Kenna wants to remain a Seagull
CONOR Kenna turned up for training last night as scheduled.
The Bray Wanderers captain is hoping things will continue to run to schedule at the Carlisle Grounds right up until the 27th of October, when the Seagulls end their league campaign with a trip to Cork City.
His mind might still be struggling to come to terms with his new-found situation but he is clear in thought – he wants to remain a Seagull.
When it was revealed to Kenna and the squad on Sunday morning that the club could only guarantee one more week’s wages, Kenna immediately cast his mind back to the press release issued at half-time of the 0-3 loss at the hands of Dundalk.
The timing of that was much criticised but it was a mere sparkler compared to the bomb that was dropped on Sunday.
“Before we went to training we were told that the chairman would come in and speak to us just in relation to the statement and the situation that the club was in. There was a meeting going on before between the directors and then Denis came into us and told us where we stood and the situation the club was in and that was his part. That was it. We finished the meeting and headed off. We never trained.
“From Friday night, the statement went out at half time and we were none the wiser. When we’d finished the match I’d a load of texts and phone calls from different people checking up to see what the story was but that was the first we’d heard of anything.”
Kenna and his team-mates are now stuck in limbo. Whilst the news may be sinking in, Kenna is a father of two and has to consider what happens if the next wage packet doesn’t arrive. For now, he is focussed on club commitments.
“It’s still taking time to digest. We’re speaking amongst ourselves, speaking to the union and speaking to the club as well because they said they’d keep us informed of everything and as soon as any updates come along we’d be the first to know. We’re just trying to keep in contact and keep up to date.
“We’ve put a lot of hard work in as players and staff. There’s a lot of hard work that goes in off the pitch as well and these people live and breathe the club so it’s tough. It’s tough on them too – not just the players. The overall look for the league as well – it’s not a great picture.
“Unfortunately that’s the league we’re in at the moment in Ireland. There always seems to be a story like this each year at a club.
“It’s a good bunch of lads we have. We’re third in the league and I can speak for most of the lads when I say that they don’t want to leave. We’re enjoying our time here and the club has been great to us. We’re on a good run, we’re third and we’re looking towards the main end of the season and we’re looking forward to it.”
Kenna already has potential suitors lying in wait should the wheels come off at the Carlisle. Having joined in 2016 though, the skipper doesn’t want his season and a half of hard graft to count for nothing with European football dancing on the horizon for the Co. Wicklow club.
“We’re free to speak to clubs and clubs have contacted me. We’re not jumping into anything but we want to see where the club lies and they’ll speak to other clubs as well.
“Everyone’s in a different situation. I can’t speak for everyone but at the moment we’ll be turning up for training on Tuesday and we’ll take it from there.”