SUCH HAS BEEN his focus on this evening’s Dublin derby with Shamrock Rovers, St Patrick’s Athletic boss Stephen Kenny preferred not to get drawn in to a tit-for-tat exchange of views following James McClean appearance as a pundit on RTÉ this week.
The former Republic of Ireland international was in the studio for Portugal’s 3-0 win over the Boys in Green and, while not directly naming his old boss, delivered some not-so-subtle criticisms of Kenny’s reign.
On the eve of Rovers’ visit to Richmond Park before the League of Ireland’s mid-season break, Kenny acknowledged that he was aware of McClean’s views but insisted the time was not right to reply.
“To be honest with you, I will speak on the issue in the near future but I’m not going to do it before. I don’t want that. This game is important and I will speak at some stage. Is that OK?” the St Pat’s boss said.
It was a sore point in a week which Kenny says has brought a sense of clarity and focus to what he described as a “hectic” reintroduction to the domestic game.
For example, after six games in his first four weeks in charge, he was finally able to get a sustained run of days when he was able to work with the majority of his squad in full and do 11v11 work on the training ground.
“It’s the first time I’ve been able to coach in that environment so it was good, I enjoyed these last few days leading into Thursday. We’ve got to raise our game and put in a strong performance,” Kenny, who picked up one win, two draws and suffered three defeats, said.
Pat’s are in eighth, eight points off Drogheda United in the promotion/relegation play-off spot and seven adrift of Rovers who are in third.
However, there is a somewhat skewed look to the league table as a result of frontloading the fixtures for the four clubs (Rovers, Derry City, Pat’s and Shelbourne) taking part in European qualifiers this summer.
Kenny’s side are level on 24 points with Bohemians, for example, but the Gypsies have four games in hand.
Sligo Rovers, one point clear in sixth, have two in hand as do Waterford who have a healthy seven-point cushion in fourth.
Fellow promoted side Galway have just the one to make up and are three ahead in fifth.
Kenny’s priority, though, has solely been the visit of Rovers and this week also allowed him the time to rewatch the games between the two sides this term, referencing the 2-1 win at Richmond Park back in early April as an example of a victory “without some senior players who didn’t start.”
Chris Forrester had been dropped for that fixture while Alex Nolan, Kian Leavy, and Aaron Bolger provided energy around the midfield and flanks.
“Anything is possible and that’s the way you have to view it. You’re capable of beating anybody but consistency has been an issue. [Tonight] in isolation, we’ve got to raise our game and get the level of performance that we need to get a result,” Kenny said.
He insists this bedding in process has also allowed him to assess the players he feels will be with him for the long haul – his contract is for another five season after this one, after all – while the arrival this week of his former Dundalk captain, Brian Gartland, as assistant coach is the latest part of a rebuilding job.
“From our point of view it gives you a clearer picture of what needs to happen between July and January and to try and see who wants to really… who remains in the group,” Kenny said, pointedly.
“I went in with my eyes open. I knew it would need some time to change the club a little bit and change the team. You want players to emerge, show what they’ve got, that they want to be part of the future of St Pat’s. Show the full array of their talent. That’s what I’m hoping for [tonight] and the forthcoming games, that players really step up and show what they’re about.”
Kenny will be without full backs Ryan McLaughlin and Anto Breslin through injury, and the St Pat’s boss also looked
“Obviously the club is well below where it intended to be at the start of the season, my job now as manager is to make sure we climb the table and push on, add to the squad in July and definitely add over the season.
“We have European games in July and in the Cup and we have to try and push up the table.”
Then the time might be right to revisit the issue of McClean.
