Goes on forever
One has only to read the social media comments on the CEO to determine public opinion on the way that the FAI conducts business and the unnecessary rapid and rather shambolic process in which Martin O’Neill’s successor was appointed.
Many of those comments viewed Stephen Kenny’s appointment as under-21 manager and the promise of the ‘big job’ in two years time as a ‘sob’ to the League of Ireland and a shield to protect the CEO from the sack and even more adverse comments.
Until Stephen Kenny speaks at his news conference to-day (the outcome of which is not to hand) we can only presume that he is satisfied with the undertakings he was given and knowing the man, and his record with Dundalk, we accept his judgement.
He is, as those who know him will agree, a principled and prudent man, who thinks deeply about issues - and not just football - as he revealed in a very considerate speech at the PFA annual dinner on the subject of homelessness.
We do know too, from his comments given to the Argus last week at a function he supported in town that he regards managing his country as the ultimate honour, and at 47-years-of age he must feel that this might be his one and only shot at the job, whatever the ambiguity surrounding his path to the top job.
He clearly also has a passion to improve the quality of football played by Irish teams for this was evident in his programme notes some weeks back when he remarked that it was not in the DNA of Irish players to lump the ball forward at every opportunity.
With his brief extending to under-age teams as well as the under-21’s he now has the opportunity to influence the game in the country in a progressive manner for some years to come, and hopefully if he gets the promised chance to coach the senior team he will have done some good preparatory work with the players he may take into the senior team.
Naturally there is some anger as well as shock and disappointment in town among supporters at the manner of Stephen Kenny’s departure, for all the vibes were that he was fully engaged in recruiting new players to add to his squad and planning for the start of pre-season training in January with the exciting prospect of a seeded draw in the Champions League in July a massive incentive for players, owners and fans.
No doubt when he is free to do so Stephen Kenny will address this and his reasons for his departure, and having earned the right through his six year successful period at Dundalk to advance his career in the manner he sees fit we must fully accept his decision, and wish him well.
He had hoped, as did us all, that he was in the process of building not just a legacy at Dundalk, but a dynasty that would endure and leave a club with a ground of which the town could be proud.
That will not now happen under his watch, but he did, because of the money earned in Europe, put in the foundation stone on which others must now build.
If his decision to leave was a shock to fans then the owners Peak6 must be in intensive care, for they have little time to find a manager to take over.
It will be a difficult search for while there will be no shortage of applicants there are few of the calibre of the man they lost.
For that reason they too they too must ask themselves if they could have done more to keep him, especially by advancing any plans they have to improve the facilities at Oriel Park, for on many occasions the manager felt obligated to refer to the situation, and days before the cup final he revealed that he had to suffer the inconvenience of sharing a small office with another member of staff.
Will the appointment be made from within, perhaps Vinny Perth, if he is not set to leave with his boss or Stephen O’Donnell ? Who knows ?
And why, did the FAI had to pay compensation to their departing manager and coaching team, should Dundalk not be compensated for the loss of their contracted manager ?