DAMIEN DUFF has revealed that some Chelsea stars would get “absolutely lamped” during the season.
The Irishman spent three years at Stamford Bridge between 2003 and 2006.
Duff, 44, won the Premier League twice and a League Cup with the Blues and played alongside some iconic players.
Chelsea’s success came despite the off-field behaviour that the retired midfielder has claimed.
The now manager of Shelbourne revealed that he and other players would be out “on the town” weekly.
He told the Open Goal Podcast: “Even when we were playing 60 or 70 games a season, we were out together on the town and p***ed.
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“We’d be out all the time. A few of the foreign boys would flip in and flip out.
“They’d go out, not drink and feel good the next day whereas the British, Irish and Icelandic lads would go out and get absolutely lamped.
“This was every week. It was the norm.”
He claimed that the group had a core of English players, including Wayne Bridge, John Terry and Frank Lampard.
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Duff also admitted that they would refer to themselves as “the bulldogs” and that Eidur Gudjohnsen would also get involved.
However, the Icelandic ace did not want to be called by the nickname.
Duff added: “The English lads, I never wanted to be part of them.
“They always called themselves ‘The Bulldogs’ – it would have been Bridgy, Lamps, JT, a couple of the English physios.
“Eidur [Gudjohnsen] was involved in it. Because of the Irish thing, [I thought] ‘I want to be part of your group but you’re not calling me a bulldog’.”
Duff has been the Shels’ manager since 2021 after his appointment by chairman Acun Ilıcalı, who is also in charge of Championship outfit Hull City.
The former midfielder has already endeared himself with the Shelbourne faithful after leading the team to the FAI Cup Final last year.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
