Alan Shearer says he never saw former Magpie recently compared to Jose Mourinho becoming a manager

Many professional footballers turn their hand to management while others go into punditry or simply leave the game behind. A lot is likely based on personality as to where they end up when they hang up their boots.

One former player who has just pulled off the impossible from the dugout as a manager is ex-Newcastle United winger Damien Duff.

Duff took Irish Premiership long-shots Shelbourne to the title after starting the season as 25/1 outsiders.

His heroics have seen him now compared to Jose Mourinho and Marco Bielsa.

Damien Duff was never seen as management material by Alan Shearer

Let's ignore for one second that Damien Duff looks absolutely nothing like Damien Duff somehow, and focus on what Alan Shearer told Betfair (via Newcastle World) about Duff.

"I managed Damien during my time at Newcastle, and I know how hard he tried for me and the club, but I will be honest I didn't see a coach or manager in there!

“I saw a great lad with a great work ethic, but I wouldn’t have expected to see him on the sidelines.”

Damien Duff leaving Newcastle after getting them relegated never sat right with fans

It's a strange turn of events as everyone would have expected Shearer to stay in management but eight games working for Mike Ashley ruined him for life.

Newcastle United fans likely have mixed feelings about Duff doing well. The 100 times capped Republic of Ireland international deflected an Aston Villa shot into his own net which effectively relegated Newcastle from the Premier League.

Following that, Duff vowed to remain at Newcastle in a bid to get them back into the Premier League. That lasted exactly one game with Duff scoring in the 1-1 draw with West Brom in the opening game of the season before moving back to the Premier League with Fulham.