Stephen Kenny

[Snapshot]

Robbie should keep the money to make everyone as angry as possible with, as Kerr called him, the "previous maestro" who awarded him the "mad" contract, and also the FAI in general. Robbie should also, really, give a very large lump sum at the end of the contract to people who need it. But that's for him to decide. These people are so rich I sometimes wonder if he'd even notice what goes in to his bank account too closely. Be that as it may, let's not forget, he could already be supporting someone with that money discreetly. This does happen. N'Golé Kanté even pays his taxes on his wages. Grim stuff when such a thing is noteworthy.
Could Robbie not be offered a roving ambassador role - to schools, schoolboy clubs - anywhere the game needs promoting? He seems very affable and kids love him - and we're not overburdened with legends. Would he accept such a role? It would look bad for him if he didn't - taking 250k per annum, doing bugger-all and saying no to kids.

[sadloserkid]

The anthem thing isn't new, it's not a stick I'd use to beat Kenny when there are so many more substantial ones to hand. Colin Healy and Ian Harte are two players who I remember preferring to stare moodily into the distance while the anthem played.

[Olé Olé]

I very much agree. It's ironic that Stephen Kenny, purveyor of patriotic videos, stands zip-lipped when our national anthem is played. And is it too much to ask players, even those born overseas, to learn the anthem? You know, show some pride in representing your country. Or is that too hard, too complicated, too political, and too yesterday?

I don't get this jibe about him not singing the anthem. I sing the anthem myself. But is there not a piece whereby people just respect the anthem and observe it, rather than singing it? As I said, I sing it at matches but many are happy to look towards the flag with solemn respect and there's a merit to that too, I feel.

[CraftyToePoke]

Did Roy Maurice Keane song it or not ? I think he was more for the staring into the distance all purposeful etc

[Charlie Darwin]

I don't understand why anyone would care if people sing the anthem or not. Just because you're not singing doesn't mean you don't appreciate it. Players have their own ways of getting ready for the match and, as far as I know, singing the anthem doesn't improve footballing ability, otherwise James McClean would be the best footballer on the planet.

[Snapshot]

Did Roy Maurice Keane song it or not ? I think he was more for the staring into the distance all purposeful etc
Maybe he was humming it when he walked out on Ireland, his teammates, his fans - and myriad Irish kids with his name on their jerseys enquiring why their hero wasn't playing. Maybe he was singing it when his teammates were in Iran and he was "injured". He's now calling Harry O'Kane a bad leader. Jesus wept.

[seanfhear]

Maybe he was humming it when he walked out on Ireland, his teammates, his fans - and myriad Irish kids with his name on their jerseys enquiring why their hero wasn't playing. Maybe he was singing it when his teammates were in Iran and he was "injured". He's now calling Harry O'Kane a bad leader. Jesus wept.
Roy Keane lives in a Fantasy Land.

[CraftyToePoke]

Maybe he was humming it when he walked out on Ireland, his teammates, his fans - and myriad Irish kids with his name on their jerseys enquiring why their hero wasn't playing. Maybe he was singing it when his teammates were in Iran and he was "injured". He's now calling Harry O'Kane a bad leader. Jesus wept.

So we're going with no are we Snappers ? He didn't sing it :)

[Snapshot]

Didn't sing, didn't play, just walked.

[seanfhear]

Didn't sing, didn't play, just walked.
Did a foxtrot home to his doggie.

[Yard of Pace]

Could Robbie not be offered a roving ambassador role - to schools, schoolboy clubs - anywhere the game needs promoting? He seems very affable and kids love him - and we're not overburdened with legends. Would he accept such a role? It would look bad for him if he didn't - taking 250k per annum, doing bugger-all and saying no to kids.

This is an excellent idea. A friend who worked as a volunteer at the U-17s tournament said Robbie was really polite, nice, charming, funny, no aloofness at all.

There is no end of good things he could be doing. When poor Alan McLoughlin died the Guardian's cartoonist immortalised the time when he was a youngster and McLoughlin presented him with a skills certificate or something of that nature. Obviously he didn't become a professional but he certainly never forgot.
Sadlier's book has a photo of him being presented with a medal by Andy Townsend. Big Mick came to my club to present medals. Unforgettable.

And, quite honestly, I have no shame in admitting that even now, I'd be absolutely thrilled to get any kind of certificate from Robbie and I went to my first Ireland game before the Berlin Wall came down!

He should be doing something if he isn't.

[paul_oshea]

"The attacking three that have come into the team, Aaron Connolly, Adam Idah and Troy Parrott, still have it all to prove but they have a lot of potential and give us more options.

https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2021/0621/1229581-kenny-undertakes-euros-watching-brief-on-portugal/

He's still banging on about how great we were in games we lost or drew. You can't be claiming moral victories all the time.

[pineapple stu]

He really doesn't do himself any favours in those press conferences. "Serbia should be at the Euros. They're probably a last-16 Euros team, with the players they've got" for example - but they lost to Scotland in the play-offs. They lost 5-0 away to Ukraine in qualifying. They probably do underachieve relative to the players they have, but in that case we played against that underachieving team, not against the team it could be.

"I thought we were absolutely brilliant against Serbia away" - yeah, no. We played a bit of ball at times, but in reality we were way off the pace for large parts of the game.

There's other bits in it that I'd take issue with - "We've got a balance of youth and experience" for example. I mean, technically it's true, but I don't think we have a good balance of youth and experience.

I generally try and ignore those sort of press talks, but like I say, he doesn't really help himself with what he comes out with.

[tetsujin1979]

The full interview is here: https://www.rte.ie/radio/radioplayer/html5/#/2fm/11318074
Starts at 2:34, goes on until 24 minutes
for a manager with a reputation for attention to detail, saying that he doesn't know of another country that had to drop players due to close contact COVID rules is surprising

[OwlsFan]

The anthem thing isn't new, it's not a stick I'd use to beat Kenny when there are so many more substantial ones to hand. Colin Healy and Ian Harte are two players who I remember preferring to stare moodily into the distance while the anthem played.

Yes but he is the only one who prepared a motivational videos for the players. There is nothing more motivational in my opinion than belting out your own anthem especially in a foreign field. Nearly everyone does it now. It's not a new problem I agree but it is one which can be tackled. I think it shows great pride in your country by singing it.

[OwlsFan]

Interesting article on how the Welsh bed in their non-natives to the team: https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/jun/23/hen-wlad-fy-nhadau-how-wales-are-assimilating-their-non-welsh-players

[Bielsa´s irish]

Portugal gone may be good for us. Maybe a new coach. Dont think Pepe nor Cristiano would hang up their boots for international footie yet.

They were appaling yesyerday bar the last 15 minutes when chasing for an equalizer

[Diggs246]

Portugal gone may be good for us. Maybe a new coach. Dont think Pepe nor Cristiano would hang up their boots for international footie yet.

They were appaling yesyerday bar the last 15 minutes when chasing for an equalizer

Ronaldo is an ego manic, if he had scored and broke that record yesterday, and they still lost, i think he would have retired, but who knows now

[paul_oshea]

I think he just loves football. Football and records. He'll stay while he thinks he can do something

[NeverFeltBetter]

No way Ronaldo retires from internationals with a World Cup only 18 months away. That's a more natural end point for that portion of his career.

[pineapple stu]

And when he needs one more goal to make history.

Which will surely be against us now... :(

I think he'd have played on to the next World Cup even if he had scored yesterday

[NeverFeltBetter]

Ah, it'll be nice to be part of history.

More seriously, is there a feeling that Ronaldo has no regard for playing for his country or something? He always struck me as someone who took that very seriously, whatever about his character flaws, real or imagined.

[John83]

I wonder if RTÉ could wheel out Dunphy for one last time to tell us how Ronaldo is all sizzle and no steak, a fancy dan with no end product?

[seanfhear]

I wonder if RTÉ could wheel out Dunphy for one last time to tell us how Ronaldo is all sizzle and no steak, a fancy dan with no end product?
He was at the same thing about Michel Platini in the 1980’s ~ Dunphy made a career out of taking pot shots at very successful footballers and then doing a time filler ( cheap television ) for Rte backing up / arguing his nonsense. Only in Ireland would such a nobody ( football wise ) get away with the daft stuff Dunphy got away with.

[paul_oshea]

I wonder if RTÉ could wheel out Dunphy for one last time to tell us how Ronaldo is all sizzle and no steak, a fancy dan with no end product?

That's what happens when you copy and paste.

His recent comments on England winning and/or beating Germany was funny though.

[paul_oshea]

No way Ronaldo retires from internationals with a World Cup only 18 months away. That's a more natural end point for that portion of his career.

I think if he is still going strong at league level wherever that is, he will continue to play past the World Cup for Portugal. Ronaldos the kind of guy I think who will find not playing very difficult.

[EalingGreen]

Ah, it'll be nice to be part of history.

More seriously, is there a feeling that Ronaldo has no regard for playing for his country or something? He always struck me as someone who took that very seriously, whatever about his character flaws, real or imagined.
Talking about "history", I was in Porto for Ronaldo's 100th cap (v NI).

There was a huge celebration/presentation before the kick-off, as you'd expect.

Anyhow, CR spent the first 30 minutes attacking our LB, Ryan McGivern (yes, him!) from the right wing, but no joy. Then spent the next 30 minutes attacking our RB, Aaron Hughes, from the left wing - same result.

Finally he resorted to roaming wherever he wanted, demanding the ball every time and taking increasingly hopeless pot shots from all angles and distances.

Meanwhile, Portugal only scraped a draw with a late, scrambled equaliser, the point being that CR was treating the game as a chance to celebrate his efforts, not the team's. And it was clear that the manager, who was sacked soon after, had no say in how or where he played.

All that said, when he came to Windsor for the return game a few months later, he scored a terrific hattrick, while clearly only half fit!

My guess is that he is genuinely committed to Portugal, both because it provides him with another stage on which to display his greatness (cf Porto), but also because it's his country and he's a proud Portugese (cf Windsor).

And in that respect, I imagine he'll want to continue using the NT to put daylight between himself and Messi, whose international record is clearly not so great.

[seanfhear]

In fairness to Ronaldo he has never failed at any club and he has had a good number, and has done well for Portugal. Messi has done outstanding at one club and reasonably ( considering his ability ) good for Argentina.

Ronaldo's legs seem to be gone ( not surprisingly ) but he still managed one or two gi-normous jumps at the Euros.

[BOOMSHAKALAKA]

Duffy will keep Ronaldo in his pocket!

Just on Kenny, watching Denmark do so well shows just how far we have gone backwards since he took over. It's common now to paint us as also rans prior to the Kenny reign. There was some dreadful displays but we absolutely battered Denmark in the 1-1 draw in the last game of the group having already drawn with them 1-1 in Copenhagen. From going really close to qualifying for the Euros in a group with Switzerland and Denmark to being knocked out of qualifying for the World cup by Luxemburg.

[Bielsa´s irish]

Ditto this. Kenny is like that Leslie Nielsen doctor in Airplane! Dr Rumack kind of spoofer

[Eirambler]

Mick McCarthy's efforts in our qualification group looking better by the day as this tournament progresses.

[Razors left peg]

Mick McCarthy's efforts in our qualification group looking better by the day as this tournament progresses.

No its not, Georgia are not in this tournament and that away game showed McCarthy for what he is in a winable game.

We were awful away to Switzerland so when we needed a win so not sure how his efforts in that game look good.

Things have not gone well for Kenny, but lets not lament the days of McCarthy like that was something we want to go back to

[BOOMSHAKALAKA]

No its not, Georgia are not in this tournament and that away game showed McCarthy for what he is in a winable game.

We were awful away to Switzerland so when we needed a win so not sure how his efforts in that game look good.

Things have not gone well for Kenny, but lets not lament the days of McCarthy like that was something we want to go back to

There was a few bad performances but I'd far prefer the McCarthy reign of almost qualifying for a major tournament, putting it up to top teams and only losing one match away to Switzerland to the utter garbage served up under Kenny.

[Bielsa´s irish]

Kerr has to be the irish coach if Kenny goes. Maybe Chris Hughton. Dont know but Neil Lennon is not a bad coach.

[ColourfulPeanut]

There was a few bad performances but I'd far prefer the McCarthy reign of almost qualifying for a major tournament, putting it up to top teams and only losing one match away to Switzerland to the utter garbage served up under Kenny.
How did we "almost qualify"? We won 3 matches, 2 of which were against Gibraltar and a group full of terrible performances. We were then gifted a play-off spot because of the Nations League, in which we finished bottom of our group. 16/35 teams that didn't qualify automatically got play-off spots. We picked up 3/12 points against the top 2 seeds and dropped points to Georgia. That's not almost qualifying.

The new Euros format is a joke and by our measurement, most teams "almost qualify". McCarthy reign amounts to a handful of draws in a relatively soft group and terrible performances where we didn't get near winning the must-win games. He needed at least 6 points in the last three games and got 2.

Kenny hasn't been a success by any measurement other than capping new players, but lets not pretend McCarthy's second reign was good.

[Bielsa´s irish]

Not at al ... Bit Kenny is a clown. Or act as one which is worst. The guy is passionate but we are already out of the conversation after two mstches as Kerr said. Kerr, McCarthy, Mon they all had made mistakes. They had a structure, we lost un serbia and Kenny was amazed about how the team improved. We lost. It is a result game

[Bielsa´s irish]

thats why I want to ask irish friends if you feel the same as we do in Argentina, watching the eurocopa 2020. European defenders they dont defend at all, they forgot of being streetwise at defending , they dont do the body check no more, no hussle no bruises no kicks in the shin , they always seem distracted or out of focus, some are very naive, they allow space and time to attackers, maybe the Guardiola revolution from the back is making better footballers but crappy defenders....

and Ireland are ok in that aspect, we have good defenders in Egan and Kevin Long or any others from the irish squad, Could you imagine Paul McGrath or Rune Brathseth down face to the floor as Kimpembe did after Gavranovic did his dummy to score in injury time. No.

We have good defenders they dont have the finesse of Lenglet or Laporte but they can defend, For me Egan is better than most of the sweepers that played at the euro 2020, i would feel very strange if Everton or Leicester dont buy him. He is leadership material.

We must focus on scoring goals that is our "Aquiles heel", and pray for Kenny not open up our back 4 or back 3 we got very exposed under him, and they scored, we lacked that final third, so the result vs Luxemburg... we are already out of contention from the WC, we must build for the future and from the goalkeeper and the back line, in the meantime we must look for that killing pass to put someone one on one and that guy able to find the net

[pineapple stu]

Mick McCarthy's efforts in our qualification group looking better by the day as this tournament progresses.
Gotta give Kenny credit for matching Germany and France's result against Hungary in that case, no?

[gastric]

You are all wrong about Roy. Treated badly by Mick and the team. How dare you pick on him... I will now leave quietly!

[seanfhear]

You are all wrong about Roy. Treated badly by Mick and the team. How dare you pick on him... I will now leave quietly!
Did Roy once say he would not be a Pundit ?

[tetsujin1979]

Kerr has to be the irish coach if Kenny goes. Maybe Chris Hughton. Dont know but Neil Lennon is not a bad coach.
Kerr will have been out of football management for ten years by the end of the current qualifiers. To the best of my knowledge, in that time, he hasn't been linked with a single job.


How did we "almost qualify"? We won 3 matches, 2 of which were against Gibraltar and a group full of terrible performances. We were then gifted a play-off spot because of the Nations League, in which we finished bottom of our group. 16/35 teams that didn't qualify automatically got play-off spots. We picked up 3/12 points against the top 2 seeds and dropped points to Georgia. That's not almost qualifying.

The new Euros format is a joke and by our measurement, most teams "almost qualify". McCarthy reign amounts to a handful of draws in a relatively soft group and terrible performances where we didn't get near winning the must-win games. He needed at least 6 points in the last three games and got 2.

Kenny hasn't been a success by any measurement other than capping new players, but lets not pretend McCarthy's second reign was good.

I don't think anyone is, but getting three draws and a loss from two teams in the quarter finals of the euros isn't a bad record.

[ifk101]

I don't think anyone is, but getting three draws and a loss from two teams in the quarter finals of the euros isn't a bad record.

Isn't a bad record ..... How much was he on again? For a balls in the box game plan.

[NeverFeltBetter]

I have a feeling Neil Lennon will not be graduating to international management after his most recent season.

[seanfhear]

I have a feeling Neil Lennon will not be graduating to international management after his most recent season.
Maybe the England job ( wink )

[paul_oshea]

Duffy will keep Ronaldo in his pocket!

Just on Kenny, watching Denmark do so well shows just how far we have gone backwards since he took over. It's common now to paint us as also rans prior to the Kenny reign. There was some dreadful displays but we absolutely battered Denmark in the 1-1 draw in the last game of the group having already drawn with them 1-1 in Copenhagen. From going really close to qualifying for the Euros in a group with Switzerland and Denmark to being knocked out of qualifying for the World cup by Luxemburg.

Its funny because Oneills mate said we were much improved from the side that they played 2 years previously and he believed we would make the Euros through the play-offs.

[paul_oshea]

No its not, Georgia are not in this tournament and that away game showed McCarthy for what he is in a winable game.

We were awful away to Switzerland so when we needed a win so not sure how his efforts in that game look good.

Things have not gone well for Kenny, but lets not lament the days of McCarthy like that was something we want to go back to

I think I was one of those who was quite angry with our display in georgia under Oneill where we poxed a win and a lovely goal from mcgeady. But Georgia are a very good side at home, they were very unlucky to not draw with Spain at home recently, going up 1-0. They've had good results before and after that O'Neill one. So I wouldn't hold McCarthy solely on that performance. However we played under him we were competitive, and it was noted by the Danish manager at the time we were much improved from under Oneills tenure.

There's no comparing Kennys games in charge(so far at least) and McCarthy, we were far more competitive under McCarthy than we have been under Kenny, we looked much better defensively, better shape, more solid. The football was just as bad as anything we've seen under Kenny though, that's true - Hungary excepting.

[ifk101]

.... and McCarthy, we were far more competitive under McCarthy than we have been under Kenny, we looked much better defensively, better shape, more solid.

Nothing more than low percentage football. Keep it tight, win the individual battles/ second balls, lob it into the box at every opportunity, strength in set-plays. Championship football on the international stage.

His well-paid brief was qualification - which he did not achieve. He recorded 3 competitive wins against Gibraltar (twice) and Georgia at home. (Georgia at home is accepted as a good team performance, both games against Gibraltar considered sub-par). Failed to win any of the decisive games in the group.

To summarise: we stumbled to wins against Gibraltar, we "hammered" Georgia 1-0 at home, we laboured to a draw away to Georgia, we were outclassed away to Switzerland, and we won the moral victories at home to the Swiss and home + away to Denmark. Basically par for the course for an Irish team in a qualification campaign - we're there or there abouts. Same old rubbish and another episode of short-termism to add to the list.

[Diggs246]

If mick doesn't have that ridiculous 1m exit bonus. He would have looked to have stayed on v Slovakia. It's just my opinion but if we play that game with the long ball, I think we would have won it. Then its northern Ireland in the final. It's not fair as its hypothetical but it's my guess anyway

[paul_oshea]

Nothing more than low percentage football. Keep it tight, win the individual battles/ second balls, lob it into the box at every opportunity, strength in set-plays. Championship football on the international stage.

His well-paid brief was qualification - which he did not achieve. He recorded 3 competitive wins against Gibraltar (twice) and Georgia at home. (Georgia at home is accepted as a good team performance, both games against Gibraltar considered sub-par). Failed to win any of the decisive games in the group.

To summarise: we stumbled to wins against Gibraltar, we "hammered" Georgia 1-0 at home, we laboured to a draw away to Georgia, we were outclassed away to Switzerland, and we won the moral victories at home to the Swiss and home + away to Denmark. Basically par for the course for an Irish team in a qualification campaign - we're there or there abouts. Same old rubbish and another episode of short-termism to add to the list.

Whats wrong with winning the individual battles, strength in set plays, winning second balls? It worked well for Switzerland yesterday. Second balls usually show a sign of a team on top.

What's the Utopia you're looking for here? Croatia and Spain played manys a long ball, lob it up to the front, or into the box through the game yesterday and what it proved was the art of defending seems to have been forgotten by many "top"(ball playing, fancy passing )teams.

[SkStu]

I think you are guilty of seeing what you want to see, Paul. Both teams in the game you mentioned played a heavily possession based game yesterday. Spain raided out wide and Croatia focused through the middle. Long balls to the channels or from defender to the central attacker occurring i would say less than 10% of the time. Sure, Croatia went a little more direct in the last 15 minutes but they had to and Spain were soft in the middle. There is also a lot of difference between what constitutes a "long ball" by Croatia or Spain (long passes) vs. Ireland (garryowens).

We dont have the strikers to play the "long ball" game effectively - but i am all for being a little more direct into the wide channels for our speedy forwards to run on to which, i think, we saw more of under SK against Hungary.