Kennedy keen to get cracking at Macclesfield
MARK Kennedy has become that rarity in English League football – a Dubliner who is a manager, or in his case, the newlyappointed head coach at Macclesfield. Kennedy, 43, said the opportunity to take charge of the League Two outfit was ‘a no-brainer.’ ‘I want to test myself. There are only 92 clubs in the league so there are only 92 jobs. I’d be foolish not to give myself this opportunity. ‘The short-term plan is to stay in the league. If, and when, that happens that would represent success for us.’ Macclesfield are 22nd of 24 teams in the division but Kennedy believes the position is false, as the team have conceded fewer goals than leaders Swindon and lost just one game more. ‘We’re a good team, we’ve just had too many draws. We shouldn’t be fighting relegation but we are. We don’t want to finish second from bottom.’ Tutored by
Mick McCarthy at Millwall, Kennedy exploded onto the football scene with a wonder strike against Arsenal in the FA Cup, and his creative talents, eye for goal and sweet left peg, secured a £1.5million move to Liverpool in March ‘95. At the time, Kennedy was the most expensive teenager in British football. He made his Ireland debut later that year under Jack Charlton, the first of his 34 caps. There should have been more but late night antics in Dublin with Phil Babb led to a court appearance and dismissal from the squad by McCarthy in late August 2000, at the start of the 2002 World Cup campaign. He fought back and was provisionally selected for the 2002 World Cup finals only to pull out with injury. Kennedy’s appointment with the Silkmen is the latest progression on the coaching ladder. After winding down his playing career at Ipswich in 2012, he learnt his trade under McCarthy at Portman Road where he managed the U21s. He returned to his former club Manchester City as an academy coach, a role he also filled more recently at Wolves. He also had a brief spell alongside Sol Campell at Macclesfield last season, which ended with the club staying up on the final day. That’s something he’ll be keen to avoid this term. His first game in charge is away to Colchester tomorrow. ‘I know John (McGreal) well. We used to live on the same road in Ipswich.’