DAMIEN DUFF has returned to club football shortly after leaving the Scottish Champions at the expiry of his contract. Duff, who will act as an Assistant Manager to Republic of Ireland manager Stephen Kenny.
The Irish Independent are reporting that the 41-year-old will manage Shelbourne’s U17s as he looks to combine his role with the FAI and work with Dublin club.
Duff said the decision to leave Celtic was due down to personal reasons. Last month, Duff spoke about how gutted he is to be leaving his dream job at Celtic. The former-Chelsea midfielder left the club after 16 months as a first team coach to Neil Lennon.
Duff’s exit is a huge blow to the club as well as the coach himself, who is leaving due to family reasons and returning to Ireland. Duff praised his colleagues at the Scottish Champions and that he will be watching as the club look to win 10IAR.
“The role I had at Celtic was my dream job. I’m absolutely gutted, devastated to be leaving, especially at this time, when we’re going for 10.
“It was absolutely a family decision. There is no job in the world that would have taken me away from the role I was in. I’d love to be a brilliant coach one day, but I think it’s more important at the minute that I’m just a brilliant dad, I guess.
“For the first while I was away, my kids were like, ‘Daddy, Daddy, stay for nine and 10’, but as time went by, it was more, ‘Daddy, Daddy, when are you coming home?’ Celtic is one big family, but my family is here as well.
“It was the best year-and-a-half of my sporting life, and I include my football career in that. It was an absolute dream with amazing people. I’m gutted, but my kids need me, which is always the most important thing to any dad.”
Celtic have since replaced Duff with former Peterborough assistant manager, Gavin Strachan. As the son of Gordon, Strachan knows how important it is to win at Celtic.
