SHANE DUFFY has thanked Albion for showing belief in him as a top-flight defender.

The centre-back could become his club’s most capped player over the next few days as the Republic of Ireland prepare to face Denmark and Wales in the UEFA Nations League.

He has revealed his delight at making it in the Premier League after being axed by Everton as a youngster.

Duffy said: “You have just got to have that mentality of not giving up.

“I had it tough early on in my career, where it was going from high to low and I didn’t really know where I was going.

“But I just stuck at it and luckily enough, I found a club where they believed in me and they gave me the chance to play at the top level.

“There were low days when you’re thinking, ‘Are you good enough?’. You question yourself.

“But you get yourself around good people, you work hard.

“All the lads will tell you, every day you work hard, be the best you can be and thankfully I found the right pathway that gave me a chance to bring the better side out of me.”

Duffy helped Albion to a clean sheet against West Ham last Friday and hopes for a repeat by the Irish, who were thumped 4-2 by Wales last month.

He said: “Maybe it is about getting back to basics and doing what we’re good at, rather than doing something we’re not really used to, so we have to go back, believe and trust the lads, and hopefully we will get back to keeping clean sheets.”

Duffy has won 16 caps while an Albion player, one behind both Gerry Ryan with the Republic and former Northern Ireland winger Steve Penney.

He will overhaul their tallies if he faces both Denmark on Saturday and Wales on Tuesday.