Senior players will respect me, insists Kenny
STEPHEN KENNY insists earning the respect of players will not be an issue once he assumes control of the Republic of Ireland senior team from Mick McCarthy in August 2020. At his unveiling as Ireland’s Under 21 manager in Dublin yesterday, the 47-year-old addressed suggestions that he would struggle to command the international dressing room because he has worked mainly within the League of Ireland over the past two decades. Kenny’s credentials for his new role, overseeing the development of underage Ireland internationals from U15 onwards, were bolstered by Dundalk’s historic Europa League group stage campaign in 2016 and he is adamant there will be no problems in two years’ time when he takes charge as part of the succession plan laid out by the FAI. ‘It depends on your definition of respect. How do you define it? The thing about it is from my point of view, I don’t have a hierarchy in terms of who I respect. The car park attendant or the person who makes the tea, at every club I’m at, I respect everybody the same way I respect the chairman,’ he said. ‘I’d expect every player, not just to respect me, but to
respect every single player and every single member of staff and show utmost respect for every member of staff. And every player should respect every other player. ‘They’re not always going to get on famously all the time. ‘But all sporting teams that have been successful, it’s based on everybody respecting each other. ‘That’s the way I think. Studying all other teams, that’s what they are based on.’ Kenny expanded on that point, explaining that his style of management, coaching and attention to detail will also get players onside from the outset. ‘Respect is the wrong word. You’re probably asking would they believe in my message
or my methods. That’s probably the question. ‘I think the way I set teams out, most players play the game because they love the game. ‘Okay, maybe defenders want to be protected some time with systems but certainly most players play the game because they absolutely love the game, that’s why they play it. ‘If you play in a progressive attacking way, the vast majority buy into what you are doing,’ said Kenny. They want that. The vast majority of players want to play that way. ‘I don’t think they would have any qualms about the way the team would be set up or the level of detail or the quality of the training sessions because they would be very specific to the games themselves, whatever country you are playing. ‘It’s 11 v 11, you have to set out the way they play against the way you play. ‘If you’ve got leftfooted right wingers, or right-footed left wingers, you’ve got to set up against that system and play that way in training the whole week in
preparation. ‘You’ve got to ask questions of players — what are their strengths and weaknesses and what way they worked and didn’t work.’ Kenny also reiterated the declarations from chief executive John Delaney, as well as McCarthy, that the succession plan announced at the weekend will not be altered depending on whether Ireland qualify for Euro 2020 and have a successful campaign. ‘No, the decision has been made. It’s clearly defined,’ said Kenny. ‘I take over in August 2020. It’s a succession plan and that would be a great scenario for everyone, for football in Ireland that would be a great scenario,’ he added.