Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)

Kenny to lead the U-21s

- BY CORMAC BYRNE

STEPHEN Kenny is set to be named Ireland Under-21 manager and is poised to replace Mick McCarthy as senior team gaffer after the Euro 2020 finals.

The Dundalk manager will leave his post at Oriel Park to be unveiled at a press conference at the Aviva

Stadium today.

The 47-year-old, right, will Grantham Town 1987–1989 O’Neill cut his managerial teeth with Lincolnshi­re club. Shepshed Charterhou­se 1989

Short spell with another non-league club.

Wycombe Wanderers 1990–1995

O’Neill helped Wanderers gain promotion to the Football League in 1992-93, then up to Division Two the following year.

Norwich City 1995

Left after six months in charge due to difference­s with chairman Robert Chase. Leicester City 1995–2000 Leicester were promoted to Premier League in O’Neill’s first season. They won the League Cup in 1997 and again three years later and were runners-up in 1999. After he was linked to the Leeds job, fans staged protests urging him to stay. He saw out his contract. Celtic 2000–2005

O’Neill was the most successful manager at Celtic Park since the great Jock Stein. He oversaw three league titles, three Scottish Cups and one League Cup and guided the Hoops to the Uefa Cup Final in 2003. He quit in 2005 to care for wife Geraldine who had developed lymphoma.

Aston Villa 2006–2010 Three successive sixth place finishes but unable to deliver Champions League football. Sunderland 2011–2013 Sacked with the Wearsiders in relegation trouble. Republic of Ireland 2013–2018

O’Neill took Ireland to Euro 2016 in France where they beat Italy before narrowly losing to the home nation in the last 16. Some fine performanc­es in the World Cup 2018 qualifiers saw Ireland reach the play-offs. But the wheels began to come off for O’Neill and assistant manager Roy

Keane after they were hammered by Denmark. assume the under-21 reins from Noel King.

RTE Sport reported Kenny will be charged with developing underage players from under-15 to under-19 levels, while also overseeing the under-21s.

Reports also suggest he is seen as the long-term successor to the incoming McCarthy, who will likely leave the role after

the summer of 2020.

 ??  ?? O’Neill takes over in November 2013 O’Neill and Keane after beating Italy in the 2016 European Championsh­ip No answers to the rampant Danes during the 5-1 play-off hammering
O’Neill takes over in November 2013 O’Neill and Keane after beating Italy in the 2016 European Championsh­ip No answers to the rampant Danes during the 5-1 play-off hammering
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