Source: Daily_Mail
Home is where the heart is as Duff plans to finish his career back in Ireland
Newcastle winger Damien Duff wants to finish his career in the League of Ireland.
The Republic of Ireland international, ruled out of his country's critical World Cup qualifier in Italy this week with a hamstring strain, is contemplating life after Newcastle and the Barclays Premier League.
Duff, who is still hoping to be fit to face former club Chelsea this Saturday, has two-and-a-half years on his contract at St James' Park, although that could change if the club are relegated.
He has been dogged by injuries since his move to Tyneside three years ago, and the hamstring pull suffered in training last week is just latest setback for a player who almost had to quit the game last year with an ankle problem.
But he remains convinced he has a long future in the game and like former Ireland internationals Curtis Fleming, Jeff Kenna and Gareth Farrelly, he wants to play in the League of Ireland before he hangs up his boots.
Duff said: 'I will play until I drop. I can see myself shuffling round the eircom league in 10 years time. I love football and I just want to play, but I would love to finish up in the league at home.
'Bray would be the closest for me but Shamrock Rovers are there down the road in Tallaght. I don't know if they'd have me as I'll be an old man by then but I would like to play back home.
'I think you should want to play in your home country. People like Henrik Larsson do it, Irish players haven't always done that but I would like to.
'I am a homebird - the minute I finish in England I am off home to Ireland, and that's where I want to live. If my last game in England is on a Saturday, I will be on the plane home to Ireland on the Sunday.
'I don't know what I will do when I finish up. I have started to think about life after football a bit more since I turned 30 and it worries me a little bit.'
