Duffy Out Of Intensive Care

Duffy improving after life-threatening freak injury.

Shane Duffy has been moved out of intensive care after his life-threatening injury.

The young Everton player had emergency surgery in Dublin on Friday night after rupturing an artery close to his liver in an innocuous-looking collision while playing a practice game for the Republic of Ireland.

Dr Alan Byrne, Ireland's team doctor, said on Sunday that Duffy had 3.6 litres of blood in his abdomen at one point during the life-saving procedure.

But he has improved since then and has spoken to his family and medical staff from both Everton and the Republic of Ireland.

And Blues manager David Moyes and chairman Bill Kenwright have been closely monitoring the situation.

"Everton have been magnificent," said Dr Byrne. "Bill Kenwright rang me a couple of times and the manager rang Shane's dad. The team doctor and physio came over yesterday and we met them in the hospital."

Dr Byrne said that Duffy, 18, could be discharged later this week but insisted it was too soon to suggest a timescale for a return to action.

"'I don't know' is the honest answer," he said. "It is agreed that we will take our time and a lot has changed over the last 36 hours. Shane was very frightened - he thought he was going to die.

"We will take our lead from Prof Gerry McEntee (the surgeon who carried out the operation) and he will be liaising with Everton."

Ireland assistant manager Marco Tardelli said that he hoped the squad would be able to visit Shane this week and explained that he believed the defender's young age would be a benefit in his rehabilitation.