Shane Duffy interview ahead of Norwich City's play-off quest

A calf injury has kept the Irishman sidelined for eight Championship matches, but he hopes to be back for their Good Friday clash against Plymouth Argyle after the current international break. 

Duffy has been a mainstay in City's defensive line, making 28 Championship appearances since joining the club on a free transfer from Premier League side Fulham last summer. 

His move to Norwich was designed to end the 18 months of frustration and irregular game time. That box has been well and truly ticked, but the experienced 32-year-old has candidly reflected on his time at Carrow Road so far and is on the quest for further improvement. 

"It's been really up and down. I'm quite honest with myself. I know that I started okay in the first five games, and I was starting to find a little bit of form, but I hit a bit of a dip in my confidence, and every mistake that I was making was getting punished.

"That obviously does affect you whether you're an experienced player or not, but I just kept trying to go on," Duffy told the Pink Un. 

"I turned it around the turn of the new year in terms of performances and I felt like I was putting a few performances together. Then, the injury came at a really bad time because I felt strong and fit. That is football.

"I would say I've been a little inconsistent. I had really good periods and some not-so-good periods - but I'm proud of myself for coming through that, and I've had the chance with the manager as well; I'm proud that I've bounced back through a tricky period of not playing for a year and a half." 

Duffy has been City's first-choice right-sided defensive option owing to injuries to captain Grant Hanley and Jacob Sorensen. 

Whilst Hanley remains on the road to recovery, Sorensen has picked up the mantle of late and has impressed alongside the reliable Ben Gibson. 

That increased level of competition is something that Duffy is relishing, hoping it can help him to discover a higher gear in his game. 

Shane Duffy is prepared to overcome competition to win his Norwich City place back. (Image: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd)

"It's great," the ex-Brighton defender said. "When I was going through my sticky period, we probably didn't have it because Lungi (Jacob Sorensen) was injured, Grant (Hanley) was injured, and Danny (Batth) had just signed but wasn't up to match speed.

"I probably needed the competition to make me really concentrate, not that I wasn't, but everyone knows that competition pushes and drives you to be better.

"I knew Grant was coming back at the time that I got injured so I have to stay on my level to keep my spot. It's interesting. I'm delighted for Lungi, he's had a really tough season but his last few performances have been phenomenal.

"We will all push each other. I'm in a position now where I don't really care who plays as long as we win and finish in the playoffs; that is the truth."

Duffy's absence came at a frustrating time for City and for him personally. Despite efforts to get him back for their 5-0 drubbing over Rotherham, both parties have been forced to remain patient. 

Over the international break, while many in the first team group are away, Duffy is stepping up preparations for his return and has offered a positive update on his progress. 

"It's really good at the minute. I'm in all week just to prep for training next week. Hopefully, I can come through that well and be an option for Good Friday," he said.

"At the start, it was frustrating because I was planning on coming back a bit earlier, but I had a bit of a setback. I was trying to get back for the Rotherham game, but I felt the calf a little bit again, so I just delayed it until after the break.

"(It's been) frustrating personally, but what I've been watching has been brilliant. It's a really exciting time to be coming back into the group and just to be involved again. Let's see if I can work my way back in."

What awaits the defender is a mouthwatering run of games, including a tricky double-header against Leicester and Ipswich before the final five matches of the campaign. 

It is a block of eight games that will determine whether Norwich get themselves into the top six to set up a promotion shoot-out, and Duffy is relishing the high-pressure nature of the matches that lay on the horizon. 

Shane Duffy is in high spirits as the Championship season reaches its crunchtime. (Image: Jordan Blyth/Reverb Digital)

"It's quite obvious that it's the most important bit of the season. Every game is a cup final. That is what you have to look at it as.

"There are eight games left, and each one is just so important, whether that's the Leicester or the Ipswich game but even the Bristol City, Swansea and Plymouth games. I'm really excited to be getting back."

The international break may have punctured Norwich's impressive form, but Duffy thinks it will focus minds and allows the squad to separate the final eight matches from the rest of the campaign. 

"It's come at a really good time for me personally because it's allowed me to get another week to ten days training fitness, then I can come back feeling sharp to give everything for the eight blocks.

"As soon as everyone is back from internationals, the manager will sit us down and have a little discussion because this is it now," Duffy said. "It's a mini league to finish in the play-offs and get over the line.

"The confidence is really good around the place; you can see that with the way the lads are playing. We have some tough games coming up, so we're going to need everyone."