Damien Duff pulled off a near word-for-word critique of his Shelbourne players, in the wake of Monday’s defeat to Waterford, to one made five years ago by his former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho.
Duff was addressing his decision to substitute Ellis Chapman and JJ Lunney after just 33 minutes, with Shels trailing to Padraig Amond’s third minute header.
It was a move that Mourinho made at several clubs, including Tottenham, where he hauled off Eric Dier in the first-half, and Chelsea, where he brought Duff and Didier Drogba on after just 26 minutes of a 2006 clash with Fulham.
Joe Cole and Shaun Wright-Phillips were the unfortunate pair to make way that day - and Chelsea ended up losing 1-0, similar to the outcome of Shels’ game on Monday evening.
Duff responded to a question about the early change by saying: “We were on top but I still didn't like the energy and intent of the team.
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“As I said to the guys at half-time, someone had to go, I'd have done the whole lot of them if I could.”
Five years ago, Mourinho was asked about a quadruple change he made at half-time during Tottenham’s Europa League defeat to Royal Antwerp - and he too suggested that even more wholesale changes were required.
“I would have liked to make 11 (substitutions),” he said at the time. “I didn't make five because I was afraid of a long 45 minutes without any changes to make.”
Duff was bitterly disappointed in Monday’s result, which came just days after a defeat to Derry City. His reigning champions have now gone five games without a league win.
It wasn’t for the lack of trying, though, with Waterford goalkeeper Stephen McMullan pulling off several good saves, and Reds striker Mipo Odubeko hitting the bar with an injury-time header.
“I think it's there for everyone to see,” said Duff. “The story of our season, near on every game is a mirror image of the next one, dominating, giving away poor goals, lots of chances and crosses but losing the game or taking a point.
“Is there an edge, a nerviness around the guys, I don't know, there's a nerviness in defence, with the goals we are giving away.
“We had chances in the first half and second half to get back and win the game, they have done a job on us, tried to frustrate us for the whole game, slow it down, as I have said many times it's something the guys will have to get used to.”
Duff had a message for Chapman and Lunney after their early withdrawals.
He said: “The two lads who went off can't take it personal and on reflection now we still lost the game but I'd still make the same changes again.”
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