We saw things you’ll never see
STEPHEN KENNY’S DEPARTURE
TWO years ago as Dundalk FC lifted the third of the four league titles they would win under Stephen Kenny, fans raised a banner as a backdrop to the celebrations with lyrics from the Oasis classic ‘Live Forever’.
It read: ‘ We see things they’ll never see’ in recognition of the huge success ‘King Kenny’ had brought to a club that flirted with firstly extinction and then relegation just months and weeks prior to his appointment six years ago this month.
The journey since then has been the stuff of Hollywood movies.
A double in the season just gone brought to eight the number of major trophies the 47-year-old won at Oriel Park but that 2016 campaign was undoubtedly the defining year in his CV. The style of play and magnificence of results in an unprecedented 12 match European run caught the imagination of the wider footballing public and brought Kenny to public prominence.
His name has been bandied about in relation to the Republic of Ireland job ever since but it was only following Martin O’Neill’s departure last week that real momentum began to grow. That set alarm bells racing in Dundalk, a town whose fortunes and feelings have prospered on the back of the success of its football team.
While calls for his appointment snowballed, the border town appeared to breath a collective sigh of relief when word filtered through last Friday that it was Mick McCarthy who was set to step into O’Neill’s shoes.
Then on Saturday news broke that Kenny was being lined up for the U-21 job with the promise of a crack at the senior role after Euro 2020.
Suddenly a town who had been dreaming of another serious crack at Europe next season was left in mourning, with a current player summing up the mood of the camp when he said it felt like Kenny had died.
Amongst the club’s fans, sadness at their loss soon turned to anger.
While FAI chief executive John Delaney praised Dundalk chairman Mike Treacy and club CEO Mal Brannigan for their understanding in accepting their manager’s departure, the lack of a compensation fee still smacks of a poor return for a club whose takeover by American investment group Peak6 less than a year ago was inspired by what the manager had done and what he still hoped to achieve.
The cruel irony of the Lilywhites losing their manager in the first off-season of Kenny’s reign where they weren’t in danger of losing DUNDALK FC will receive no compensation for losing manager Stephen Kenny to the Republic of Ireland
While it was led to believe that Kenny had a minimal release clause in his contract, FAI chief executive John Delaney told reporters at the Aviva Stadium on Sunday that no payments for Kenny’s services would be made to the double champions, despite the fact the 47-yearold was contracted up until the end of the 2020 campaign.
Delaney said: ‘There’s no compensation to Dundalk.’
He went on to praise the Lilywhites for their understanding over losing a man who has brought 10 trophies to the club since taking charge at the start of the 2013 campaign.
‘Dundalk were brilliant,’ said Delaney one of their star performers wasn’t lost on anyone.
Bottom line: Dundalk Football Club didn’t really see this coming. Kenny was contracted for another two years and there was no reason to suggest he was looking to get out. This was backed up by his decision to uproot his family from their long term Donegal base to Blackrock less than 12 months ago.
As a result, there is no obvious succession plan, even if the finances built up by Kenny’s on-field success will make it an attractive proposition.
There’s sure to be plenty of interest in the job from both sides of the Irish Sea but initial reports suggest Kenny’s number two Vin- when asked had he sought permission from the club before speaking to the new Ireland U-21 boss.
‘I spoke to Dundalk yesterday (Saturday) and Mike Treacy and Mal Brannigan were brilliant. They understood that if he was moving from a club to another club that that would be different from moving from his club to his country. They knew that Stephen wanted this job and they were first class.
‘You have to be fair to Dundalk too because had we let it go on for another month then Dundalk have to appoint a manager to prepare for next season. So we had to be fair to Dundalk Football Club in terms of implementing the vision that we wanted.’
Delaney confirmed that: ‘the manager until 2020 is Mick McCarthy and the manager after that is Stephen Kenny,’ with the latter receiving a two year deal up until ny Perth is the board’s first choice to take over.
The stumbling block to that potential appointment is that he lacks a pro licence. He has applied to be on the next course but this has yet to be accepted while reports that a one-year dispensation has been sought are unlikely to be accepted given the can of worms that could potentially open. Mick Neville, an U19 coach at the club, has a Pro Licence but has never managed at senior level while Gerry Spain, who formerly held the title of Assistant Manager but never fulfilled it, is understood to have been mentioned as a possibility to return when discussions took place on Sunday night. Don’t be surprised if an appointment is made that the end of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The FAI supremo revealed the association had identified Kenny for the U-21 role when Noel King stepped down - a role the now former Dundalk boss is believed to have rejected - but stepped up their pursuit of him when Martin O’Neill was shown the door last week.
‘Stephen Kenny we wanted when Noel King had stepped down,’ said Delaney.
‘He was someone I wanted, who Ruud (Dokter) wanted and who the board wanted to take the U-21 job and manage the underage teams as well.
‘When the decision regarding Martin and Roy was made, the board met and the vision of Mick McCarthy managing the senior team for two years and the vision of Stephen managing the 21s and beneath and also Stephen taking the job in 2020, those discussions took place then.
‘The job that I had to do then, along officially puts someone else in charge while Perth takes the reins.
The unveiling of Kenny as new U21 boss yesterday will probably be greeted with delight by most of the country but in a small corner of the North East it’s going to sting for some time to come.
The five stages of grief ultimately ends in acceptance though.
Kenny’s achievements at Dundalk will truly ‘Live Forever’. After all he quite literally put the star on the club’s crest when he lifted his first title back in October 2014. It is one of countless memorable nights that will never be forgotten in the mind’s of the club’s supporters.
Regardless of what lies next for Dundalk there’s a Champions with Ruud, was to have those discussions and get them done and I think we did. We got them done quickly and well. I think it sets out a great path and vision for Irish football. Mick has a project to qualify for the Euros. That’s his role. Stephen is excited about coming into the 21s and working with the underage teams and he’s also excited about taking over the senior team.’
Asked had Kenny pushed for the senior role, Delaney said: ‘Definitely. I don’t want to get into what he said and I said, but Stephen has been public and private about wanting to manage the A team. He’s absolutely thrilled with this vision.
‘He never had to persuade me that at some stage he should manage the Irish international A team. Never. Never any board member and never Ruud.’
Delaney confirmed that the new arrangement meant that a new U-21 boss League campaign to look forward to next summer and a league and cup to defend. Sometime after that process gets underway their former boss will take charge of the U21s and, ultimately, the seniors and maybe then the current feeling of hurt may turn to one of pride.
Dundalk fans with Kenny at the helm have been spoiled with classy football, endless success and memorable nights in Croatia, Iceland, Belarus, Poland, Holland, Russia, Israel, Norway, Estonia and Cyprus.
One man, who lifted a club off its knees, has brought a lifetime of memories and joy to thousands. No one in Dundalk will be surprised if he ends up doing the same for a nation and its millions. would need to be appointed before the 2021 European Championships, a campaign Kenny will kick-off trying to qualify for but not finish. Despite this, the FAI boss said he felt Kenny could do a lot of good work in between.
‘He has still got 20 months and he’s also got the 19s, the 17s, the 16s, the 15s. I spoke to him earlier and he’s excited about going over to Europe to watch international teams play and talking to international managers because it’s a big change and he knows that. He’s also looking forward to working with and learning from Mick McCarthy.
‘He’ll sit down with Jim Crawford and Colin O’Brien and Tom Mohan but to be fair to Martin that was going on for the last 12 months. It wasn’t as if this wasn’t happening but it’s his remit now. They’ll be reporting to him.’