Celtic’s fifth signing of the transfer window went from despair to delight in Ireland’s 1-1 Nations League draw with Bulgaria in Sofia last night.
With regular captain Seamus Coleman missing from new Irish bosh Stephen Kenny’s first starting eleven – after taking over from former Celt Mick McCarthy – the honour fell to Celtic’s Shane Duffy, capping an incredible week as the Derry man added the honour of the captaincy to the immense pride of signing for his boyhood club in time to make the push for a record breaking 10-in-a-row Scottish league championships.
Kenny has declared his intention to change Ireland from a defensive counter attacking team to an expansive possession-based side and started the game with a 4-3-3 formation that also included reported Celtic target – it wouldn’t be a transfer window without that rumour –James McCarthy in the middle of the midfield three.
Duffy himself looked a little rusty to say the least as Kenny’s new expansive instructions led the new Bhoy to taking a very heavy touch when trying to bring the ball out from the back, indeed his second touch was a tackle in the end that the referee punished with a free kick.
The first half settled down to a pattern of Ireland trying to play out from the back and matching up to a side who, although seeming far better versed in the approach, lacked any sort of real cutting edge to add an end product to their pretty passing triangles in the middle of the park.
Duffy himself had a first half opportunity heading into the ground from a corner kick that the goalkeeper was able to gather under the bar, and it was his intent to get involved in the opposition box that was to show itself again late in the game.
After a rather dull first half the Irish defence and Duffy went in at the break with a clean sheet to protect but within ten minutes of the restart found themselves a goal behind and both Duffy and his central defensive partner Egan looked culpable. An angled pass from Nedlev saw Kraev run on and score past Randolph through a gap a London bus could have manoeuvred its way through.
It should be remembered that this was a much changed Ireland side and that many of the players hadn’t played together or in this style of football as Kenny tries to develop the side from McCarthy’s more industrial approach to football, but Ireland’s back four all struggled with the Bulgarian passing and looked laboured trying to build from the back, it certainly wasn’t exclusive to Duffy.
One thing that was evident from the moment the camera panned to Duffy’s intensely focused stare during the national anthems is that Celtic are getting a driven professional.
This was exemplified in two further moments. Duffy made up for his switching off at the Bulgarian goal by meeting an injury time corner from Robbie Brady to power a header past Georgiev in the Bulgarian goal and claim a share of the spoils for the Republic.
His immediate reaction of shouting to the ref for confirmation of how long was left – three minutes he was advised – showed this is a player that won’t settle for an injury time equaliser. He immediately drove his teammates on to press for a winner.
On this occasion the second goal didn’t come but it showed an attitude in keeping with Celtic traditions. The game is there to be won until the very last kick of the ball.
As captain for the night Shane Duffy was expected to lead yet you get the impression even without an armband at Celtic Duffy will bring leadership, organisation, drive and determination to the Celtic defence. He may have limitations with the ball at his feet but Celtic already have Ajer and Jullien for that. Duffy will bring exactly what we are missing from the Celtic defence, though on last night’s evidence he may need a little time to get up to match sharpness and that’s to be expected.
It’s been some week for Shane Duffy. Signing for his boyhood club before captaining and scoring a late equaliser for his Country. Duffy looks exactly what Celtic need. It will be good to see the back of this International break and to see him in the Hoops.
Niall J
