Stephen Kenny to Dunfermline?

[nzamcdza]

Apparently being interviewed for their managers job today!!

[BohsPartisan]

Which might explain your dip in form of late?

[dublin15bohs]

Hope not stephen is a great manager and a great man to bring the league forward.

[OneRedArmy]

Which might explain your dip in form of late?I'd say thats more down to playing 2 games a week for the last few months.

[nzamcdza]

My mistake, apparently it was all balls

[headtheball]

My mistake, apparently it was all balls

Tut tut, now get back to derrycitychat before PaddyS finds out...
:p

[Poor Student]

While Dunfermline are a bigger club they're so much smaller in relative stature. I don't think they could even be lifted to a European spot under Kenny. I'd imagine it's b.s. Only benefit it would serve would be as a stepping stone to climb up the ladder in Britain. Then again, he's a young man and who knows his long term ambitions.

[lofty9]

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/story.jsp?story=713280

Derry City today insisted that manager Stephen Kenny was going nowhere despite being strongly linked with the vacant post at Scottish Premier League club Dunfermline.
The club have written off the speculation of Kenny quitting the Brandywell for Scotland as an Internet fuelled rumour after the Brandywell bosse's name was circulating on several Scottish websites at the weekend.
The link initially surfaced when Dunfermline chairman John Yorkston that they were interviewing several 'surprise candidates' for the job yesterday and today.
The Derry City squad were also given yesterday off - the first time they haven't been brought in for training on a Sunday in a number of months.
Dunfermline are languishing at the foot of the Scottish Premier League table with just two wins in 13 games and lost 3-0 to Falkirk at the weekend.
Sources indicated to the Belfast Telegraph that Kenny was in Scotland yesterday to talk to Dunfermline, but Derry have denied this and also said that they haven't given the manager permission to speak to any other club.
"Stephen is very happy with his job," a source at Derry said today.
"He's not going anywhere."
The mystery should be cleared up within the next 24 hours with Dunfermline understood to be close to naming their new boss.
Kenny's managerial stock was inevitably raised in Scotland by Derry's 5-1 destruction of first division Gretna in August in the UEFA Cup.
After leading the club to the first round proper in Europe before losing to Paris St Germain, winning the League Cup and securing a place in the FAI Cup final, as well as still being in the hunt for the league title, it would be a major shock to Derry City if Kenny was to leave.
There are four league games remaining and Derry are likely to have to win every one of them if they are to pip Shelbourne to the title.
The first of those comes tomorrow night when the Candystripes face a trip to Drogheda United in what could be a pivotal week in the eircom League.
Defending champions Cork City - who won't be able to retain their crown - host Shelbourne on Friday night and Derry will be keeping a close eye on that game.
Meanwhile an independent arbitrator is expected to be appointed by the FAI to look into the appeals board decision to allow Shelbourne a replay with Bohemians. The FAI announced on Saturday that the matter was being referred to arbitration.
Originally the appeals board had said the game should be replayed after Bohemians won the original game 2-1 in August when they played the suspended Jason McGuinness.
Shelbourne lead Derry at the top of the table by three points.

[OneRedArmy]

I'd be more confident if it was Kenny himself who was coming out and denying it.

But it was always something we were going to have to face sooner rather than later. He's young and ambitious and we can't hold him back from a bigger job. Hopefully we'll get another season or so from him.

However, he could do better than Dunfermline IMHO.

[dcfcsteve]

Which might explain your dip in form of late?

What is this nonesense theory that always gets spouted that high-flying teams have a dip in form just because their manager has a job interview ?!?

Firstly - the stiory is ballax anyway.

Secondly - it would be Kenny being interviewed, not the players.

Thirdly - Mickey Mouse struggling teams with low morale may see a dip in form from something like this, but not successful teams that are doing well. They'll continue their professional approach and strive for success regardless of who may or may not be getting interviewed.

Finally - as if a Manager with a positive record under his belt would allow a dip in form when he was going for interview, as that would dent his credibility at the very time he is looking for a job. You're only as good as your recent results.

This is just a nonesense theory spouted when results and circumstances combine, as they often do in football. Thankfully the whole story has been exposed to be equally as rubbish.

[dcfcsteve]

look at that you cant say Sc-unthorpe on Foot :D

Sc-unthorpe. The only football team with the word 'thorpe' in their name....... :D

[dcfcsteve]

If Kenny would like to manage in the Premiership one day then he will have to make a move like this one day. He is the one manager in Ireland who can go far IMO.

He will have to make a move - yes.

But he will not have to make a move to a two-bit rubbish Scottish club with no chance of winning anything of note for the forseeable future. That would actually be a step backwards.

[Peadar]

Defending champions Cork City - who won't be able to retain their crown - host Shelbourne on Friday night and Derry will be keeping a close eye on that game.

Technically, that's not true.
Can they get anything right at that paper?

[dcfcsteve]

But of course if he does well he will have more of chance of moving to a decent Scotish club, or even a decent English club. More so than if he stays here.

How can you do well at Dunfermline ?!?

Will you win the league - not a chance.
Will you win the Cup - very unlikely.
Will you win the League Cup - probably not, but no-one cares even if you do.
Will you qualify for Europe at any point in the next 5 years - very unlikely.

So how exactly can a manager prove their stuff in such a hopeless league ?

Who was the last manager outside of the Big 5 in Scotland (Old Firm, Edinburgh x 2, and Aberdeen) to prove themselves in the SPL before moving on to much bigger things ???

[garyderry]

How can you do well at Dunfermline ?!?

Will you win the league - not a chance.
Will you win the Cup - very unlikely.
Will you win the League Cup - probably not, but no-one cares even if you do.
Will you qualify for Europe at any point in the next 5 years - very unlikely.

So how exactly can a manager prove their stuff in such a hopeless league ?

Who was the last manager outside of the Big 5 in Scotland (Old Firm, Edinburgh x 2, and Aberdeen) to prove themselves in the SPL before moving on to much bigger things ???

Being sucessful with dunfirmline does not mean winning leagues or cup, you, i and everyone else knows the old firm grip plus hearts are too strong, however if he had them in a afavorable 4th / 5th place and pushing upwards in 2/3 years and avoided relegation this year, it wouldnt take a genious to work out a bigger club in scotland or england would snap him up.

It doesnt take a genius to work out he will not go any higher in the game without taking that intermediatory step to poor club in either scotland or england,

dunfirmline would be a perfect stepping stone if he could turn them around, success is not always winning everything in front of you, sucess would be taking them as far as he would be expected to,

And if that Gretna team made it to a scotish cup final with a bit of luck you couldnt rule out any club getting there,

[dcfcsteve]

If he can build a decent side and get them up the table. I would imagine that Dunfermline probably have a bigger budget than Derry, but Derry probably are a better team. If he can build a better team than Derry's, feasible considering the budget, then they surely would finish higher in the league than in recent seasons and have good Cup runs? That would be how he can "prove his stuff."

I can just picture the CV now :

'Lifted Dunfermline 3 places in the SPL from relegation candidates to mid-table obscurity, and once made it to the quarter-finals of the Scottish Cup 2 years ago...'.

That should see the Directors of English Premiership clubs reaching for their cheque book..... :rolleyes:

Name me any manager outside the Big 5 in Scotland who has been able to use Scottish football to build a career in the last 5 years ? The answer says it all really...

As for this notion that money must equal success - a club like Dunfermline won't attract players of any quality, bar ageing journeymen, for the reasons I've outlined above about the club's almost non-existent potential. So money is irrelevant in such a distorted league as the SPL. Gretna have an astronomically higher budget than City's, and look what happened to them..

[lofty9]

It's a perfect opportunity for him to put himself on the shop window. All he has to do is keep Dunfermiline in the division and improve each year. It's a realistic step for him to make. If there is any truth in it then it is unfortunate for Derry City. However, it's unlikely he would jump ship at this stage of the season. Dunfermiline need someone asap, and that rules Kenny out unless he dramatically leaves.

[dcfcsteve]

It's a perfect opportunity for him to put himself on the shop window. All he has to do is keep Dunfermiline in the division and improve each year. It's a realistic step for him to make. If there is any truth in it then it is unfortunate for Derry City. However, it's unlikely he would jump ship at this stage of the season. Dunfermiline need someone asap, and that rules Kenny out unless he dramatically leaves.

If it's a strategy that would work, then why has no-one else done it recently ?

I'll ask again - who was the last Manager outside of the Big 5 to use Scottish football on which to build a successful career ? If it was such a feasible thing to do, then other capable managers would already be doing it.

[dcfcsteve]

Yeah of course :rolleyes:

Well argued there Bohsx3....

:o

[lofty9]

If it's a strategy that would work, then why has no-one else done it recently ?

I'll ask again - who was the last Manager outside of the Big 5 to use Scottish football on which to build a successful career ? If it was such a feasible thing to do, then other capable managers would already be doing it.

who was the last Eircom league irish manager to try it in England/Scotland? Roddy Collins. He hardly gave a insight into the quality of young managers we have. I haven't seen too many clubs come knocking for our top managers over the past 30years. Collins didn't help. If Kenny wants a job in England or elsewhere, and i'm sure he does, as he is an ambitious fellow, I'm sure he'll be able to transform whatever team he takes. I must have a lot more faith in Kenny's ability as a manager than you obviously have, as I believe he could build a successful career outside the Scottish big 5 as you call them.

[Poor Student]

Name me any manager outside the Big 5 in Scotland who has been able to use Scottish football to build a career in the last 5 years ? The answer says it all really...



Billy Davies and Craig Levein. Paul Sturrock if you extend it to 6 years. You're also negelcting the fact that it can carry you up the Scottish football rankings. Alex McLeish went from Motherwell to Hibs to Rangers.

[dancinpants]

Billy Davies and Craig Levein. Paul Sturrock if you extend it to 6 years. You're also negelcting the fact that it can carry you up the Scottish football rankings. Alex McLeish went from Motherwell to Hibs to Rangers.

George Burley started at Ayr. Craig Brown, and Billy McNeil both started at Clyde :o

[fbtn]

Jimmy Calderwood managed Dunfermiline - finished 4th in 2003-04, got them into Europe for the first time in 35 years and was handed the Aberdeen job.

And don't forget, the UK's most successful manager of all-time, Alex Ferguson started at St Mirren.

[garyderry]

If it's a strategy that would work, then why has no-one else done it recently ?

I'll ask again - who was the last Manager outside of the Big 5 to use Scottish football on which to build a successful career ? If it was such a feasible thing to do, then other capable managers would already be doing it.

No harm Steve, but your's and many other EL fans obsession with the SPL being a lower division than here is wearing thin, of course its a step up, and if he does a good job an obvious stepping stone into the top 5 in scotland,

no one said more money guarentees sucess, but it would give a good manager something more to work with.

When SK took over at derry we could attract anyone of any quality from outside the city to play for us, and certainly couldnt attract good players, to pack up and move here, but SK did, and look at the squad he has built, the exact same story at Tallaght town and Longford town, ok it was a completely different story at bohs, he took over when they where on top, but derry, tallaght and longford were not, and we were not far off the dunfirmline situation at the time, ok we may have won trophies in the past, but that means jack **** when you at the bottom of the heap struggling just ask rovers fans over the last few years.

Where else is there for him to go to step up, the lower leagues in england or scotland, no matter how sucessful is the best to hope for, exactly what steve cotterill and lawrie sanhez

Lawerie Sanez as an example went from Sligo Rovers to Wimbledon to ycombe Wanderers and now is doing a fantastic job with Northern Ireland, i think we can all be sure he will move into the premiership of other national teams from the north with the job he is doing there, and i dont think either of those managers are as good as kenny.

[dcfcsteve]

No harm Steve, but your's and many other EL fans obsession with the SPL being a lower division than here is wearing thin, of course its a step up, and if he does a good job an obvious stepping stone into the top 5 in scotland,

no one said more money guarentees sucess, but it would give a good manager something more to work with.

When SK took over at derry we could attract anyone of any quality from outside the city to play for us, and certainly couldnt attract good players, to pack up and move here, but SK did, and look at the squad he has built, the exact same story at Tallaght town and Longford town, ok it was a completely different story at bohs, he took over when they where on top, but derry, tallaght and longford were not, and we were not far off the dunfirmline situation at the time, ok we may have won trophies in the past, but that means jack **** when you at the bottom of the heap struggling just ask rovers fans over the last few years.

Where else is there for him to go to step up, the lower leagues in england or scotland, no matter how sucessful is the best to hope for, exactly what steve cotterill and lawrie sanhez

Lawerie Sanez as an example went from Sligo Rovers to Wimbledon to ycombe Wanderers and now is doing a fantastic job with Northern Ireland, i think we can all be sure he will move into the premiership of other national teams from the north with the job he is doing there, and i dont think either of those managers are as good as kenny.


Never once have I claimed that the SPL is a lower division than the EL.

All I'm saying is that if an EL manager wants to use Scottish football as a steppign stone in their career, they would be mad to go form one of our top clubs to one of the male-weights in Scotland. Kenny would be much more able to sghow his abilities - as, for example, he has done this season - over here than he would with small Scottish clubs like Dunfermline or Livingstone. It woudl do their careers more good to stick in Irish football raising their profile through Europe and winning trophies until a better job in Scotland or elsewhere arises.

Conveserly to any supposed superiority complex you think I'm giving the EL, I would argue that people who claim that any move to Scotland is a good move are living in a fantasy world. Moving to a Top 5 Scotrtish team, or one with a decent profile like Kilmarnock or ICT, would make sense. But feckin Dunfermline ?!? :o Players like Richie Foran have found to their cost that any club in Scotland is not often better than any club here. Leading Irish managers daft enough to make a similar change to an insignificant Scottish clubs will find so too.

[Soper]

For what my opinions worth, I think he would be better off waiting another season or so, and seeing what he can conjour up in Europe next season.He'd have even more to bring to the bargaining table then.

Also, I think the SPL can be broken up into 3/4 brackets, in comparison to the English leagues.Celtic, Rangers would, usually, be Premiership.Dunfermline, I feel, would be lower league 1/league 2.Make of that what you will, but I think he deserves a team better than Dunfermline.

[dcfcsteve]

Jimmy Calderwood managed Dunfermiline - finished 4th in 2003-04, got them into Europe for the first time in 35 years and was handed the Aberdeen job.

That leading light of football management....


And don't forget, the UK's most successful manager of all-time, Alex Ferguson started at St Mirren.

Well no, actually - he started at East Stirling.

Anyways - everyone has to start somewhere and big clubs don't sign nobodies, so that point is irrelevant. What is relevant is the question - was it St Mirren that gave Ferguson the platform to join United, or Aberdeen ? The answer says it all. Would Ferguson have been wise to make his career move from, say, St Mirren to Dunfermline ? No. Likewise I believe that a manager of either Shels, Derry or Cork would be mad to leave the EL for a club like Dunfermline because they can do nothing with such a club otheer than shift them around the lower-to-mid reaches of the SPL. It eerfore simply wouldn't provide a good enough platform to advance their career any more than remaining successful in Ireland would, whilst waiting for a better job/offer. They could do well at Dunfermline in the hope of getting a job with, say, Kilmarnock or Aberdeen. But what good would that be when they could arguably head straight form Ireland to those clubs off the back of consistently solid European results with an EL team, for example. Don't underestimate the impact of Derry humping Gretna this year - the penny has dropped in a lot of Scottish footballing circles about the reality of the supposed gulf between our leagues.

[dcfcsteve]

Billy Davies and Craig Levein. Paul Sturrock if you extend it to 6 years. You're also negelcting the fact that it can carry you up the Scottish football rankings. Alex McLeish went from Motherwell to Hibs to Rangers.

As with the other examples - who......??!? :confused:

McLeish got the Rangers job because of what he did at Hibs, not what he did (or ratehr didn't do) at Motherwell. Had he moved from Motherwell to Inverness, for example, it would've been less likely he'd have been able to make the step straight up to Rangers, which is precisely my point re Kenny.

[fbtn]

You asked a question and you were answered. Sheesh, do you ever admit/think you sometimes get things wrong?

Regardless if the Dons or Calderwood are leading lights or not, they are certainly a bigger club than Derry.

To be honest though, I don't give a flying fcuk if he goes or not.

[dcfcsteve]

You asked a question and you were answered. Sheesh, do you ever admit/think you sometimes get things wrong?

Regardless if the Dons or Calderwood are leading lights or not, they are certainly a bigger club than Derry.

To be honest though, I don't give a flying fcuk if he goes or not.

Not trying to be awkward FBTN - but what did I get wrong ?? Ferguson left St Mirren over 30 years ago - my question was talking about the last 5 years. And Aberdeen are certainly a bigger club than both Derry and Dunfermline, but don't match the type of career step that my original question was referring to.

SK will eventually leave us for someone better - it's inevitable. I'd be surprised if he left to join another Irish club, and very disappointed if he left for a Scottish club unlikely to make Europe more than once in a generation or win at least the League Cup or Scottish Cup.

[Poor Student]

As with the other examples - who......??!? :confused:



Well if you're that ignorant on such things then no wonder you're asking that question. Paul Sturrock was manager of Dundee United and St. Johnstone. He's managed Plymouth, Southampton (in the Premiership), Sheffield Wednesday and I think he's now manager of Swindon. Billy Davies was a successful manager at Preston where he brought them to the playoff final only to be beaten by West Ham. He's now manager of Derby County.

I'm not sure why I put Levein on that list as he was ex-Hearts manager, though he did earn that job by his work at Cowdenbeath. As for my point about McLeish, you seem to have missed it. Say Kenny went to Dunfermline and was semi successful. He could move up to the likes of Hibs/Aberdeen and then onto a reasonably big English club or something bigger like McLeish.

[harps1954]

From today's Belfast telegraph.


Both Derry City and Dunfermline were refusing to comment last night as speculation surrounding the future of Stephen Kenny increased.

The Derry City manager is believed to have been in Scotland on Sunday to be interviewed by the Dunfermline board with a view to him becoming the Scottish Premier League club's new manager.

That has been denied by the Brandywell outfit, who yesterday told the Belfast Telegraph that Kenny is going nowhere and with four league games and a cup final coming up in the next month they would be loathe to let their manager leave.

It is understood, however, that the Pars have added another name to their shortlist for the vacant manager's job, indicating that Kenny is a strong candidate to succeed Jim Leishman.

No names were mentioned in a statement released by Dunfermline, who simply confirmed that: "Contrary to previous speculation we would stress that we have at this stage made no offer to anyone."

Kenny, meanwhile, is preparing his Derry City side for a key eircom League clash with Drogheda United this evening.

[dcfcsteve]

Well if you're that ignorant on such things then no wonder you're asking that question. Paul Sturrock was manager of Dundee United and St. Johnstone. He's managed Plymouth, Southampton (in the Premiership), Sheffield Wednesday and I think he's now manager of Swindon. Billy Davies was a successful manager at Preston where he brought them to the playoff final only to be beaten by West Ham. He's now manager of Derby County.

I'm not sure why I put Levein on that list as he was ex-Hearts manager, though he did earn that job by his work at Cowdenbeath. As for my point about McLeish, you seem to have missed it. Say Kenny went to Dunfermline and was semi successful. He could move up to the likes of Hibs/Aberdeen and then onto a reasonably big English club or something bigger like McLeish.

PS - it was a rhetocal 'who' to highlight that those managers are effectively nobodies. Manger of Swindon Town...? :o Even my Town-loving former workmate happily accepts that they're a make-weight in football these days.

If SK went to Swindon I'd be disappointed, although to be fair they'd provide a better platform to prove yourself than someone like Dunfermline.

My point is that SK can go to a much better club than Dunfermline, and thereby can fast-track any climb he may make up the managerial pyramid. There's no reason to suspect that City won't have another positive run in Europe next year - we're likely to be seeds for a start - so he will do more to whorr himself around footballing circles through that than he would by scrambling to keep a rubbish Scottish team in the SPL. And if the Pars did go down, they'd find it hard to come back again in a hurry. The Scottish First is surprisingly competitive these days, as Gretna have found to their annoyance.

[Poor Student]

Sturrock's stock has fallen a little as Wednesday have just sacked him. I don't see anyone better coming in for eL managers. I think Fenlon was linked with the Livingston job (after or before Paul Lambert:confused: ) and that's about it. He'll do far more to get himself recognised in Britain by achieving midtable with Dunfermline than he would to get Derry into the UEFA Cup first round. If those managers are effective nobodies (which I do not agree), then who is Stephen Kenny?:confused: I personally think Dunfermline are in an awful position to take over and it could be hard to avert their relegation with Dundee United getting a boost from Levein taking over but I could see the appeal to him getting his foot a further rung up the ladder.

[Aaron]

No harm Steve, but your's and many other EL fans obsession with the SPL being a lower division than here is wearing thin, of course its a step up, and if he does a good job an obvious stepping stone into the top 5 in scotland,

no one said more money guarentees sucess, but it would give a good manager something more to work with.

When SK took over at derry we could attract anyone of any quality from outside the city to play for us, and certainly couldnt attract good players, to pack up and move here, but SK did, and look at the squad he has built, the exact same story at Tallaght town and Longford town, ok it was a completely different story at bohs, he took over when they where on top, but derry, tallaght and longford were not, and we were not far off the dunfirmline situation at the time, ok we may have won trophies in the past, but that means jack **** when you at the bottom of the heap struggling just ask rovers fans over the last few years.

Where else is there for him to go to step up, the lower leagues in england or scotland, no matter how sucessful is the best to hope for, exactly what steve cotterill and lawrie sanhez

Lawerie Sanez as an example went from Sligo Rovers to Wimbledon to ycombe Wanderers and now is doing a fantastic job with Northern Ireland, i think we can all be sure he will move into the premiership of other national teams from the north with the job he is doing there, and i dont think either of those managers are as good as kenny.


Bar Celtic, Rangers, Hearts and Hibs, i wouldnt say its a step up. Altho Gretna are in the first division they are a premier club. I think some teams in the LOI would be able to compete in an SPL without the four mentioned above

[Fingal hoop]

If it's a strategy that would work, then why has no-one else done it recently ?

I'll ask again - who was the last Manager outside of the Big 5 to use Scottish football on which to build a successful career ? If it was such a feasible thing to do, then other capable managers would already be doing it.

Billy Davies

[Fingal hoop]

Mowbray - im not sure what you call the big 5?

[BohsPartisan]

I'm presuming Celtic, Rangers, Hibs, Jambos and Aberdeen?

[dancinpants]

Altho Gretna are in the first division they are a premier club.

Not so sure about that any more. The 1st division isn't proving to be the cake walk we all thought it would be for them.

[Poor Student]

Gretna have had it tough at First Division level and were obliterated out of the Scottish League Cup by Hibs.

[BohsPartisan]

Where is Super Gretna now. Surely he would have some intelligent insight into this?

[Aaron]

Not so sure about that any more. The 1st division isn't proving to be the cake walk we all thought it would be for them.


I have no doubt that had we not mauled Gretna they'd be doin hell of a lot better, they are a good side, u cant take that away from the. The only difference is we are better!!:D

[lofty9]

:mad: Squeeky bum time ,city fans:mad: Not looking good. The scottish press are all over this one. Local radio has an emergency meeting at the club.

[Krstic]

If Kenny does leave (and it's looking likely)Who do we get to replace him??

[Jerry The Saint]

If Kenny does leave (and it's looking likely)Who do we get to replace him??

Sean Connor/Pat Fenlon:confused:

[wws]

If Kenny does leave (and it's looking likely)Who do we get to replace him??


kristic why is it likely?

as in does this rumour have legs?

[dcfcsteve]

Sean Connor/Pat Fenlon:confused:

I doubt many City fans would want Frodo Fenlon anywhere near the club....

I'll be very disappointed in SK if he goes to the Pars. I've always thought I'd like to go watch a game for whatever club Kenny does eventually move on to, but to be honest I would have zero interest in watching Dunfermline.

[dcfcsteve]

:mad: Squeeky bum time ,city fans:mad: Not looking good. The scottish press are all over this one. Local radio has an emergency meeting at the club.

Emergency meeting of which club - City or Dunfermline ??

[OneRedArmy]

Life goes on people. Nobody is bigger than the club etc.

Kenny's been great, will be very hard to replace, but if he does go fair play to him and I hope to god we aren't shown to be as fickle as the Sligo fans have been about Connor by running him down.

[carrickharp]

From BBC Scotland (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/d/dunfermline_athletic/6120366.stm)