In years to come, a movie will be made about the greatest love affair in Irish history. We'll all go to it with our kids and grandkids and wax lyrical about a time when two young men came through thick and thin together and managed to take on the world. The kids may not listen to what we have to say but it doesn't matter, it will be glorious.
Yesterday, we had a bit of fun with a gallery of Robbie Keane and Damien Duff. Ostensibly it was a few pictures to have a quick chuckle at a partnership that we've all grown up and matured alongside. In reality it was so much more. It was a reminder of what Ireland have lost and what we're about to lose.
Duffer's departure from the Ireland scene was tough to take but we won't really feel it until Keane has departed as well. They came through the Brian Kerr school of Irish football together, they went to the World Cup together and now that it's time for Duff to call it a day, Robbie couldn't let it pass without sending us into a spiral of emotion.
It was understated. He didn't use the word 'love' but we all know what he was trying to say. As that jazz lady in the Simpsons once told Lisa, 'you have to listen to the words he's not saying'.
He even used the picture that we can only assume will be used as selling point for that future movie we were talking about. We can't take it. This is a happy time of year Robbie, we don't need to be crying through our Christmas dinner.
Excuse us while we weep uncontrollably in the corner.
