Damien Duff surprised a lot of people last week when he was confirmed as assistant manager to Keith Andrews at Premier League club Brentford. The 47-year-old Dublin, who won 100 Irish caps, has been out of the game since quitting as manager of League of Ireland club Shelbourne 12 months ago. The previous season Duff managed Shels to win the League of Ireland Premier Division for the first time in 18 years. Andrews, who enjoyed a successful first season in charge of the Bees with a ninth-place finish, moved to bring Duff to the London club after recent discussions. The pair worked together in the international fold when Republic of Ireland manager Stephen Kenny brought them both into his coaching team in April 2020.
Andrews said: ‘‘I have known Damien for a long time. I’ve seen him up close throughout his coaching journey. We have been on courses together and worked together as coaches with the Republic of Ireland national team. Damien will bring experience, presence and a real level of detail to our coaching department. He will add to the great group we already have and I’m very pleased that he is joining us.’’ Duff spoke glowingly of his visit to Brentford and spoke of his admiration for the way in which the club is run. Duff said: ‘‘You look at maybe a couple of my ex-clubs, Blackburn and Chelsea, they are two basket cases and that’s why they are where they are. Brentford, brilliant from top to bottom.’’
MCKENNA STEPS BACK
Kieran McKenna has announced he is stepping down as Ipswich boss to take a break from football just weeks after guiding the club back to the Premier League. McKenna, who is 40, has been strongly linked with the vacant Fulham job in recent days, but the Northern Irishman said he was leaving the Tractor Boys in order to take a break from football and spend time with his family. In a statement on Ipswich Town’s website, McKenna said: ‘‘It is with a mixture of gratitude, pride, sadness and contentment that I have decided to step down from the honor of managing this historic football club. When you have the connection that we have built at this club, there is never a good time to say goodbye. However, having achieved a second promotion to the Premier League last season, with another memorable final day in our stadium, and after reflection over the last couple of weeks, I feel this is the right time for me to step aside. After giving so much to the role over the previous five seasons, I now look forward to taking a break from management and dedicating some time to my family, who have been with me every step of my career so far.”
SPURNED REF GETS BIG JOB
Somali referee Omar Artan, who was denied entry to the United States to officiate at the World Cup, has been appointed to take charge of the Uefa Super Cup final between Paris St-Germain and Aston Villa. The final between Champions League winners PSG and Europa Cup winners Aston Villa, will be in Salzburg on Aug. 12 UEFA said the decision had been taken after discussions with the Confederation of African Football (Caf).
KEANES ATTEND BECKHAM EVENT
Ireland’s top scorer Robbie Keane and his wife Claude both attended the unveiling of their friend David Beckham’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame last week. Keane and Beckham have been close friends since playing for LA Galaxy together. The team had failed to win a championship in Beckham's previous four seasons with the club, but won the Major League Soccer Cup in 2011 and 2012. Keane revealed it was Beckham who helped seal his £3.5m transfer to Major League Soccer from |Spurs. He described the success seen by the team during his five-and-a-half years at the club as a massive time for the club. Keane, who is LA Galaxy’s second-highest goal scorer of all time, previously said ‘‘I feel David Beckham and I helped to change MLS ,more David first, when he joined LA Galaxy in 2007, then me following him. We played together in two MLS Cup finals: we beat Houston Dynamo 1-0 in 2011, and I scored a penalty when we beat them again in 2012. Two years later, I scored the extra-time winner when we defeated New England Revolution. After our spells in California, the calibre of footballers that played in the league is something I am extremely proud of.’’
