Duff could miss World Cup play-offs
Friday, 26 October 2001 16:26Damien Duff could miss the Republic of Ireland's World Cup play-off after suffering a recurrence of his hamstring injury. Duff had been pencilled in by Blackburn to make his comeback against Leicester at Ewood Park on Monday. However the left winger has suffered a setback in training and his return has been put back a week.
As Mick McCarthy travels from Tehran to Abu Dhabi for the second leg of the Asian World Cup playoff between Iran and UAE, he will be worried by the news that Roy Keane, Niall Quinn and Kevin Kilbane are also carrying knocks.
According to Rovers' timetable, Duff should still be available for the Republic's two games against either Iran or the United Arab Emirates next month. However assistant manager Tony Parkes claimed Duff would not be travelling with the Irish if he is not fit to face Southampton next Saturday.
"He's not ready for the Leicester game," said Parkes. "He's still got a slight hamstring problem and we don't want to take any chances with him. We're now looking towards next weekend and he's not too far away to be honest. He has the international games with Ireland, but if he's not fit for next weekend then obviously he will not be playing in the Ireland games."
The Republic face the winners of Iran's play-off with the UAE in the first leg at Lansdowne Road on November 10, with the return five days later, and Duff is optimistic that he will be fit. The 22-year-old claims the setback should only delay his return by a few days.
"I pulled up in training with a twinge and when I had a scan done yesterday it showed a bit of fluid on the injury," Duff said. "That has put me back a few days and I just hope it is not too long. I'm desperate to play in the play-offs as they are the biggest games for the country in years. It's a couple of weeks until the first leg play-off so I hope I will be ready."
Filed by Sinéad Kissane
