Stephen Kenny

[seanfhear]

Why didn’t he get, West Brit Bono the Pox to do a ditty ?

[sbgawa]

In this snowflake world in which we live in these days this is probably a good enough reason to sack kenny and the FAI can hide behind it as opposed to saying we never wanted him and don't think he is up to it.

[Stuttgart88]

Nothing to do with snowflakes. If it was overtly political I’d say it was stupid for several reasons.

But I hear OTB were saying the players did not think it was particularly political, and John O’Sullivan on Twitter is saying it was “In The Name of the Father” in which case it is totally much ado about nothing imho.

[geysir]

I'd wait to find out about what exactly was so upsetting, though I'm predicting an underwhelming emotional reaction.

Some people might be offended by this HT talk, when Jesse Marsch mentions Van Dyke he motions with his elbow to inflict pain :D


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLMmr2HvTwI

[centre mid]

Since when is a film about British Police brutality and corrupt judicial system pro-Irish?

JD loved a good rebel song iirc.

[geysir]

If anyone remembers there was a related omen, didn't Gerry Conlon leave the courtroom by the front door and make that speech to the raucous crowd and world's cameras on the same (or close to the) day that A fired up Ireland took on Spain at Lansdowne rd and won 1 nil. Silky Stan delivered the shot for the own goal and Aldridge was turbo inspired that day when he gave it plenty to that distraught Spanish player.

[Exgrad]

This seems to have been cooked up and leaked by memebers of the FAI board. This is not a good sign for Stephen Kenny. Clear knives have been out from start, or even before...

[ColourfulPeanut]

If it's remotely as bad as it sounds then he'll be sacked. What a bizarre turn up of events.

I get trying to motivate but when a proportion of the squad are dual nationals then it's distasteful at best and completely idiotic.

[ontheotherhand]

The Independent article fairly heavy handedly implicates that Kelly had the issue and may have leaked it. Interesting given his strong loyalty to McCarthy down through the years and he certainly has form in causing a bit of disruption. I wondered why he was kept on to be honest. Seemed like a misstep by Kenny not to clear out the old guard and it might catch up to him now.

[tetsujin1979]

There's other stories that it was The Wind That Shakes The Barley, so until the facts are established, let's not speculate on the content.

[Stuttgart88]

O’Sullivan has just said on Twitter he was joking.

[geysir]

Who's O'Sullivan?

[youngirish]

I'm less worried about the political correctness and more worried that Kenny thinks showing In The Name of the Father is in some way going to help his team achieve a result against the English. Next time he should send somebody other than James McClean to Xtravision when he's looking to organise a movie night for the squad.

The more I see and hear about Kenny the more he appears to be out of his depth. I hear Escape to Victory is loaded into the VCR on the off chance we get drawn against Germany for the World Cup.

[geysir]

Didn't Big Jack play rebel songs on the bus back in the day.

Not Big Jack, the players had a tape of various songs, some termed as rebel which were played over the bus's audio system on the way to the football ground. Jack wasn't perturbed at all.

[paul_oshea]

I'm less worried about the political correctness and more worried that Kenny thinks showing In The Name of the Father is in some way going to help his team achieve a result against the English. Next time he should send somebody other than James McClean to Xtravision when he's looking to organise a movie night for the squad.

The more I see and hear about Kenny the more he appears to be out of his depth. I hear Escape to Victory is loaded into the VCR on the off chance we get drawn against Germany for the World Cup.

I think the in the name of the father thing was a premature joke that was latched onto.

[seanfhear]

There's other stories that it was The Wind That Shakes The Barley, so until the facts are established, let's not speculate on the content.
Thats a Good Film and pretty accurate as well = = The Brits have been the bad guys in Ireland a hell of a lot !

[Stuttgart88]

Who's O'Sullivan?
John O’Sullivan, Cork City nut on twitter. Former chairman of Cork City, ex-CEO Athlone and Limerick and I think recently hired by Dundalk in some governance advisory role. Generally quite a credible voice on Irish football but his In The Name of the Father tweet was a joke that was missed by people like me.

[Trequartista20]

If I were a cynical person I would be starting to suspect that certain figures within the FAI, concerned with what they've seen so far, have instigated a whispering campaign in a bid to get rid of Kenny without having to pay up the remainder of his contract.

[ColourfulPeanut]

People saying this is nothing are definitely the same people castigating English born lads opting for England after playing in our system. This nonsense needs to stop. We have a proud history of welcoming dual nationals and have a large Irish dispora in England. We're bigger than this. You can be a proud Englishman and Irishman.

[Exgrad]

Looking like the real story here is not the video, but the leak about the video. Hopefully Kenny has some backers on the board?

[Razors left peg]

This is mainly in reply to Razor’s last post in the Bulgaria match thread. Someone said earlier that the goal rot set in before Kenny and it’s true really. We were pretty poor in every game against the “lesser” sides under Mick and we were beyond brutal in O’Neill’s last year, which was wasted imho.

We were better against Denmark twice under Mick though and we played with good intensity in both games, and also at home to the Swiss.

We may be going backwards but at the same time I think the top end of European football is getting even better. Italy seem to be back. So too Holland. Spain ruthlessly dismantled an in experienced German team. France are good and have lots of know-how. Portugal have a production line of talent that defies belief. England have forward and midfield options we can only drool over. Belgium keep marching on.

We are so far away from that level now. We are clinging on to tier 2 status and that’s fair. That’s not Kenny’s fault.

Id agree that the top tier nations seem like they are miles clear now but I firmly believe that there is very little between the rest. Wales for example can get good results on the back of being organized and having one top player in Bale. Poland similarly with Levandowski.

There is a lot of average players in a lot of the top tier nations too. You mentioned Portugal, I watch way too much of them because my wife is Portuguese. They have some brilliant players but some very very average ones too. Pepe at the age of 107 still plays regularly for them.

My point is that well organized teams with a sprinkling of very good players can do very well. I do think Kenny can get the 1st part right and have us well organized and then we are on a wing and a prayer that Parrott, Connolly and a few others can become high level if not world class players.

[geysir]

Id agree that the top tier nations seem like they are miles clear now but I firmly believe that there is very little between the rest. Wales for example can get good results on the back of being organized and having one top player in Bale. Poland similarly with Levandowski.

There is a lot of average players in a lot of the top tier nations too. You mentioned Portugal, I watch way too much of them because my wife is Portuguese. They have some brilliant players but some very very average ones too. Pepe at the age of 107 still plays regularly for them.

My point is that well organized teams with a sprinkling of very good players can do very well. I do think Kenny can get the 1st part right and have us well organized and then we are on a wing and a prayer that Parrott, Connolly and a few others can become high level if not world class players.
You could see though with Poland at WC 2018, Lewandowski rendered ineffective when having to drop deep to get his foot on the ball and not up front in position to receive the ball.

[weldoninhio]

Its interesting how few of our managers have gone on to do anything managerial wise after their stint with Ireland, apart form McCarthy first time round. Charlton never managed again, either did Stan or Trappatoni. Martin O'Neill got a gig briefly at Forest before getting the boot, will struggle to get anything decent again, as will Keane. Kerr with the Faroes and no one else i think? McCarthy struggling this time around and boring everyone with his co commentary. Not great really. And probably a sign we have not really hit upon the good managers on their way up.

Struggling? He’s just gone to APOEL

[Stuttgart88]

Looking like the real story here is not the video, but the leak about the video. Hopefully Kenny has some backers on the board?
Isn’t he actually on the board now? Or holding some senior position over and above his manager role? Head of International Teams or something like that.

[Exgrad]

People saying this is nothing are definitely the same people castigating English born lads opting for England after playing in our system. This nonsense needs to stop. We have a proud history of welcoming dual nationals and have a large Irish dispora in England. We're bigger than this. You can be a proud Englishman and Irishman.

Good point, would it have been too much to ask for Kenny to include some D Day footage, a clip or two of Churchill, maybe even a few seconds of Bobby Moore lifting the World Cup, to keep our dual nationals onside?

[joey B]

Struggling? He’s just gone to APOEL

They've had 14 managers in the last 5 years, doesn't scream secure employment to me!

[weldoninhio]

I've been thinking about this. Would we have qualified for the U21 Championships if Kenny had stayed on with them, and let Mick complete the play offs and Nations League games?
The two standout results of Kenny's time in charge were the come from behind wins against Sweden. In the other games against the better sides in the group, he drew with Italy and lost to Iceland. I'm not sure he would have done better than Crawford in the return games - maybe he wouldn't have lost to Iceland. If you look at his results against similar ranked opposition across his time in charge of the U21s, there's the results I've mentioned, two draws with Mexico (when we failed to score) and a 2-0 loss to Brazil in the Toulon Tournament, and we only scored in two of the five games we played there (4-1 V China and 1-0 V Bahrain).

I think if Kenny hadn’t been promised the job and been coronated as the Messiah of the young players l think Mick would have blooded some of the U21s. I can remember there being an agreement that Mick wouldn’t pick U21s unless there was an emergency, but I can’t find anything on it so maybe I’m misremembering.

[lofty9]

Looking like the real story here is not the video, but the leak about the video. Hopefully Kenny has some backers on the board?

This is a nonsense story. It'll be nothing more than a montage of the history between England and Ireland. Nothing wrong with introducing this to those who don't know their history. if this was rugby it would be celebrated. This could be good for Kenny, he'll know who his friends are. imagine the Scots having an investigation about them watching Braveheart!

[Exgrad]

Isn’t he actually on the board now? Or holding some senior position over and above his manager role? Head of International Teams or something like that.

Hes definitely not on the board. Was talk of a senior position on an executive management committee but not clear if that happened.

[BonnieShels]

People saying this is nothing are definitely the same people castigating English born lads opting for England after playing in our system. This nonsense needs to stop. We have a proud history of welcoming dual nationals and have a large Irish dispora in England. We're bigger than this. You can be a proud Englishman and Irishman.

Or people are waiting on full details before coming to a conclusion.

What's wrong with castigating players who changed allegiance? Are we not allowed to be miffed at it?

The Indo article reads like a classic Indo hit job, dressed up just enough to appear to be a straight-telling of the facts.

We're clearly not bigger than this.

[BonnieShels]

I think if Kenny hadn’t been promised the job and been coronated as the Messiah of the young players l think Mick would have blooded some of the U21s. I can remember there being an agreement that Mick wouldn’t pick U21s unless there was an emergency, but I can’t find anything on it so maybe I’m misremembering.

So, you don't know then?

Based on how Mick approached the campaign it is utterly ludicrous to state that he would've blooded U21s if only that pesky Kenny wasn't in charge.

[BonnieShels]

This is exactly my take on it.

My first thought when I read the article.

Big Sam's time is now!

[Fixer82]

If it's remotely as bad as it sounds then he'll be sacked. What a bizarre turn up of events.

I get trying to motivate but when a proportion of the squad are dual nationals then it's distasteful at best and completely idiotic.

I don’t see where it is distasteful! Please explain that to me

[weldoninhio]

So, you don't know then?

Based on how Mick approached the campaign it is utterly ludicrous to state that he would've blooded U21s if only that pesky Kenny wasn't in charge.

That’s what I said. Thanks for clarifying.

Mick was told his job was to qualify for the Euros and then Super Kenny was gonna swoop in blood his mega-U21s and take us forward. Mick blooded a new team after Charlton, and did it well. People have short memories. Hopefully Kennys goose is cooked anyway.

[Olé Olé]

The strange thing is there were only 3 English born players in the whole squad.

[seanfhear]

If I were a cynical person I would be starting to suspect that certain figures within the FAI, concerned with what they've seen so far, have instigated a whispering campaign in a bid to get rid of Kenny without having to pay up the remainder of his contract.
Some kind of Traitor / Informer type thing !

[BonnieShels]

That’s what I said. Thanks for clarifying.

Mick was told his job was to qualify for the Euros and then Super Kenny was gonna swoop in blood his mega-U21s and take us forward. Mick blooded a new team after Charlton, and did it well. People have short memories. Hopefully Kennys goose is cooked anyway.

Do you want to try that again?

[seanfhear]

Good point, would it have been too much to ask for Kenny to include some D Day footage, a clip or two of Churchill, maybe even a few seconds of Bobby Moore lifting the World Cup, to keep our dual nationals onside?
Cromwell would have to get his section ! !

[DCWA]

The individual in the camp who has leaked this non story is a dirty low life and if anyone at the FAI has anything resembling a back bone then they will back Kenny and the individual will be persona non grata in Irish footballing circles.

[Calcio Jack]

Based on the crap we’ve seen from Kenny’s teams , he might of been bettered served showing them a coaching video rather than some anti English video ( assuming that’s true) . Anyway if he did show an anti English video , he should be sacked if for nothing else for the fact he was stupid enough to do that

Ps according to Prime Time this evening the FAI official who reported this to the board had suggested to Kenny that he shouldn’t show the ‘video’ despite that Kenny pressed on and showed it-

[Stuttgart88]

Anyone see Prime Time? What I am hearing (I didn’t see it) is same as OTB: no players objected. But PT saying one FAI official is the one unhappy with it.

Now, my instinctive reaction is that the new CEO is English.

Maybe he’s already seeking a constructive dismissal exit!

Exit: sorry didn’t see CJ’s post, suggesting it wasn’t an FAI board member.

[Exgrad]

Cromwell would have to get his section ! !

A republican that everyone can get behind!

[Fixer82]

A republican that everyone can get behind!

An anti-monarchist revolutionary. What’s not to like? :)

[bennocelt]

People saying this is nothing are definitely the same people castigating English born lads opting for England after playing in our system. This nonsense needs to stop. We have a proud history of welcoming dual nationals and have a large Irish dispora in England. We're bigger than this. You can be a proud Englishman and Irishman.


That's silly, its a non story. I have zero problem with what Rice and Grealish did, at the end of the day its their choice and you have to respect them for that. There are bigger things to be worried about than faux outrage over songs.

The bigger issue here is how Kenny thought this would gee up the players. Is this something he has done in the past with Dundalk, a rousing Corrs special before one of the European games?

[seanfhear]

We don’t like Grass’s in Ireland. Was it on the RTE Website where it said that it was a 2 and a half minute video ~ the first two minutes previous Irish Goals against England and then a bit of Motivation Historical Stuff ~ ~ Rte did not explain further but perhaps it was Tiocfaidh Ár Lá ~ that last bit is my own guess ~ just a guess !

[Eminence Grise]

Is this something he has done in the past with Dundalk, a rousing Corrs special before one of the European games?

If it was the video to Runaway he played that would explain a lot.

[seanfhear]

An anti-monarchist revolutionary. What’s not to like? :)
In fairness he and some more had the balls to kill a King ( who probably deserved it ) when not many would have had the balls to kill a king in those days.

He’ll have to do Cromwell for the next game now !

[BonnieShels]

Anyone see Prime Time? What I am hearing (I didn’t see it) is same as OTB: no players objected. But PT saying one FAI official is the one unhappy with it.

Now, my instinctive reaction is that the new CEO is English.

Maybe he’s already seeking a constructive dismissal exit!

Exit: sorry didn’t see CJ’s post, suggesting it wasn’t an FAI board member.

Being Prime Time, I'll still have to wait for it to be distilled down and remove the Helen Lovejoy, I mean Miriam O'Callaghan stench from it.

We all know it was probably one of our Asthmatic coaches right?

[geysir]

Do you want to try that again?
You mean that missing bit where Mick did a Robert the Bruce impression and finally prevailed after 2 failures to qualify?

Take it easy Bonnie, 5 posts in a row after a hiatus longer than a Trapatoni era hoof ??

[BonnieShels]

If it was the video to Runaway he played that would explain a lot.

The lyrics of that song are really an ode to supporting the Irish team in spite of our better sense:


Say it's true, there's nothing like me and you
Not alone, tell me you feel it too
And I would runaway
I would runaway, yeah
I would runaway
I would runaway with you
'Cause I have fallen in love
With you, no never have
I'm never gonna stop falling in love, with you