One thing is for sure, Duk will not struggle for inspiration if he is looking to complete a redemption arc after returning to Aberdeen.
All the Dons striker needs to do is take a look around the changing room and no doubt the beaming smiling face of Pape Gueye will be on full display.
Last season Gueye looked like he did not where the goal was. In fact, his contribution in his first season at Pittodrie was nondescript.
Gueye made seven appearances totalling 132 minutes. Less than three halves of football in all.
When Aberdeen decided to send him on loan to Norwegian side Kristiansund BK the announcement was met with a collective shrug of shoulders from the Dons fans.
But the man who returned to Pittodrie in July is not the same person who departed five months earlier.
Six goals and three assists in 18 games for his loan club clearly put a spring back in the Senegalese forward’s step.
But Gueye had still largely been out of sight and out of mind as far as the fans were concerned.
A social media highlight of a goal here and there was about the extent of the feedback from his time in Norway.
Gueye has stolen the spotlight at Pittodrie
All summer the script was about three other attackers at Pittodrie in Bojan Miovski, Duk and Ester Sokler.
Would Miovski leave? Where was Duk? Can Sokler fill the void? Those were the subjects of discussion among the fanbase.
But right now, Gueye is the man everyone is talking about now – and rightfully so.
Dons boss Jimmy Thelin has won a watch in seeing the 24-year-old come back not only ready to fight for a place but bang in five goals in five league games to ensure he has to be in the starting line-up.
As a result, a cult hero has been born at Pittodrie. A powerful, prolific, smiling and dancing dangerman who is ripping his rivals apart.
It’s no exaggeration to suggest Gueye is maturing like a fine wine.
With each passing game his contribution to the cause increases and so, too, do the quality of his goals.
If the early weeks shows Gueye’s aerial ability was impressive, Saturday’s 2-1 win against Motherwell showed the other qualities in his arsenal.
The pace and panache of his surging run from inside his own to fire home the opener was outstanding.
He was also in the right place at the right time to add the second from close range and ensure the Thelin winning bandwagon has now reached double figures.
Duk should take note of his team-mate’s comeback
The Aberdeen fans cannot get enough of the big man – and if Duk needs some encouragement to see all is maybe not lost at Pittodrie then Gueye should be his inspiration.
The Cape Verde attacker has been back in the fold for a week and is full of apologies and ready to do his bit according to his manager and team-mates.
He was not involved in the matchday squad at Pittodrie on Saturday, but all the noises coming from the club suggest the door has not closed on the striker, who is in the final year of his contract.
Given the remarkable and frankly unbelievable turnaround in Aberdeen’s fortunes under their new manager, it seems anything is possible at Pittodrie these days.
Besides, if we can have one comeback story, why not two?
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