THERE WERE SMILES back on the faces of people associated with St Patrick’s Athletic last night.
And that was even before the 2-2 draw with Shamrock Rovers, a game in which they fought back twice after falling behind to end a turbulent week on a positive note.
The 1-0 defeat away to Sligo Rovers on Monday signalled the end of Jon Daly’s reign as manager 15 games into this season.
The FAI Cup-winning boss was dismissed on Tuesday morning and the hunt for a replacement went into overdrive.
St Pat’s owner Garrett Kelleher has long wanted the Dubliner to be the man at the helm in Inchicore.
Circumstances never made it possible.
Kenny’s success at Dundalk from 2013 to ’18 led to his ascension to the senior Republic of Ireland job via the U21s, a move which was publicly backed in a statement released by Pat’s at the time.
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Kelleher had to admire from afar.
Kenny left the top job in Irish football last November and the preference, it’s understood, was for his next role to be one of relative prominence in the UK, Europe, or even further afield.
Six months on the 52-year-old has continued to bide his time, rejecting the chance to take over at former clubs Bohemians and Dundalk.
He was approached again by St Pat’s once the vacancy arose and, like before, heard the pitch out of professional and personal courtesy.
This time things were different and slowly progress has been made with conversations and discussions continuing throughout the week.
By Friday afternoon, it’s understood that talks advanced sufficiently to leave people at Richmond Park confident of having Daly’s successor installed by early next week.
Kelleher had made a breakthrough with Kenny, not just in terms of the brass tacks relating to the financial package on offer but also the level of autonomy he would have allied with continued backing from above.
Interim St Pat's boss Sean O'Connor (right) last night. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
Perhaps why the St Pat’s owner looked relaxed while sharing a smile and brief chat with Rovers chairman Ciarán Medlar as the pair took their seats before kick-off.
There are details to iron out but Kenny, who was in charge of the St Pat’s U21s in 1998 before taking the Longford Town job, is expected to reach a decision after this weekend as he weighs up whether the challenge of returning St Pat’s to the summit of the League of Ireland as well as making a mark in Europe has enough of a pull to return to the domestic scene.
With Derry City visiting Richmond Park next Friday, 17 May before the visit of Damien Duff’s Shelbourne a few days later, St Pat’s are confident that Sean O’Connor’s stint as interim manager will be a one-game wonder and are more optimistic than ever before in the process that Kenny will be the man in charge.
“I kind of block a lot of stuff out, my focus is on the team. I was asked to do a job, I’m employed by the club and if asked to do a job, I’ll do a job,” O’Connor said last night.
“So we had two days prep, it’s never nice when someone loses their job, especially when you’re close to them, our attention and focus had to turn to Shamrock Rovers. Football goes on, the boys bought into everything that we wanted to do in those two days.
“Personally, I’m contracted to the club. Whatever job the club want me to do, I’ll do. That’s always the approach I’ve always had.
“Whatever they want me to do, I’ll do. Stephen [Kenny] is a high profile name but I don’t know what’s going on on that side of things, that’s for the owner, the board members to decide. I’ll just get on with my job, getting the team ready.”
It’s clear that Pat’s are in a sticky spot with the potential and calibre within their squad to improve.
They are in seventh spot on 19 points although the three sides immediately above them in the table – Bohemians, Galway United and Waterford – all have a game in hand while Rovers are six clear in third.
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St Pat's make breakthrough in Stephen Kenny talks as decision imminent
THERE WERE SMILES back on the faces of people associated with St Patrick’s Athletic last night.
And that was even before the 2-2 draw with Shamrock Rovers, a game in which they fought back twice after falling behind to end a turbulent week on a positive note.
The 1-0 defeat away to Sligo Rovers on Monday signalled the end of Jon Daly’s reign as manager 15 games into this season.
The FAI Cup-winning boss was dismissed on Tuesday morning and the hunt for a replacement went into overdrive.
Stephen Kenny was the No.1 target and contact was made.
St Pat’s owner Garrett Kelleher has long wanted the Dubliner to be the man at the helm in Inchicore.
Circumstances never made it possible.
Kenny’s success at Dundalk from 2013 to ’18 led to his ascension to the senior Republic of Ireland job via the U21s, a move which was publicly backed in a statement released by Pat’s at the time.
Kelleher had to admire from afar.
Kenny left the top job in Irish football last November and the preference, it’s understood, was for his next role to be one of relative prominence in the UK, Europe, or even further afield.
Six months on the 52-year-old has continued to bide his time, rejecting the chance to take over at former clubs Bohemians and Dundalk.
He was approached again by St Pat’s once the vacancy arose and, like before, heard the pitch out of professional and personal courtesy.
This time things were different and slowly progress has been made with conversations and discussions continuing throughout the week.
By Friday afternoon, it’s understood that talks advanced sufficiently to leave people at Richmond Park confident of having Daly’s successor installed by early next week.
Kelleher had made a breakthrough with Kenny, not just in terms of the brass tacks relating to the financial package on offer but also the level of autonomy he would have allied with continued backing from above.
Perhaps why the St Pat’s owner looked relaxed while sharing a smile and brief chat with Rovers chairman Ciarán Medlar as the pair took their seats before kick-off.
There are details to iron out but Kenny, who was in charge of the St Pat’s U21s in 1998 before taking the Longford Town job, is expected to reach a decision after this weekend as he weighs up whether the challenge of returning St Pat’s to the summit of the League of Ireland as well as making a mark in Europe has enough of a pull to return to the domestic scene.
With Derry City visiting Richmond Park next Friday, 17 May before the visit of Damien Duff’s Shelbourne a few days later, St Pat’s are confident that Sean O’Connor’s stint as interim manager will be a one-game wonder and are more optimistic than ever before in the process that Kenny will be the man in charge.
“I kind of block a lot of stuff out, my focus is on the team. I was asked to do a job, I’m employed by the club and if asked to do a job, I’ll do a job,” O’Connor said last night.
“So we had two days prep, it’s never nice when someone loses their job, especially when you’re close to them, our attention and focus had to turn to Shamrock Rovers. Football goes on, the boys bought into everything that we wanted to do in those two days.
“Personally, I’m contracted to the club. Whatever job the club want me to do, I’ll do. That’s always the approach I’ve always had.
“Whatever they want me to do, I’ll do. Stephen [Kenny] is a high profile name but I don’t know what’s going on on that side of things, that’s for the owner, the board members to decide. I’ll just get on with my job, getting the team ready.”
It’s clear that Pat’s are in a sticky spot with the potential and calibre within their squad to improve.
They are in seventh spot on 19 points although the three sides immediately above them in the table – Bohemians, Galway United and Waterford – all have a game in hand while Rovers are six clear in third.
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long term vision St. Patrick's Athletic Stephen Kenny