Mark motherfucking Duffy

[Bladesthorpe]

Bet he'd be really pleased to hear about his mother being described like that.

 

[Pinchy]

A pure delight to watch,twists and turns out of trouble,always finds space,Golden vision,to borrow the term from another Merseyside hero

Alex Young. He’s never played on Junior Computer Manager or in the Premier League so didn’t in fact exist...

 

[Pinchy]

Fast running out of superlatives to describe his performances week after week. Especially difficult when trying to describe to pig fans and Barnsley fans at work. You sort of get that vacant look from them as if to say I've not really heard of him do he can't be that good

Oh, I think the Pigfans have heard of him...

 

[SHOREHAMST.com]

Player of the season so far for me.

He was mine last year.

 

[Keen Blade]

Football and coaching in this country makes you want to weap.

Football and coaching and spelling.

 

[pommpey]

" you don't need eyes to see, you need vision"

Yup. As my 67 year old football coaching instructor told us know-it-alls, "on and off the ball, you need the vision of a rabbit". As he dribbled, he'd never look down (because he knew where the ball was, and it was no more than a foot away from him at any time) and he'd chant "vision of a rabbit" over and over again, until we had it in our heads. Always looking round and if you didn't have the ball, you had to be looking round for space to occupy to receive. In group games he'd blow the whistle to stop and point at people, "What are YOU doing? Eh? Who are you calling to? Who are you looking at?" It stopped us from loafing and giving the ball to someone else to worry about and getting the fags out. "You're ALL fucking involved ... you, you (goalkeeper), and you, you lazy CUNT!"

He also showed us how to get a ball up and over a wall and into an area where the keeper won't ever get it, and was one of those players who could just wait for you to plant your foot wrong, distribute your balance incorrectly, drop his shoulder and leave you standing as he went past you, or close you down so you had zero options but to try to take him on. His other mantra was about seeing the game "ten passes on" like strategising a chess manoeuvre. I have never seen anything like it. The man was a fucking genius.

pommpey

 

[bornablade]

Yup. As my 67 year old football coaching instructor told us know-it-alls, "on and off the ball, you need the vision of a rabbit". As he dribbled, he'd never look down (because he knew where the ball was, and it was no more than a foot away from him at any time) and he'd chant "vision of a rabbit" over and over again, until we had it in our heads. Always looking round and if you didn't have the ball, you had to be looking round for space to occupy to receive. In group games he'd blow the whistle to stop and point at people, "What are YOU doing? Eh? Who are you calling to? Who are you looking at?" It stopped us from loafing and giving the ball to someone else to worry about and getting the fags out. "You're ALL fucking involved ... you, you (goalkeeper), and you, you lazy CUNT!"

He also showed us how to get a ball up and over a wall and into an area where the keeper won't ever get it, and was one of those players who could just wait for you to plant your foot wrong, distribute your balance incorrectly, drop his shoulder and leave you standing as he went past you, or close you down so you had zero options but to try to take him on. His other mantra was about seeing the game "ten passes on" like strategising a chess manoeuvre. I have never seen anything like it. The man was a fucking genius.

pommpey

The most important man is the one without the ball. Creating angles to receive it.

'Seeing the game ten passes on' - this was the strength of players such as Joe Shaw and Bobby Moore. The former was seen as a small centre half and the latter was accused of having no pace. And yet their vision made up for those deficiencies.

 

[allblades]

Oh, I think the Pigfans have heard of him...

They certainly have. I meant in a refuse to accept what happened in September kind of never heard of him., like only the pig fans can

 

[Pinchy]

Yup. As my 67 year old football coaching instructor told us know-it-alls, "on and off the ball, you need the vision of a rabbit". As he dribbled, he'd never look down (because he knew where the ball was, and it was no more than a foot away from him at any time) and he'd chant "vision of a rabbit" over and over again, until we had it in our heads. Always looking round and if you didn't have the ball, you had to be looking round for space to occupy to receive. In group games he'd blow the whistle to stop and point at people, "What are YOU doing? Eh? Who are you calling to? Who are you looking at?" It stopped us from loafing and giving the ball to someone else to worry about and getting the fags out. "You're ALL fucking involved ... you, you (goalkeeper), and you, you lazy CUNT!"

He also showed us how to get a ball up and over a wall and into an area where the keeper won't ever get it, and was one of those players who could just wait for you to plant your foot wrong, distribute your balance incorrectly, drop his shoulder and leave you standing as he went past you, or close you down so you had zero options but to try to take him on. His other mantra was about seeing the game "ten passes on" like strategising a chess manoeuvre. I have never seen anything like it. The man was a fucking genius.

pommpey

What on Earth was he on about? This is S2. We adhere to the three pass rule and POMO. Nonayerfancysouthernpassintballere.

 

[pommpey]

The most important man is the one without the ball. Creating angles to receive it.

'Seeing the game ten passes on' - this was the strength of players such as Joe Shaw and Bobby Moore. The former was seen as a small centre half and the latter was accused of having no pace. And yet their vision made up for those deficiencies.

Although he wouldn't divulge much about his past no matter how much we pressed him, he only told us 'he'd worked with some of the more famous footballers' in the past. Whether that was that he'd played at a high level or coached, we didn't understand and he wouldn't say. Needless to say, you always know when you are playing against someone who 'has it', and he had it. Just playing against him and trying to get to understand his next touch to flick the ball out of your possession or block what you thought was an exit to a receiving player and then as you try to find option two, he's on you closing down your angles again.

It was a Royal Navy sponsored FA Level 2 course (to coach kids ostensibly) and was excellent stuff, but he took it to UEFA B in places just for us as grown ups. He did two topics - 'short range passing' and 'making the game predictable' which were fucking eye opening in a manner that I learned so much from them. The second one was good in that it taught you that from a defensive point of view, you can shift the opposition into situations that they are forced to do the same thing over and over, and in that you can counter, close down, make them panic, lose control and win the ball back. I see it many times in operation these days.

But this bloke was sixty fucking seven! When he first came across the pitch to greet us with his bag of balls and cones and Gola trainers on and ankle socks we were all like "what the fuck is THIS?"

pommpey

 

[boo radley]

SUFC knew about his previous employment and asked him to build a platform and what a beautiful platform he is building. De Duffy is just the best best player we have had in years that is prepared to run at defences and scare the shit out of them. In doing this the gaps open and those perfect passes come. If this league was the Premiership he'd be on every football show going and if Fleck and Coutts deserve international call ups then on current form so does this genius.

 

[Stretch]

Have you noticed when, rarely I know but when he missplaces a pass there is a loud audible sigh of disbelief around the ground, not just in disappointment more, that cannot have happened I cannot believe it

Also on the rare occasion that he loses the ball, the way in which he runs his little legs off to get it back.

 

[Ricky]

Duffy will be a superb coach in the future.

 

[Boxer Blade]

Duffy will be a superb coach in the future.

Hopefully at Bramall Lane

 

[Sheffsteel]

Reminds me of Stuart McCall, Michael Brown got all the praise but it was McCall who invariably fed him.

" you don't need eyes to see, you need vision"

Duffy has the brain and intelligence of McCall but Duffy is is much much better dribbler.
That’s the difference between him and Coutts/ Fleck, Duffy is not just a great passer but can also run with the ball and dribbler past his man with ease. It provides an extra dimension to our midfield.

 

[Stretch]

An absolute master of the 'give and go' as well. The number of defenders who have been left rooted to the spot since August 16 as this lad [and another] plays a 1-2 past them is ridiculous.

 

[BushBlade]

Although he wouldn't divulge much about his past no matter how much we pressed him, he only told us 'he'd worked with some of the more famous footballers' in the past. Whether that was that he'd played at a high level or coached, we didn't understand and he wouldn't say. Needless to say, you always know when you are playing against someone who 'has it', and he had it. Just playing against him and trying to get to understand his next touch to flick the ball out of your possession or block what you thought was an exit to a receiving player and then as you try to find option two, he's on you closing down your angles again.

It was a Royal Navy sponsored FA Level 2 course (to coach kids ostensibly) and was excellent stuff, but he took it to UEFA B in places just for us as grown ups. He did two topics - 'short range passing' and 'making the game predictable' which were fucking eye opening in a manner that I learned so much from them. The second one was good in that it taught you that from a defensive point of view, you can shift the opposition into situations that they are forced to do the same thing over and over, and in that you can counter, close down, make them panic, lose control and win the ball back. I see it many times in operation these days.

But this bloke was sixty fucking seven! When he first came across the pitch to greet us with his bag of balls and cones and Gola trainers on and ankle socks we were all like "what the fuck is THIS?"

pommpey

he second one was good in that it taught you that from a defensive point of view, you can shift the opposition into situations that they are forced to do the same thing over and over, and in that you can counter, close down, make them panic, lose control and win the ball back. I see it many times in operation these days.

Yes, the players/pundits often refer to it as 'setting traps for the opposition' these days.

 

[pommpey]

An absolute master of the 'give and go' as well. The number of defenders who have been left rooted to the spot since August 16 as this lad [and another] plays a 1-2 past them is ridiculous.

Its a joy to watch. When, in the last ten years, have we had a midfield who can unlock defences in such a way like Duffy/Coutts/Fleck.

I particularly like Wilder's allowances letting Centre Backs drive through and overlap. Didn't LCs first come from CCV down in the crossing zone? Basham and JO'C do the same. It unsettles opposition defences to fuck. Suddenly they are being outflanked by a Central Defender, or that defender is carrying the ball into their half, laying off and going into space.

pommpey

 

[Stretch]

Its a joy to watch. When, in the last ten years, have we had a midfield who can unlock defences in such a way like Duffy/Coutts/Fleck.

I particularly like Wilder's allowances letting Centre Backs drive through and overlap. Didn't LCs first come from CCV down in the crossing zone? Basham and JO'C do the same. It unsettles opposition defences to fuck. Suddenly they are being outflanked by a Central Defender, or that defender is carrying the ball into their half, laying off and going into space.

pommpey

I've certainly never seen anything like it from a United team. Long may it continue.

 

[Grecian2000]

he'd chant "vision of a rabbit" over and over again, until we had it in our heads.

Did anyone think to ask him why, if they are so fucking smart vision wise, you see so many of the poor sods plastered all over the roads in summer?

 

[pommpey]

Did anyone think to ask him why, if they are so fucking smart vision wise, you see so many of the poor sods plastered all over the roads in summer?

Because they don't play as a team.

VROOM! SPLAT!

"Fucking glad it's him and not me, tha nose!"

*hop-hoppity-hop*

pommpey

 

[Teddy]

Apologies if it’s already been said, but what an absolutely perfect role model Duffy is for the young man Brooks.

Brooks can look at Duffy and say “I want to be exactly that! But I can be that by 22, instead of 32 and make it to the very top of the game”.

And I hope he does.

 

[BushBlade]

Did anyone think to ask him why, if they are so fucking smart vision wise, you see so many of the poor sods plastered all over the roads in summer?

They can see cars coming but they're thinking is too slow for them to do anything about it. By the time they realise they're in danger it's too late. Like the bouncing pigs, they could see Duffy, then bang. Or Ja Ckunt facing a Brooks.

 

[Harrisblade]

Its a joy to watch. When, in the last ten years, have we had a midfield who can unlock defences in such a way like Duffy/Coutts/Fleck.

I particularly like Wilder's allowances letting Centre Backs drive through and overlap. Didn't LCs first come from CCV down in the crossing zone? Basham and JO'C do the same. It unsettles opposition defences to fuck. Suddenly they are being outflanked by a Central Defender, or that defender is carrying the ball into their half, laying off and going into space.

pommpey

But surely the opposition £10M rated star forward simply tracks him back, every step of the way!

 

[BushBlade]

But surely the opposition £10M rated star forward simply tracks him back, every step of the way!

So that when they clear their lines it comes straight back at them?

 

[Jan Age]

Does he really sleep with peoples mums?

 

[BushBlade]

Does he really sleep with peoples mums?

His wife recently gave birth so technically yes.

 

[Sean Thornton]

His wife recently gave birth so technically yes.

A Doctor writes....

 

[GodricBlade]

The ginger David Silva for me.

Mr Denver - I admire your musical talent (before you crashed your plane to death) and thank you for giving us our anthem. I have a slightly different perspective on this.
I see Silva as the Spanish Mark Duffy - only not quite as good ‘cos he doesn’t tackle back as well.

I don’t tire of watching Duffy. In fact, I sometimes miss other things as I’m watching him and the stuff he does off the ball.
It’s a pleasure having him at BDTBL. Long may it continue in whatever capacity. As others have said, others could learn a great deal from him as a coach.
Up The Duff!