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Shane Duffy admits he holds his Everton FC fate in his own hands after being told to prove he is good enough for a Goodison future this summer.

The Republic of Ireland defender is valued by Roberto Martinez but has been informed that the club’s forthcoming pre-season will be make or break for him.

Duffy, 22, who spent last term on loan at Yeovil Town, sat down with Martinez before joining the Ireland team on international duty, and was told where he stands.

He said: “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.”

Duffy impressed during his season in the Championship, even if his efforts were not enough to help keep Yeovil in the division, and he kept in regular contact with his Toffees’ team-mates as he charted their progress.

And although he is yet to make a senior appearance under Martinez, he was quick to praise the man who led the Blues to fifth place in the Premier League last season.

“It’s just the amount of planning, every stat, every little thing,” he added. “I can see him going higher, but hopefully he stays at Everton.”

Duffy’s Irish team-mates Aiden McGeady and Seamus Coleman are also admirers of Martinez’s precision and hands on approach to training, and Duffy believes that Coleman’s performance in particular is fast improving under the Spaniard’s guidance.

“Seeing Seamus progress is brilliant for me because he’s such a hard worker and it’s a reward for how he lives,” Duffy said. “And he’s very good to me, he says, ‘If I can do it, you can do it’ so we’ll see what happens.”

The Derryman admitted that spending eight months with the Somerset-based Championship side allowed him to concentrate on football and appreciate his role at Everton further.

“Having been around the Premier League and the players and that lifestyle, you sort of get into it,” he said.

“When you’re away from it, you see a different kind of life and it makes you grateful to be where you are at Everton.”

The former Ireland U-21 captain joined his international team-mates and new management team in Malahide this week, and while he is hoping that Martin O’Neill will award him his first cap this Saturday, he was also able to speak to the Ireland boss about his performance at Yeovil.

“He’s told me to enjoy it, that he’d been to watch me and I’d done some good stuff and some bad stuff. He hasn’t promised me anything, so hopefully I’ll do alright.”

He was only an unused sub for Eire’s first friendly against Turkey, and even that underlined how far Duffy has come since he suffered a lacerated liver in a collision during a practice match with the Republic of Ireland in May 2010 which left him needing emergency surgery.

Four years on, he is refusing to dwell on the football injury which almost cost him his life.

“That could have been it for me,” he said. “I can remember it like yesterday, although it's only when I'm asked about it. I don't think about it any more.

“It's great to be here and able to look back and talk about it, but I can't be thinking about it either.

“The kind of player I am, I have to go and attack stuff. I've clattered into a few keepers this year and it's been no problem.

“I didn't ever want to say it, but I just wasn't the same player when I first came back. I can't quite put my finger on it, but I was just doing things differently.”

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