Football: DUFFERS WILL TAKE MICHAEL.(Sport)

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Byline: HUGH O'REILLY

BRIAN KERR is hoping that history repeats itself for two of the central personalities in the World Cup plans of Ireland and England.

Damien Duff set off for Japan on Friday with high hopes of turning on the style for Mick McCarthy's team in their first phase games against Cameroon, Germany and Saudi Arabia.

The same kind of aspirations will motivate Michael Owen when he stars in the cockpit for Sven Goran Eriksson in England's meetings with Sweden, Argentina and Nigeria.

Five years ago Duff and Owen went to Malaysia with similar ambitions for the World Under-20 Championships. And on that occasion it was the Dubliner …