SHELBOURNE manager Damien Duff has stepped down from his role with the League of Ireland Premier Division side.
The former winger, who made 100 appearances for Ireland, led the club to the title last season for the first time in 18 years.
However, the 46-year-old departs after almost four years at the helm with the club sixth in the table after 22 games, 15 points adrift of leaders Shamrock Rovers.
The Reds are set to take on Linfield in the First Qualifying Round of the Champions League next month.
In a statement, Shels said that while they were 'deeply saddened by Damien's decision, we fully respect that he feels this is the right choice for him at this time'.
'Transformational'
Shelbourne said that Duff — whose last game in charge was Friday's 1-0 home defeat to Derry City — informed the club of his decision this morning before telling the players.
"During his four extraordinary years at Tolka Park, Damien transformed Shelbourne Football Club both on and off the pitch," read the club statement.
It added: "The club wishes Damien and his family every happiness and success in the future. His impact on Shelbourne FC was transformational.
"He will always be one of our own, and we are eternally grateful for the indelible mark he has left on our club."
Duff after scoring the final goal for Ireland in a 3-0 win against Saudi Arabia at the 2002 World Cup to help his side progress to the last 16 (Image: Laurence Griffiths / Getty Images)Neil Doyle, Shelbourne FC co-owner, speaking on behalf of the board, said: "There are no words that do justice to Damien's accomplishments at Shelbourne FC and what he has done for both the club and the League of Ireland.
"We look back with immense pride on his time here.
"As a club, we move forward with confidence, knowing that the foundations we have jointly built will underpin our continued success. Thank you, Damien, for everything."
Assistant manager Joey O'Brien and the coaching staff will take charge of tomorrow's trip to Waterford and will prepare the team for Friday's match at Galway United.
Career
Duff scored eight times during his Ireland career and played at both the 2002 World Cup and the 2012 European Championships.
At club level, he played in the Premier League for Blackburn, Chelsea (with whom he won two league titles), Newcastle and Fulham, before spells with Melbourne City and Shamrock Rovers.
He later joined the coaching staff at Tallaght Stadium before taking up a reserve team coaching role at Celtic, where he was eventually promoted to first team coach.
He served as Stephen Kenny's assistant with the national team for nine months until January 2021, before taking over newly-promoted Shelbourne in November that year.
In his debut season in 2022, he guided Shels to a seventh-place finish and a first FAI Cup Final appearance since 2011.
The following year, a fourth-place finish brought the Reds back to European competition for the first time in 18 years.
In 2024, Duff led the Reds to one of the greatest triumphs in the club's 130-year history, clinching the League of Ireland Premier Division title for the first time since 2006.
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