FOOTBALL: Manager expecting to keep his role despite Republic’s humiliation by Luxembourg
IRELAND’S World Cup mission is in tatters after two games but Stephen Kenny remains defiant and does not fear the sack.
The Republic suffered one of the most humiliating nights in their history when minnows Luxembourg scored late to win in Dublin. It was a slow-motion car crash from start to finish. A proper shambles.
With five minutes to go Gerson Rodrigues fired a low, long-range winner past 19-year-old goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu on his senior debut.
That Bazunu was Ireland’s best player tells its own story as the Grand Duchy could have won by more. Skipper Seamus Coleman ripped into his sorry team-mates and said: “It’s a shocking result, an embarrassment. There are no words.That’s on us as players.”
Kenny has yet to win in 10 games since succeeding Mick McCarthy last April. Ireland have three measly goals from those matches. On Saturday, the makeshift attack was led by James Collins and Callum Robinson, players who cannot get into the Luton andWest Brom teams.
Ireland were missing four key starters through injury, but the performance was inexcusable.
Bottom of this World Cup group with six games to go, it is a long way back for Kenny and his team, with a trip to Portugal up next in September. Yet Kenny is confident he will still be manager by then – and the FAI are expected to stand by their former Under-21 boss.
Kenny said: “We all have setbacks and I’ve absolute conviction that I’m capable of doing a very good job. But on this evidence that doesn’t back it up and we have to do a hell of a lot better.”
Unlike previous Ireland managers, Kenny has a wider remit with a position on the FAI’s executive committee and considerable say in shaping agegroup structures.
It is a long-term project and goodwill remains for the former Dundalk boss. Kenny added: “I don’t think it’s up to me to convince people. We have to get better results and better performances. I have to accept the criticism and fight harder.”
Tomorrow, Ireland face World Cup hosts Qatar in a friendly in Hungary before two away friendlies in June against as yet unknown opponents.
But the six remaining World Cup qualifiers from September onwards will determine whether Kenny stays beyond this campaign when his deal expires. “We’re unlikely to win the group, of course, but have to put ourselves in contention,” he said.
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND (3-4-1-2): Bazunu 6; Coleman 4, O’Shea 4, Clark 3 (McClean 61, 4); Doherty 3 (Brady 46, 4), Knight 4, Cullen 3 (Molumby 88), Stevens 4; Browne 4; Robinson 4 (Long 73, 5), Collins 5 (Parrott 88).
LUXEMBOURG (4-1-4-1): Moris 6; M Martins 6, Chanot 6, Mahmutovic 6, Jans 6; C Martins 6; V Thill 7 (Deville 79), O Thill 6, Barreiro 6, Rodrigues 8; Sinani 7 (Gerson 90).
Goal: Rodrigues 85.