FIRST CRACKS
Kenny grilled by FAI as player doubts emerge
A NUMBER of senior Republic of Ireland players are unconvinced about the direction Stephen Kenny is taking the team.
Sportsmail understands players of proven international experience are questioning some of Kenny’s methods after the worst run of results in over 50 years.
While Kenny was questioned yesterday by interim FAI CEO Gary Owens about ‘Videogate’ at Wembley, there is also pressure building from within his own ranks.
This paper understands there was a second incident ahead of the England friendly which startled players. At a meeting in the team hotel, Kenny is understood to have raised his voice and started shouting in front of astonished players.
The episode preceded Kenny’s commissioned three-minute video, as well as a 23-minute speech, in the Irish dressing room at Wembley.
Not everyone, Irish-born and English-born, was impressed with the contents of the video which touched on Anglo-Irish relations, the Great
Famine and the 1916 Proclamation, as well as footage of famous Irish goals against England. Along with Keith Andrews and Damien Duff, Kenny was summoned for a meeting with Owens after which the FAI declined not to comment. More witnesses among FAI staff and players who were at Wembley will be spoken to over the weekend as the FAI build up an accurate picture of what happened. The Association wants to be fair to all parties before deciding whether action should be taken. A source who saw the video reckoned it was akin to a five-out-of-ten rating in terms of being inappropriate for a prematch setting.
Sportsmail understands a complaint to FAI chiefs about the video and general tone of the prematch meeting was made by a member of the FAI staff who was at Wembley. There is no suggestion of a heave against Kenny but the manager is aware of the need to improve results and establish Ireland as a competitive force in the World Cup qualifiers which kick off in March. Without a win under Kenny, Ireland are on a slump since September. In that time, Kenny has lost David McGoldrick through an unexpected retirement while the lines of communication with Shane Long have fallen silent after Long was snubbed from the stand-by list for the recent international window. Owens, meanwhile, will stay on with the Association as Jonte Hill takes the reins as CEO. Adam Idah will be out of action for 10 weeks with a knee injury. The Norwich City striker picked up the injury against Wales in Cardiff last Sunday.