AV GOT A PLAN
Kenny’s Ireland will train in Dublin 4 before qualifiers to create a home from home
IRELAND will train at Aviva Stadium during September’s World Cup triple header as Stephen Kenny wants the venue to be a home-from-home for his players.
The Boys in Green generally carry out all their preparation for home internationals at FAI headquarters in Abbotstown.
But because of Covid restrictions, they have been based in the UK of late for home and away games as the players live there.
Kenny’s squad will gather in England ahead of the September 1 clash with Portugal on the Algarve and fly out from there.
But on their return to Ireland after that game, they will train at Aviva Stadium before the home games with Azerbaijan and Serbia days later.
Kenny said yesterday: “We’ve adopted a different approach to this camp. I’m conscious that a lot of our young players have not played at the Aviva that much.
“We’ve never had a policy traditionally of training in the Aviva the day before so we’re going to do that.
“We’re going to fly straight over to Portugal on Sunday [August 29th] after picking up some players in England and train in Portugal.
“But when we come back on Thursday [September 2nd], we’re going to train in the Aviva on Friday, and stay very close to the stadium this time.
“We’ll train the day before both matches in the stadium so it becomes your home a bit more.
“It’s alright if you’ve got 50 or 60 caps, probably it’s nothing. But if you’re still finding out about (international football), it’s something we want to do before those games.”
Kenny did not rule out a one-day return to Abbotstown on the Sunday before the Serbia game.
The squad will also temporarily move out of their Castleknock Hotel base near Abbotstown, as they will be staying at a hotel close to Aviva Stadium.
The Azerbaijan and Serbia qualifiers in Dublin will be the first time Kenny (inset) has played in front of a home crowd since landing the senior job in
April 2020.
He was in the Lansdowne Road stadium last week for Bohemians’ European win over Stjarnan of Iceland when 6,000 Gypsies fans were allowed to attend.
That atmosphere whetted Kenny’s appetite for what lies in store and Bohs will have an increased 8,000 at the Aviva next week for the second-leg of their game with Dudelange.
Both of those matches are Government trials for the safe return of spectators to sporting events.
And the hope is that even more Ireland fans will be allowed into the Dublin 4 venue for the September 4 and 7 qualifiers against Azerbaijan and Serbia.
Kenny said: “I’ve been in charge of four games at the
Aviva in front of empty stands, but it’s the same for other teams so I’m not using it as an excuse.
“The players have not played in front of home support and for a lot of the players we’ve brought through, that’s what they dream of doing.
“They dream of coming out and playing at an Aviva with fans. I don’t know how many we’ll have, hopefully it’s a lot more.
“The 6,000 Bohs fans seemed like a lot more last week and I’m sure the passionate Irish support will really get behind the team.”
Kenny continued: “The supporters will want to get behind the team and the players want to play for the supporters.
“It just isn’t the same in empty stadiums. It will be fantastic for the players and everyone to experience that in September.”
STEPHEN KENNY was speaking at yesterday’s INTERSPORT Elverys FAI Summer Soccer Schools at Templeogue United FC yesterday (left).
To book your place at an INTERSPORT Elverys
FAI Summer Soccer
School, visit http:// summersoccerschools.ie/ bookings