened him with pulling the offer. In the interim, Duff was in London early each day to discuss things with Chelsea before hustling back up to Brockhall for training with the reserves & other injured players who stayed behind while his advisers tried to negotiate a new deal with Rovers that he could use to justify to the Irish FA for staying with us. The IFA for whatever reasons, some of them perhaps obvious, badly wanted Duffer at a club with a higher profile than ours, preferably in the Champions League. This went on for 4 days! In the end the club board, or the Walker Trust, or more likely a combination of both decided they would have none of it because they wanted the fee that Chelsea's clause triggering bid guaranteed them.

I can't say I blame them. While it certainly hurt us in the short term, both emotionally for us as supporters as well as being a huge blow to the talent level of the playing staff, Duff had more than a few injury issues with us and they continued after he left. Frankly, the worst part was that it took the wind out of our sails at a time when it looked like we had a chance at making a run at the top 4; portraying us as a selling club and not as a potential destination club, something we were enjoying on a mild level because of Duff, Big Brad, Tugs and Andy Cole.

Oh well....Hard to believe that next year that will be 10 summers ago.

[Parsonblue]

He did that last season as well when he scored against us at craven cottage. It's not our fault that he's now rubbish.

I still wish it was Duff we were trying to sign from Fulham rather than Johnson. Duff is still a decent Premier League player but I'm not sure about Johnson. I thought Jol made a huge mistake when he dropped Duff back to left-back late in the game as I thought Duff was causing us real problems and, of course, he scored a very well taken goal. If you describe Duff as "rubbish" I dread to think what that makes some of our so called "stars".

[Mattyblue]

Its because he decided to stay but we told him he had to go as the £18m was too much! Little dwarf!

So that situation deserves a 'little dwarf' comment because...

[AspRover]

I thought that his celebration was quite modest and understated.

I wouldn't worry about it either way, this thread basically reads 'Duffer was great, but then he had to leave which was probably mistake but wait he's scored a couple of goals against us, he's rubbish I never wanted him to stay anyway...'

[EWOODACE1]

I thought that his celebration was quite modest and understated.

I wouldn't worry about it either way, this thread basically reads 'Duffer was great, but then he had to leave which was probably mistake but wait he's scored a couple of goals against us, he's rubbish I never wanted him to stay anyway...'

even motd commentator said that his celebration was muted. looked asa though he didnt want to celebrate to me. not that it would matter if he did. he's been gone for a long time now

[MarkBRFC71]

I still wish it was Duff we were trying to sign from Fulham rather than Johnson. Duff is still a decent Premier League player but I'm not sure about Johnson. I thought Jol made a huge mistake when he dropped Duff back to left-back late in the game as I thought Duff was causing us real problems and, of course, he scored a very well taken goal. If you describe Duff as "rubbish" I dread to think what that makes some of our so called "stars".

Agree entirely. Thought Duff stood out for Fulham - he'd certainly walk into our team. In fact any of Duff, Dempsey, Zamora or Dembele would.

[BlueMonday]

I know someone who was friendly with Damians Dad, and he said Duffy would have stayed if he could. It was only when it became apparent Rovers wanted to take the money that he accepted the move. His family visited regularly from Ireland and stayed In Old Langho. They loved the area and had a good relationship with Jack when he was alive.

They were heart broken when he was transfered apparently.

[joey_big_nose]

I know someone who was friendly with Damians Dad, and he said Duffy would have stayed if he could. It was only when it became apparent Rovers wanted to take the money that he accepted the move. His family visited regularly from Ireland and stayed In Old Langho. They loved the area and had a good relationship with Jack when he was alive.

They were heart broken when he was transfered apparently.

Really? I never knew he wanted to stay... Im sure he must have been tempted, he joined the most ambitious club in the world at the time.

[Give 'Em the Axe]

Duff is rubbish,yeah? What a load of derp. Seriously.

That's a case of blue n white specs set to bitter. He was incredible for us and incredible for a time with Chelsea. One of the most feared wingers in the league.

He's gotten older (haven't we all) and injuries have taken their toll. He doesn't have the lightening pace of old, but he's a consistently strong performer and I'd love if he were still a rover.

[Guest Rovers4Good]

I know someone who was friendly with Damians Dad, and he said Duffy would have stayed if he could. It was only when it became apparent Rovers wanted to take the money that he accepted the move. His family visited regularly from Ireland and stayed In Old Langho. They loved the area and had a good relationship with Jack when he was alive.

They were heart broken when he was transfered apparently.

His house was in Hurst Green actually across from the Bailey Arms he moved there with his girlfriend after living in Whalley with his mate Mark Benson who was a right or left back for us at the same time.

I was in the pub when he had his 21st and they got a stripper in for him.

Quiet lad and his family were awesome, the guy loved the club and loved the fans and i think he was quite reserved in his celebration.

[den]

Really? I never knew he wanted to stay... Im sure he must have been tempted, he joined the most ambitious club in the world at the time.

He said himself that if rovers hadn't accepted Chelsea's offer, he wouldn't have kicked up a fuss.