Kenny could be a breath of fresh air
IN A time when the world is filled with imponderables, whether Stephen Kenny will make a decent fist of the job of Ireland manager or not, is probably way down most people’s list of priorities.
However, plenty of football fans in the Emerald Isle will have whiled away a few hours wondering if waving goodbye to Mick McCarthy and handing the reins over to the Dubliner was the wisest course of action at this juncture.
For a second time, McCarthy’s reign as Ireland boss has ended with more of a whimper than a bang, but the FAI made the correct call to fast-track Kenny’s appointment, giving him plenty of time to prepare for the crunch clash with Slovakia.
Given that the former Dundalk manager was supposed to jump into the hot seat at the start of August, all things going well McCarthy would have had no more than a game or two left in charge.
At least now, whether we qualify for the Euros or not, Kenny will have time to map a way forward, and will be able to begin his journey with a blank canvas.
It’s his achievements with Dundalk, winning four league titles in five seasons , with a couple of FAI Cups and a fantastic run in Europe thrown in for good measure, that made the FAI sit up and take notice, so, albeit at a lower level, he has already illustrated that he’s a winner.
Kenny showed in the League of Ireland, and with the Irish Under-21s, that he favours an attractive brand of football, something Irish fans have been lacking for years, through the eras of Trapattoni, O’Neill and McCarthy mark two.
Kenny is not afraid to put his faith in young players, and we can expect to see bright talent like Jayson Molumby, Michael Obafemi, Aaron Connolly, Adam Idah and Troy Parrott given their chance.
Given qualification for the European Championships is at stake with a couple of wins, it would be a surprise if Kenny went in all gungho and made a raft of sweeping changes, but he will try to put his mark on the team from the off, bringing in some fresh blood and utilising a more advanced playmaker than we’ve become accustomed to.
Whether the Boys in Green achieve qualification or not, the most important thing is that the team play a more fluid, pleasing to the eye brand of football that will bring back some of the casual fans who have fallen out of love with the international game.
The performances of the Under-21s with Kenny at the helm would suggest that we have plenty to look forward to, but this is an entirely different ball game as he climbs several rungs up the ladder.
The transition proved to be a bridge too far for Brian Kerr in the past, but Kenny has a wealth of experience, albeit mostly in the League of Ireland, and I don’t think he’ll be fazed by the biggest job in Irish football.
Kenny may come across as a quiet, unassuming character but he’s certainly not lacking self-belief, and whatever he says to his players seems to work as they play with a verve, passion and will to win, and his preference for a possesion-based game could quickly win over the doubters.
He has certainly stuck to his beliefs of keeping the ball on the ground with his exciting crop of Under-21s, so there’s no reason to believe his approach will be any different with the senior squad.
Whether his philosophy of taking the game to opponents will work with the players he has at his disposal remains to be seen, but there’s nobody that knows better which of the up-and-coming young stars are ready to step up to the plate.
Obviously having Kenny in charge is a far cheaper option than any of the recent big money appointments, with the days of the cash-strapped FAI throwing exhorbitant sums at managers long gone, so everybody should be happy to give Kenny a chance to show what he can do.
With all that’s going on at the moment, we need as much positivity as we can, so hopefully Stephen Kenny can be the man to put the spring back into the step of Irish football after spending so much time shrouded in negativity.
Now, wouldn’t that be something to look forward to?