FOOTBALL: Tiote death keeps things in perspective says Shane Duffy

The 25-year-old Derry man, who had to undergo life-saving surgery in May 2010 after suffering a lacerated liver in a freak accident while training with Ireland in Dublin, said Tiote's death had cast a sad shadow over football.

"It was dreadful news," said the Galliagh man, "It's a tough time for football when you hear stuff like that, and you just look at life a little bit differently.

"It's sad. My prayers go to his family and the people close to him. It's just not nice."

Tiote, 30, collapsed while training with Chinese club Beijing Enterprises and died on Monday, causing shock around the football world.

"It puts football aside. There's a lot more than football when you think about it like that. The football world is shocked. There have been a couple recently, which is not nice for the game. It's nice to see the whole football world behind it and the support he's got.

"But as I said, it's not nice and my prayers are with his family."