STEPHEN KENNY IS adamant that he possesses the credentials to be a worthy candidate to replace Martin O’Neill as manager of the Republic of Ireland senior team.
Kenny has been strongly linked with the role vacated by O’Neill earlier this week, although former boss Mick McCarthy is the bookmakers’ favourite to land the job.
“I am qualified to do it,” the Dundalk manager said in an interview with Emmet Malone of The Irish Times. “I am absolutely qualified.”
While Martin O’Neill was criticised for the lack of sophistication to Ireland’s approach during his reign, Kenny has earned plenty of admirers for the attractive style of play in evidence at Dundalk since he took over six years ago.
He said: “Do I think that I could take charge of the next generation of Irish players and turn them into a really cohesive team; combining the best virtues of Irish sides – the honesty, work-rate and passion that we’ve shown down the years – but introducing a more European style of play, a more fluid and expansive way? Yes, I do.”
However, there are some who doubt Kenny’s suitability for the Ireland job due to his lack of experience beyond the League of Ireland. The 47-year-old has steered Dundalk to four of the last five Premier Division titles. As well as reaching the Europa League group stages in 2016, the Lilywhites have won two FAI Cups and two League Cups since he took over.
Kenny has two decades’ worth of managerial experience, all of which he has gained in the domestic game, with the exception of a difficult year at Dunfermline Athletic when the club reached the Scottish Cup final but were also relegated from the top flight.
“Look, I can only look at the experience that I have, not concern myself with what I haven’t done,” said Kenny, who also won a Premier Division title at Bohemians, as well as an FAI Cup, four League Cups and a First Division crown with Derry City.
“Okay, it could be argued that I haven’t played in England but it could be argued that the majority of the players [in and around the Ireland squad] haven’t played in the group stages of a European competition. Which is more relevant for international football? It could be argued either way, it’s subjective.”
When asked if he’d be confident of being respected by the Ireland players, Kenny said: “I absolutely have no doubt about that. I actually find the question quite insulting. You have to earn respect. You earn it on the training ground every day with your level of preparation and attention to detail; no matter who you are you have to earn it every day.”
He added: “I think it’s a non-argument. I find it difficult to understand why people would even suggest it.”
- Originally published at 12.40
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He’s the man for the job. Please not Mick Mc Carthy for God’s sake he will just be MON 2.0, men behind the ball hard to beat and hope to get a 1-0 on a break or set play. I’ve seen enough of that tripe can’t endure it any longer.
@Eric Djemba-Djemba: 100% agree Eric,
Someone please explain to me why big Sam, mick (who I really like by the way) or moyes would be a “safer” option? They’ve all been sacked from jobs multiple times.
Kenny is a gamble but not a bad one as he won’t be as expensive as a dinosaur, he’s 100% invested in the Ireland team, if it doesn’t work out it won’t be an expensive to replace him.
Give the guy a shout!!
@Eric Djemba-Djemba: Spot on..agree 100%
@Eric Djemba-Djemba: in fairness, he had us playing some nice stuff in 2002 against some of the best in the world. I haven’t seen the same kind of passing play from am Irish team since
@Eric Djemba-Djemba: you obviously didn’t see the team play last time Mick was in charge!! Kenny has been sacked by DUNFERMLINE for jaysis sake
@Eric Djemba-Djemba: Delaney out
@Kieran: Yes we had some really good players with Roy Keane in that team. The players we have now are nowhere near the quality we had back then.
@Scorpionvenomm: completely agree. Other side of that is that Jack had an even better squad than Mick but Micks team played much better football
Give the man the Job!
@Magnum: More insulting for Mick to be asked to compete for this job with someone of Kenny’s calibre. In every possible category – international, Premiership, and Championship experience – McCarthy is the superior candidate. On the only occasion that Kenny left his cosy provincial bubble, he dragged a decent side from the Scottish Premier League to the First Division. We need someone who will hit the ground running – not a long term and very risky project. The successful candidate will have three days to prepare the team for their first competitive fixture.
@Jane Aelst: …three days to prepare..blah de blah…it’s that style of thinking that has us in the mess we’re in. We should accept that soccer in Ireland needs a complete overhaul and thinking outside the box…Kenny is the obvious choice..
@Jane Aelst: A decent side?? They were bottom of the SPL when he took over. Despite this he got them to a Scottish cup final and improved their league form, albeit not sufficiently enough to avoid relegation.
@Desmond Cassidy: The job on offer is manager of the Ireland senior team. It’s not to “overhaul” soccer in Ireland. You need to separate the two.
@Jane Aelst: st the moment, the current Irish team wouldn’t get out of the Vauxhall conference
@Jane Aelst: still living in the past. No chance of you ever moving forward.
What about a MMC, SK ticket with B Kerr as director of Football and John Delaney in charge of the car park?
@GARFARKLE: main problem with that is that you still have John Delaney in charge of something
@GARFARKLE: they won’t be able to get a busmans cap yo fit Delaney’s head!
@GARFARKLE: Now THAT’S an idea I could run with…
Give him the job FFS. Mick is a good manager but appointing him would be a step backwards. The Irish team needs a new look. Just trying to grab any player in England with an Irish granny worked in 80′s. But it has lead us to failure now. Time to develop our own players
@prop joe: using the national team isn’t the way or should he used as an opportunity to develop our own players.
Lets face it he isn’t though. In his one venture outside the Irish game he was relegated from the spl and was sacked as his team sat bottom of the first division. He only lasted 13 months in management outside of Ireland. People will say well Michael O’Neill only managed rovers, which is true but Michael O’Neill was a professional player across the water, came up through the professional game as a player and was around the pro game, Kenny has been around semi pros with the exception of his time in Scotland. Right now we need someone who can guide us to the euros and big Mick has proven before he can get an Irish side to a tournament
@Mel roberts: he did ok in the Europa league with all Irish players. His teams play smart and score alot of goals. The Spl is the same as the loi only it has a bit more money. One bad season with a poor team who probably would have been relegated anyway is not a true reflection on a managers career.
@prop joe: he took them from the spl to the very bottom of the first division! How many other countries would let a man with such a record take over their national team. And yeah he has been successful in the league of ireland but its semi pro
@prop joe: they score a lot in the LOI, big difference trying to break down an international quality defense.
@prop joe: spl is the same as Loi only it has more money!!!!easy on the glue lad.
@Mel roberts: Southgate got Boro relegated not long after they got to a European final and now he’s flying it with England. One bad job shouldn’t rule someone out if that was the case Mick wouldn’t of worked again after his awful time at Sunderland.
@irishoverseas: Both of whom you have mentioned were managers at premier league clubs, stephen kennys only venture to a professional club was a massive failure so he went back to semi pro football and now you want to hand him the reigns of the national team?
@Mel roberts: Poor Wee Mel, what about Southgate getting Borough relegated, now he’s England’s #1, Poor Wee Mel, i think it’s because of all the success he had with his Club is really your issue.
@Glenn k ☘☘☘: SPL is miles ahead of the LOI.. I think your the one that needs to go easy on the glue
@Mike Lyn: I know who Boro are but I’ve never heard of this borough you speak of clown?
@Mel roberts: I’d say failing at an English club especially Boro not long after they had success and Mick having the record for worse points total in the top flight in England is bigger than Kenny’s failure in Scotland after he took over a team already bottom of the league and people seem to forget he took them to Scottish Cup
Final that year losing out to Celtic.
@irishoverseas: think your failing to see my point. Stephen kenny spent 13 months of his career managing in a professional league, despite the cup final his time was an absolute fairly and he went back with his tail between his legs to the league of Ireland.
@Mel roberts: you can tell from your comments you know little about the LOI. Do a little research before posting a load of waffle.
@Mel roberts: You asked the question what other country would let a man with such a bad record take over an national team my point is Southgate with England. So I think ur missing my point
@irishoverseas: are u seriously comparing Kenny to Southgate. A player who played professional all his life with top division sides and played international football.
@Mike Lyn: Mel is right. Southgate has experience playing international football and premier League. Kenny….well let’s not mention his only venture into professional football.
@Gerard O’Brien: Gerard lets not get into this usual crap league of Ireland fans spout about the league of Ireland. Its an absolute shambles
@Anthony: No I was answering a question about who else has got an international job after such an awful job in a previous club.
@David Garland: read what i said.i was replying to a previous comment.
@Mel roberts: no chance of you moving forward either. Living in the past and regurgitating non events that happened 12/13 years ago.
@Mel roberts: Of you look hard enough you can find fault with anyone…..in your case it has to be 12/13 years ago…..oh and Dundalk are full time professional…..something you don’t seem to know.
@Anthony: What difference does it make what playing experience SK has? Jose Mourinho never had a playing career,Rodgers also had a very limited/injury curtailed career,but it didn’t stop them from being top notch coaches.Also by your argument shouldn’t Roy Keane be automatic choice for the job.The only reason we’re getting MM is cos he’s currently unemployed so no compensation to be paid and it’ll be a quick appointment so no spotlight on the real issues ie Delaney.
He’s not though.
@Michael Glasheen: absolutely is
The problem with any manager is , will the players buy in to his philosophy ? Stephen kenny seems to have total belief in himself , will the players row in , that’s the question ? I don’t see why he shouldn’t be tried . Also the fai should find a role for Brian Kerr with him , he knows the system and the talent available underage .
Would it be an idea to give in the 21s job and see how he goes with that and if he works out promote him to the seniors next time the job comes up
@james mccarthy: he turned that one down. Not interested.
Mick with Kenny as assistant
Insulted? Why? Making Kenny senior international manager would be like converting a nurse into a surgeon without the former first going to medical school. Huge risk. Let him first prove himself in at least the Championship or with an Irish underage team. Winning in an inferior provincial league or beating a few European minnows is not enough
@Jane Aelst: exactly
@Jane Aelst: ‘huge risk’??? WTF are we risking ?
He’s not. As soon as he stepped up to a higher level it became too much. Great manager in LOI but unfortunately that is a different level altogether
McCarthy with Carsley as assistant would offer a balance between McCarthys experience of a national team and man management and Carsleys hand on and modern coaching.
The LOI’s loss would be Ireland’s gain. He’s easily the best league manager.
Jack Charlton with Staunton as assistant
@JeremiahMcDonagh: John Giles with Dunphy assisting…..
Mick has had his go. Give Stephen Kenny his. Get rid of Ireland’s Septic Bladder Delaney also.
The guy lives here how many managers have that on their cv
Get rid of unaccountablr JD n his lackeys
Jesus,were a right bunch of whingers,Mick hasn’t even got the job yet and we are already slaughtering him.oh,I see he has got the job,now let’s get behind him and the team
Another kick in the teeth to the league of Ireland from the mighty FAI…. It is shameful but tells you all you need to know about the attitude of the FAI towards domestic soccer
He’s not. End of story. Ludicrous
Kenny with Robbie Keane as the assistant. Keane will bring that international experience. And be good on the training ground.