Season › 2013-14 › News Duffy hoping to shine this summer Lyndon Lloyd , 28 May, 0comments | Jump to most recent Shane Duffy is preparing for what is likely to be a crucial summer for him in terms of his Everton career with manager Roberto Martinez telling him the club's pre-season programme will be his chance to shine. Having spent a gruelling but productive season on loan at Yeovil Town in the Championship, the 22 year-old defender feels as though he has reached a point on his journey back from a near-fatal accident where he can stake a claim for regular involvement in Everton's first team. Duffy lacerated his liver in a collision with another player in a friendly for Ireland U21s and came within minutes of losing his life but while he has since played for the Blues at senior level, his appearances were sporadic, preventing him from really establishing himself at Goodison. With a full season at Yeovil under his belt and inclusion in the full Irish squad, he is ready to prove himself to the Everton boss. "[The spell at Yeovil] was tough, but a great experience," Duffy says. "You're doing twice, treble the amount of work you should be doing as a centre half and as a young player, you kind of buzz off it. I enjoyed it. "I had a few bad games here and there. But I know my level and I think I was comfortable at that level in a bad team so hopefully I can step it up." "Roberto told me that pre-season was my chance to shine and he's said to me that if I am where he thinks I am – from what he's seen of me this season – then I'm going to be involved. And if I'm not, we'll see at the end of pre-season what we're going to do. It's a big summer for me, it's up to me." Though Duffy hasn't played under the Spaniard, he knows enough from his fellow Irish internationals Seamus Coleman, Aiden McGeady and James McCarthy to be impressed with the way Martinez has gone about things in his first season at Everton. "It's just the amount of planning, every stat, every little thing," Duffy continues. "I can see him going higher, but hopefully he stays at Everton." Quotes sourced from Independent.ie About these ads © ToffeeWeb