Kenny squad puts youth at heart of Ireland vision
In a short, sharp squad, there were winners and losers, too
AFTER Big Jack, the focus yesterday was on JACC Sports, not far from the Walkinstown Roundabout where fans gathered in huge numbers a month ago to honour the former Republic of Ireland manager.
Just as the late Charlton was loved, so far Kenny is liked.
He has to earn his international spurs and he has been prepping 24/7 for the challenges tumbling towards him at pace. Two games in early September, three in October — including the crucial Euro 2020 play-offs against Slovakia — with three more to come in November.
As a formation, that 2-3-3 of fixtures could signal a manager who knows what he wants to the last detail.
Under Kenny, Ireland will play with four at the back, two holding midfielders and a lone striker. 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3. Take your pick. After nine months without a game, it’s all go for Kenny and that’s the way he prefers it.
Like all international managers, he craves games, the chance to prepare and plot, to execute and to entertain.
Surrounded by snazzy green and white Irish strips in Ballymount, Kenny wore a dark blue suit, matching tie and a crisp white shirt. It’s his standard apparel for briefings at a sponsor’s gig.
This was the first proper glimpse into Kenny’s Ireland. There were no bloated preliminary squads as beloved by his predecessors.
Instead, he unveiled a short, sharp, 23-strong panel for the games against Bulgaria and Finland. There were a number of winners, and losers too.
Just as Kenny couldn’t keep all the old guard on side, so he turned to the young cubs and some forgotten soldiers.
He elevated Under 21 youngsters Jayson Molumby and Adam Idah, recalled James McCarthy, Shane Long and Harry Arter, and found room for the versatile defender, Darragh Lenihan.
Aaron Connolly and Troy Parrott, two more U21s from Kenny’s enterprising time at that helm, also made the cut.
As a manager who intends to be on board for the long haul, and has the support of the FAI chiefs to carry out his strategies and vision, so youth is vital to Kenny’s goals.
It is present through Parrott (18), Idah (19), Connolly (20), Molumby (21) and Mark Travers (21), while only four of the 20 outfield players are over 30 — Arter (30), Seamus
Coleman (31), James McClean (31) and Long (33). A fifth, David McGoldrick (32) is on stand-by for the Finland game, if fully fit after a foot problem.
‘A lot of this group of players have come through the leagues in Waterford, Galway, Cork, young players, and the players coming back to the squad who have played for Ireland previously. People are excited to see them play,’ said Kenny of his first squad.
While Kenny plans a revolution, he hasn’t sharpened the guillotine for those who soldiered under Mick McCarthy, although there are some casualties.
Jack Byrne has done little wrong at Shamrock Rovers this season but his absence will come as a blow to all in Tallaght, and the wider League of Ireland fraternity.
Kenny felt Byrne was borderline for selection, which he must have been, as there are not many candidates for the advanced central midfield position, which demands creativity.
Robbie Brady is certainly one, while Kenny could drop one of his forwards back into the pocket, if needed.
If Brady was relieved at getting a chance to remind Ireland fans that he’s far from a busted flush, others were dealt difficult hands.
With 92 caps, Glenn Whelan has had a longer run than anyone in the trenches, but others may be coming to the end of the road that bit sooner than the gnarly Dubliner.
As Dundalk manager, Kenny didn’t fancy Seanie Maguire, and little seems to have changed. James Collins, Scott Hogan and Alan Judge are that bit older and face a harder road back as they also missed out.
SPORTSFILE
Portsmouth’s Ronan Curtis still has time to impress Kenny while Southampton striker Michael Obafemi, his Twitter reaction notwithstanding, will get his chance to shine, probably not before long either. Kenny revealed he hadn’t spoken to Obafemi about his omission, for the simple reason that he wasn’t in squads under McCarthy. Those who were, and who missed out, were given the grim tidings in person.
While it is too soon for Mark Sykes of Oxford United to be considered, Kenny revealed the Belfast native was a fluent Irish speaker.
Kenny is aware he’s become Ireland manager at the strangest of times, with Covid-19 exerting a grip on all our lives.
But high level football, as witnessed by the Champions League and Europa League knockout ties over recent weeks, continues to be compelling.
The next phase of the sport’s reboot is the international window, which comes before the Premier League and Championship gets underway. Unlike former Ireland boses, Kenny has a clear run ahead of the September double-header.
It’s been a time of bounty for
Ireland managers in the recent past with Giovanni Trapattoni (2008), Martin O’Neill (2014) and McCarthy (2018) all having won their first competitive matches on the road.
For Kenny, victory in Bulgaria would be the perfect introduction, especially with Slovakia to come in October. If those Euro 2020 playoffs are successful, the Dubliner’s appointment as manager will be hailed as a master-stroke and his legacy will be assured.
And Ireland fans will gather in celebration of his feats at the Walkinstown Roundabout. IRELAND SQUAD v BULGARIA & FINLAND GOALKEEPERS: D Randolph (West Ham United), M Travers (Bournemouth), K O’Hara (unattached) DEFENDERS: S Coleman (Everton), M Doherty (Wolves), E Stevens (Sheffield United), Shane Duffy (Brighton and Hove Albion), J Egan (Sheffield United), D Lenihan (Blackburn Rovers). MIDFIELDERS: J McCarthy (Crystal Palace), H Arter (Fulham), J Hendrick (Newcastle), A Browne (Preston North End), C Hourihane (Aston Villa), J Molumby (Brighton and Hove Albion), R Brady (Burnley). FORWARDS: C Robinson (Sheffield United), C O’Dowda (Bristol City), J McClean (Stoke City), A Connolly (Brighton and Hove Albion), A Idah (Norwich City), T Parrott (Tottenham, on loan at Millwall), S Long (Southampton).