Kenny’s U21 joy is putting McCarthy in a no-win situation
IT was the final act of what’s turned out to be an encouraging week for the Republic of Ireland teams at both senior and Under-21 level.
But Mick McCarthy still ended up leaving the Aviva Stadium press conference on Tuesday on a slightly tetchy note having answered with a firm ‘no’ when asked — again — if there was any chance of his handover to Stephen Kenny being ‘kicked further down the road’ now that both sides were doing reasonably well.
This followed on from queries about the thrilling win for Kenny’s charges in Sweden and the prospect of senior involvement for their leading lights, most notably goalscoring hero Troy Parrott.
The questions continued in a huddle away from the stage, and the tone of exchanges were a reminder of how the succession plan that was created at short notice by John Delaney and the FAI hierarchy has left McCarthy in an uncomfortable position.
If anything, the evolution of Kenny’s side has added to the awkwardness because they have become such a talking point around the senior gatherings, even though the old guard aren’t doing much wrong.
McCarthy’s unbeaten record with the senior team will make it harder for him to face up to the fact that the clock is ticking on his second stint.
He pointedly said that he did the Under-21 boss a favour by leaving Parrott and Aaron Connolly with them for their competitive fixture in Kalmar rather than bringing them in for a meaningless joust with the Bulgarians.
Any such comments are left open to interpretation because of the curious nature of the agreement.
McCarthy does keep talking about how Kenny has the ‘best gig of all’ because he is building his own side in the background. And the more he speaks in those terms, the more the tone and demeanour of his words will be analysed.
Admittedly, it’s not his fault he keeps getting asked about it.
And it’s not his fault that some media reports mentioned the idea that the uncertainty at FAI board level has cast doubt on the timeline of Kenny’s arrival into the big job.
Indeed, there were even suggestions that some FAI officials had expressed concerns about Kenny’s communication skills. Those words didn’t go unnoticed by those close to Kenny.
However, the renewed purpose at Under-21 level and the exceptional level of the display in Sweden, with the Republic dominant in terms of chances created and possession, has only served to increase the enthusiasm level about the next regime.
Kenny has earned this opportunity, and should be afforded the kind of time which isn’t available to McCarthy in his job description.
The 60-year-old has said that part of his brief was to settle things down and he’s undoubtedly succeeded. If he takes the Republic all the way to the Euro 2020 finals next summer, then there will be plenty of people coming
Thriving: Stephen Kenny
out to sympathise with his plight.
A plethora of his former players have graduated to a prominent status as pundits and it’s clear that several are mystified by his exit — especially to make way for a character who wouldn’t be well known in their world and takes a bit of getting used to.
Kenny’s ex-players don’t get those gigs and that will leave him exposed to digs.
What’s clear is that the ex-Dundalk boss has managed to communicate a message to a talented group that is actually closer to an Under-19 team in terms of age.
Robbie Keane’s position is intriguing, given his confirmation that his contract extends into the 2022 campaign. Kenny is believed to be working off a firm understanding that he will be able to bring in his own backroom staff.
It would appear he’s struck up a partnership with Keith Andrews and Jim Crawford. Keane’s views on Kenny are unclear.
Any mischievous suggestions that the scheduling of the transition could be tweaked have failed to take into account just how disastrously that could all play out within a very short space of time.
It would be one thing to propose the idea if Kenny’s Under-21s were bombing. Now that they are thriving, an emotional decision to push things back would lead to carnage if McCarthy’s charges suddenly stopped delivering.
McCarthy was unappreciated the first time around and it is harsh that he’s now cast as a character keeping the seat warm.
The glass half-full equation is that reaching Euro 2020 would allow him to leave on a massive high in contrast with late 2002, but it’s inevitable that, if the Republic achieve that goal, repetitive queries regarding the broader picture might sour the mood.
There’s a few leaps being taken to imagine this scenario though.
Come next month, McCarthy will be immersed in an away double-header. The Under-21s have points on the board ahead of the visit of Italy and a trip to Iceland. It will be a demanding week.
McCarthy will name his squad on October 1 and he hinted strongly that Parrott and Aaron Connolly would need to do something significant for their clubs in the intervening period to get themselves on the plane. He stressed that Kenny is aware of what would happen in this instance.
McCarthy’s must-win brief has left him in a no-win situation. Expect more discomfort.