News about Damien Duff

The Premier League is considered the greatest division in the world and for good reason, but one the most impressive things about the English top-tier is the level of diversity.  Some 126 nations from around the world have been represented at one point during the 31 years that the league has been running, showcasing some of the best talent the game has to offer.  This season alone, there are 63 nations represented in the Premier League aside from England, with France leading the way with 31 players while the likes of Estonia and Gabon have just one representative in 2023-24. 

In 2021, the former Chelsea star, who was appointed as the head of Ireland's top-flight team, won the first Shels victory in the competition in four attempts. With only ten minutes remaining at Tolka Park, Duff's side had fallen behind to Joe Redmond's goal in the 20th minute and was staring at their fourth straight defeat to their opponents. However, Euclides Cabral and Paddy Barrett, the latter's arrival in added time, brought the home help - and boss - into raptures.

Chelsea has had a very busy January, with six players having already signed over a week of the window still open. At an average age of just over 20, the Blues are taking a different approach to previous years and planning for the future rather than the present - and their spending this month has equated to more than half of all Premier League spending in January. The change comes after three years of not spending a single penny in the winter window.

Brentford is one of the Celtic clubs monitoring Bosun Lawful. Since being pushed to the brink of the Celtic first team this season, Ireland youth international Lawal is driving attention. For the first time since being included in Celtic's squads for their winter training camps in Australia and Portugal, the 19 year-old, who can play centre back or in central midfield, made the bench for the first time on Saturday's 1-0 victory over Aberdeen.