Albion defender Shane Duffy grateful for second chance

The Irish defender spent last season on loan at Scottish giants Celtic, but the move did not work out as the Bhoys lost the title to rivals Rangers, and Duffy only managed 18 appearances in the Scottish Premiership.

Many had originally thought once the 29-year-old returned to the Amex Stadium he would be sold in the summer, but instead, Potter gave him another chance to prove himself, and he has been in top form alongside Lewis Dunk in the Albion backline.

Duffy said: "I'm really grateful for it. A lot of managers, if it doesn't work out and especially the year I had performance-wise, I could have been with the 18s, 23s and then been finding a new club.

Shane Duffy spent last season on loan at Celtic. Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group

"But from the first day I came back, he has seen a different side of me. He's seen that I've tried to make a difference in my life.

"I got a bit of luck as well in pre-season with a couple of injuries and Covid-19 cases. Sometimes you need that in football.

"But the club is really lucky to have this kind of manager who cares a lot about the players, not just football-wise but about personal life, and that goes a long way in life."

Duffy believes that his second chance has also been a bit lucky because of the £50 million sale of Ben White to Arsenal, some players picking up and injuries and others being forced to isolate as Covid-19 cases.

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The defender has also praised Graham Potter's impact on the players and the work he puts in analysing the opposition teams.

Duffy said: "He works really hard behind the scenes of who we're playing and the strengths the opposition have. That's why he's really good, that's why he is a top manager. He understands the game really well.

"He wouldn't stick someone in an uncomfortable position where he asks somebody to do something that's not their strength. But he believes in you.

"It doesn't really matter what you have to do, he knows you've got players around you, (even with) one-v-ones from the halfway line with Aubameyang he trusts you.

Shane Duffy has been a mainstay in the Albion team this season. Credit Simon Dack

"If you have that belief from your manager, why can't you believe it? That's the mentality of the whole squad."

Potter has been admired by other Premier League clubs, such as Tottenham Hotspur, but Duffy thinks that the manager is not going anywhere and that he is "really happy" with the Albion and that the players are "lucky" to have him.

Albion have started this season very well and currently sit 6th in the Premier League table after a goalless draw with Arsenal last time out, despite being the better side for much of the game.

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Duffy said: "We knew it was a tough game, seeing some of the players they had out there, they had some really special players.

"We knew we had to be on our game, I thought we were the better team over the 90 minutes. We limited their chances.

"We take the momentum from winning games, picking up points is massive in football. If you get someone on the right day we can beat them. We've just got to keep doing that."