Shane Duffy

After previously deciding not to send 18 year old Irish defender Shane Duffy out on loan, Everton manager David Moyes has indicated a change of heart, in order for the youngster to get more first team experience and develop as a player.

Two weeks ago, Moyes had turned down a loan move from nPower League Two side Northampton Town for the player, but is hoping a team from a higher division will come in for the player. “I’d like to put Shane out on loan,” Moyes told the Liverpool Echo. Duffy made his return to the Everton squad two weeks ago following his freak injury during training with the Republic of Ireland senior side in May. “We’ve been keeping an eye on him at first  and keeping him indoors. He’s very good in the air though, and could have come on against Crouch. If we find the right club he could go on loan.”

Duffy is a former Northern Ireland youth international, playing 3 games for the under-21s and one match with the Northern Ireland B squad. However, when he converted to the Republic of Ireland in February, he faced strong criticism from the IFA and the Northern Irish manager Nigel Worthington. “Shane has represented Northern Ireland at every age group right up until seniors,” said Worthington. “He went to Italy with the squad last year and was the only one to miss out on a cap. Sadly we received a letter from Everton on behalf of Shane Duffy stating that he no longer wants to represent Northern Ireland; he wants to represent the Republic.

“From my point of view it is disappointing because Shane is going to be a very, very, very good player and he is going to be a big loss to us. As I put him in the squad word came back that he doesn’t want to represent Northern Ireland. He has clearly stated that he has made his decision with his family that he wants to represent the Republic of Ireland.”

Duffy’s conversion came in part because of the intervention of former Ireland assistant manager Liam Brady. “Liam Brady phoned me a few weeks ago and spoke to me about my international future,” Duffy said in February after his switch, “We had a chat. I thought about it and spoke to a few people before making my decision. It’s crazy to think that someone like Liam Brady would phone me to speak to me and obviously it means a lot to me. I can’t wait to get involved now because it is a dream to play for the Republic of Ireland.”

“Everyone in my family is Irish and so am I. We are just living in Northern Ireland. I have always wanted to play for the Republic. I grew up supporting Ireland and so did everybody around me.”

If not for his injury in May, Duffy may have already represented the Irish senior team, but just last month he played for the Republic of Ireland under-19s in their Euro 2011 Qualifying Campaign.