WAITING FOR GAFFER
It’s been 54 days since the FAI said goodbye to Stephen Kenny, with no sign of an imminent replacement. Filling the post hasn’t been a rushed job for most of the last 40 years
FOR almost eight weeks Irish football followers have pined for clarity on the Republic of Ireland managerial vacancy.
Everyone knows the countdown to unveiling Stephen Kenny’s successor has kicked off, but no one is quite sure how close it is to lift-off for the new manager — Lee Carsley and Chris Hughton remain the front-runners.
What initially looked like a snap appointment is in danger of being a drawn-out affair, if not as long as previous managerial succession stakes. The FAI board meeting on January 30 is expected to be decisive.
Saturday (the 13th) was the 16th anniversary of Steve Staunton’s appointment, which followed almost 90 days of uncertainty, while Giovanni Trapattoni was announced as manager in 2007 after a 112-day hiatus.
In contrast, the Mick McCarthyKenny succession plan was unveiled just four days after Martin O’Neill departed as manager in November 2018.
Marc Canham, the FAI’s chief head-hunter, is at the half-way mark between the longest and shortest gaps between appointing managers over the past 40 years.
January marked the ascent of Brian Kerr and Staunton, while Jack Charlton, McCarthy and Trapattoni were all formally appointed in early February.
O’Neill and McCarthy, at the second time of asking in 2018, were engaged in November, while Kenny was an April appointment.
Mail Sport looks at how the FAI landed ‘their man’.
Jack Charlton (February 1986 - December 1995).
AN outsider, Charlton was expected to finish no higher than fourth behind Bob Paisley, John Giles and Liam Tuohy when the FAI Executive voted on a replacement for Eoin Hand who had resigned the previous November. Somehow the FAI blazers got their sums mixed up, along with their preferences. After two ballots, Charlton was elected 10-8 ahead of Paisley on February 7, 1986.
On The Late Late Show, Gay Byrne was given a piece of paper with the news, which hardly registered with him, the studio audience or those watching on TV. Yet, Irish football would never be the same again.
Mick McCarthy (1996-2002)
AFTER Charlton was ushered out by the FAI officers in the AUL on a chill December morning, McCarthy became the beneficiary of a last-minute twist involving the sixstrong FAI selection panel.
From a shortlist of six, which included Joe Kinnear, Liam Brady, Dave Bassett and Mike Walker, the job boiled down to two candidates: McCarthy and Kevin Moran.
The numbers suggested a 3-3 split with Louis Kilcoyne, as President, poised to give his casting vote to Moran.
Only a no-show by the late Des Casey saw McCarthy clinch the vote 3-2 as Michael Hyland, Pat Quigley and Finbarr Flood rowed in on his side.
After 46 days, McCarthy was confirmed as manager on February 5, two days before his 37th birthday.
Brian Kerr (2003-2005)
THE resignation of McCarthy two games into the 2004 Euro campaign sparked a succession race which drew candidates from home, and further afield.
Bryan Robson, Peter Reid, John Aldridge and Philippe Troussier were all in the running before Kerr, a homegrown hero, edged a 2-1 vote from an FAI selection panel, to get the job ahead over Robson.
Kerr got the call from Kevin Fahy, acting FAI honorary secretary, while with the Ireland Under 20s in Abu Dhabi.
As a former Manchester United player, Robson believed he would persuade Roy Keane to return to the fold. Instead, Kerr took up that challenge and Keane agreed to come back for the World Cup.
Steve Staunton (2006-2007)
KERR’s harsh exit after just two competitive defeats, ignited a threemonth search before Staunton, the first player to win 100 caps, was put in harness with Bobby Robson, the former England manager. After speculation linking Alex Ferguson, Terry Venables and Martin O’Neill with the job, FAI CEO John Delaney hailed a ‘world-class’ management team at the ill-fated Friday the 13th unveiling in Dublin. The tag was insulting to the work of Kerr, Chris Hughton, Packie Bonner and Noel O’Reilly. Staunton outlined an ambitious fouryear plan. As it turned out, Stan didn’t even celebrate two years in the job and was sacked by Delaney with a final Euro qualifier to be played.
Giovanni Trapattoni (2008-2013)
LIAM Brady flew to Salzburg to meet Trap, his former Juventus manager, and ‘sold’ him the Irish gig over dinner. Brady didn’t know it at the time but he also talked himself into a job, as one of Trap’s assistants.
When Trap said yes, the FAI was able to meet his wage demands thanks to businessman Denis O’Brien underwriting a chunk of the salary.
The decorated Italian was confirmed on February 11, more than three and a half months after Staunton was sacked.
No vote was needed but supporters of Terry Venables were ticked off as the former England manager had been the front-runner from day one and was keen on the job.
Martin O’Neill (2013-2018)
O’NEILL had been on Delaney’s wanted list for the post before, notably in 2007, but family circumstances prevented him from taking the Ireland job.
This time, there were no such encumbrances and his elevation, less than two months after Trap’s exit, was straightforward, to Delaney’s delight.
Again, O’Brien’s munificence played its part.
Less palatable for the CEO was O’Neill’s insistence that Roy Keane, no fan of Delaney, become his No 2. O’Neill was confirmed after a 54-day interval.
Mick McCarthy (2018-19)
WITH O’Neill’s tenure dissolving during a grim autumn Nations League campaign, Delaney was at work behind the scenes before the final game, away to Denmark in
Aarhus.
McCarthy was available and eager to resolve unfinished business after he walked in 2002 but Delaney went further.
After consulting John Giles for guidance, he appeased League of Ireland factions by appointing Kenny as U21 manager with the guarantee of the top job after Euro 2020.
McCarthy was keen on a fouryear deal but agreed on two years and an early Kenny handover as the FAI sweetened his contract with a €1.2m exit package.
Stephen Kenny (2020-2023)
EVERYONE knew Kenny was taking over from McCarthy. It was just a matter of timing.
When the advent of Covid-19 delayed the Euro 2020 play-offs beyond the summer of 2020, the pre-arranged terms of Kenny’s contract kicked in.
The FAI hierarchy could have insisted McCarthy see out the job he had started, citing the force majeure of the pendemic, but they decided against it.
Kenny stepped up a few months early and completed two contracts as manager. After six wins in 29 competitive games, he departed on November 22.