Accusations from anonymous sources that De Marigny has been actively undermining Babbel and bullying youth team players, while the pair purportedly almost drove one unnamed ex-player into quitting football, have been dismissed as “bullshit stories” by the under-siege German.
It’s the worst possible preparation for Friday night’s visit of Western United to Bankwest Stadium, as crisis-riven Wanderers seek to end a five-game losing streak.
But Duke isn’t buying the “false rumours” - propagated in two damning Sydney Morning Herald articles - insisting instead that the relationship between de Marigny and Babbel is cordial and close and there is an unknown, internal or external, element seeking to destabilise the club.
“I’ve been quite shocked at the stuff I’ve read ... some of the statements and claims are a massive stretch (on reality),” he said.
“Whoever is behind it seems to have a vendetta out for JP and Babbel and is trying to ruin their relationship.
“But, as players, we’re in the inner sanctum and we see them every day.
“They are constantly together and have laughs together. “They get on like a house on fire and are actually good mates.
“There’s never been a sense of bad blood between them and they’re always on the same page.
“These stories are tough to take because they are false rumours. You start to wonder where it’s coming from.
“Is it anybody within the club or is it coming from ex-players who had their time and are sour towards the club?
“If any of what’s been said was actually going on, as players we’d be aware of it by now.
“The boys have laughed about things being said on the outside ... like JP supposedly undermining Babbel and taking over the running of everything.”
With Wanderland in meltdown and Babbel running out of excuses for poor performances, Duke said it was time for the players to alleviate some of the pressure on the coaching staff.
“We have to use this as motivation and to say ‘you know what, let’s go out and prove people wrong and show that we are a tight knit unit’,” he added.
“We’re a big club that’s had so much success early in its history and there’s always that element of expectation and pressure about the place.
“As professionals we have to except that and thrive on that and show we deserve to be there.
“It’s purely on us ... Babbel and JP can only prepare us for matches. We have to actually go out there and follow through with their instructions.
“Obviously there’s pressure on the coach as well after five losses in a row.
“Now’s the time for the big players to step up and show their worth.
“If you let what’s been said and written affect you then you will struggle as a professional because in football there’s always some sort of negativity around and things don’t always go the way you like.”
