Kenny says he kept club in the loop at all times
SSE AIRTRICITY LEAGUE
FORMER Dundalk FC manager Stephen Kenny has opened up on his recent departure from the club, insisting he was fully open and transparent with club officials about talks with the FAI.
The 47-year-old ended a trophy-laden six year spell at Oriel Park last month when he accepted the Republic of Ireland U-21 job. Kenny will also succeed Mick McCarthy as senior team boss for the Qatar World Cup qualifying campaign in August 2020.
In an exclusive interview with The Argus this week, Kenny said it was the latter offer which made him hand in his resignation to Dundalk FC but he said he had only signed his contract with the FAI when news of his new role broke on social media.
The Dubliner, who won eight major trophies with the Lilywhites, has been criticised in certain quarters for the manner of his departure and was even accused of having ‘no sense of loyalty.’
Kenny said this couldn’t be further from the truth and revealed that he kept club owners Peak6 and CEO Mal Brannigan in the loop at all times during the process.
He said: ‘I had a few approaches from different people, not just from the FAI but from clubs as well who were interested.
‘I had quite a few approaches and I did inform Dundalk of this and they were well aware of everything. To be honest it was all very transparent. The FAI had been interested in taking me for a while, going back a couple of years in relation to other jobs, but on this occasion in relation to the U-21 job. I had been in communication with the owners all the time in relation to this, going back four or five weeks before the end of the season.
‘I have been very open about everything but it wasn’t until the Saturday when the news broke that I got offered the senior international job in 2020 with the U-21 job. I had only signed late on Saturday evening and it was out there within minutes. That’s the way of the modern world now with social media.’
Kenny said while it was diffi- cult to turn his back on Dundalk, he hoped supporters understood it was a job offer he simply couldn’t say no to.
‘To manage your country is the pinnacle of your career,’ he said.
‘There’s only a handful of people in my lifetime who have ever managed the country so I think it’s a huge honour and something you don’t get asked twice. It’s something you simply cannot turn down
‘It is the biggest job out there for me. I’ve been a manager a long time and my career hasn’t always been an upward curve. I’ve had to fight and work really hard and sacrifice a lot to get the level of achievement that I have so it was a great honour to be offered the position. I think everyone in Dundalk would understand that.’
He claims that amongst those who were understanding were the club owners, who he says wished him well in his new roles.
‘I had been very transparent about everything and had good communication with the owners of Dundalk about everything.
‘Up until that Saturday I wasn’t aware that the senior job was part of it and things were only really finalised then so I couldn’t have been more open to be honest with you.
‘Mike Treacy and Mike Hughes and Mal Brannigan wished me well in that regard. I think they understand that it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity and something that you just can’t turn down.’
Kenny said he would have liked to inform the players of his departure face to face but said this was not possible as they were on holidays at the time.
He said he was happy, however, to be leaving the club in a brilliant place heading into 2019.
‘It was unique because we got all our players re-signed this year. Every year we were losing players but this year we kept all our best players.
‘The club is in great hands behind the scenes. They have great staff – Vinny Perth, who has been really brilliant for me over six years, Ruaidhrí Higgins, all the medical staff Danny Miller, David Connolly and Sam Rice, Harry Taaffe, Eoin Clarkin, Noel Walsh.
‘I was looking forward to the new season.
‘I had relocated my whole family to Dundalk this year which was a massive, massive move considering you’ve to get teenagers to change school. It’s a really difficult thing to do but I was doing that with a view to being here over a longer term.
‘I feel I’m leaving Dundalk in the strongest possible position. They’re double winners, they’re seeded in the first and third round of Europe next year, they’ve got a full squad signed up and all the best players have re-signed. Vinny Perth and Ruaidhrí Higgins are brilliant coaches and brilliant people and Dundalk are lucky to have people like that. Stephen O’Donnell, Chris Shields, Brian Gartland and Dane Massey are a strong leadership group. They’re players that we’ve helped develop as players and leaders.
‘Dundalk is in a stronger place than it has ever been in its history now. People might think my timing might not have been the best in leaving but I actually think it’s the best time because there’s the whole off season to get ready for the new season. It’s not a week before or a week into a season.
‘Yeah sure I’d have liked to be in a position to get all the players together and say my goodbyes but they were all in different parts of the country and the world. You can’t help these things but loads of people behind the scenes, from the volunteers to the youth coaches, from the administration staff to the ground staff, they’ve all been brilliant.’
Kenny said he owed a lot to Dundalk as a football club and a town.
‘I want to thank the Dundalk public and all the Dundalk supporters who have been brilliant to me over the six years.
‘It was a collective effort. I was the manager but the supporters played a huge part travelling the length and breadth of Ireland and Europe following Dundalk. Dundalk now is a lot different to where it was when we came in.
‘You can’t walk down the street now without seeing some form of Dundalk merchandise and it’s people of all ages from 7 to 70. Dundalk is synonymous now with the League of Ireland team and it has really enhanced the town. People from Dundalk all over the world tuned into it and it captured the imagination of non-football people. It shows you what is possible.’
He also hinted that he felt Vinny Perth was capable of stepping up to replace him.
‘The close backroom team I had was terrific. I witnessed them all grow and grow and now they’ll grow into be managers and coaches of the team going forward and it’s great to see that.
‘It has been a real pleasure and I’m very privileged to have been in Dundalk in this golden period.
‘The people of Dundalk have been great to me. They’ve shown me great support and I’ll always be indebted to them,’ said Kenny.