Stephen Kenny

[tetsujin1979]

There’s always the option of a part-time manager. Barry was coaching us and Chelsea at the same time. There’s no obvious candidate, but if it’s a way of getting quality on a budget. Maybe Michael O’Neill? I was prepared to give Kenny the benefit of the doubt on improved form over the last 12 months, but that result was proper humiliation. He looks like he doesn’t know what he’s doing, sounds like he doesn’t know what he’s doing, snd the results alas confirm it.

I can't see how that would work. Scouting players, opposition, preparing set pieces and tactics, etc, that's a full time job

[BOOMSHAKALAKA]

The excuses keep being rolled out for Kenny but even his most ardent supporters are running low on them. We don't have any money to afford anyone else is the latest, desperate attempt to defend the view that Kenny should be left in charge.

[Bielsa´s irish]

Technically, Jason Knight was the only League One player named in the 27-man panel.

He needs a move asap then. Leeds Forest etc

[paul_oshea]

I think Kenny will be in trouble tonight if we lose. Outside of the (dwindling) die-hard Kenologists its clear that people are seeing serious limitations with his ability to win games we should be winning; easy. He needs to realise that its all well good having a footballing philosophy and an innate belief of how the game should be played, which is great but the reality in international football is results and that's not happening. He needs to start delivering on the win at any costs, get the job done mantra. Then he can sing sweet melodies to all adoring followers of how football should be played.

[Diggs246]

I think Kenny will be in trouble tonight if we lose. Outside of the (dwindling) die-hard Kenologists its clear that people are seeing serious limitations with his ability to win games we should be winning easy. He needs to realise that its all well good having a footballing philosophy and an innate belief of how the game should be played, which is great but the reality in international football is results and that's not happening. He needs to start delivering on the win at any costs, get the job done mantra. Then he can sing sweet melodies to all adoring followers of how football should be played.

I have to say I don't find his football attractive... its frustrating if anything.
Its all headers and poor crosses when we get into their half... Duffy was pushed upfront again by close of business Saturday!!

[zero]

I think Kenny will be in trouble tonight if we lose. Outside of the (dwindling) die-hard Kenologists its clear that people are seeing serious limitations with his ability to win games we should be winning easy. He needs to realise that its all well good having a footballing philosophy and an innate belief of how the game should be played, which is great but the reality in international football is results and that's not happening. He needs to start delivering on the win at any costs, get the job done mantra. Then he can sing sweet melodies to all adoring followers of how football should be played.

I think there's a sizeable minority who would rather play football "the right way" even at the expense of results. A lot of these same people don't seem to really mind about international football in general and are much more interested in club football.

On the other end of the scale there's a perhaps even smaller minority who feel that results are the be all and end all.

Most people I expect are somewhere in the middle. We all understand there is a rebuild in progress but you really need to find a way to beat the lower ranked teams and if that means playing percentage football then so be it. It feels like we need a far different approach in those games versus against higher ranked teams, which is something we don't have yet and difficult to sort out in a short international window.

A loss tonight (to be honest, maybe even a draw) and the campaign is basically over before it's begun - just like the last one... but I reckon SK is safe regardless.

[Eirambler]

Kenny for me would make a great director of football, or technical director or one of those other upstairs roles that most teams seem to have these days. Everything looks pretty good with him up to match day, but on match day it all falls to pieces far too often.

Too many wrong selections, wrong setups and no obvious ability to fix things mid game when the problems and solutions are obvious to others. Hopefully he does better tonight and we get a badly needed win, but longer term it just feels like there's another Kenny tactical shambles waiting around the corner that will lead to another disasterous result.

[jbyrne]

Outside of the (dwindling) die-hard Kenologists its clear that people are seeing serious limitations with his ability to win games we should be winning easy

anyone who thinks we should be winning games "easy" hasn't been following Irish football for the last 100 years.
hasn't happened under any Irish manager I can remember save the odd result against the likes of san marino

[passinginterest]

I think there's a sizeable minority who would rather play football "the right way" even at the expense of results. A lot of these same people don't seem to really mind about international football in general and are much more interested in club football.

On the other end of the scale there's a perhaps even smaller minority who feel that results are the be all and end all.

Most people I expect are somewhere in the middle. We all understand there is a rebuild in progress but you really need to find a way to beat the lower ranked teams and if that means playing percentage football then so be it. It feels like we need a far different approach in those games versus against higher ranked teams, which is something we don't have yet and difficult to sort out in a short international window.

A loss tonight (to be honest, maybe even a draw) and the campaign is basically over before it's begun - just like the last one... but I reckon SK is safe regardless.

I think this sums it up quite well. Where Kenny has had success has been in transforming our ability to retain possession and play in a modern style (something that a succession of managers seemed to think was impossible). Where he's fallen down is probably having a bit too much belief in retaining the ball for longer and simply getting more balls into the opposition penalty box to deliver goals. Once the playoff for the Euro's was lost he has the opportunity to rush up some players from the under 21s, some sunk, some swum, some of the senior players forced their way back in with good performances. I think his willingness to adjust the squad and the team is a credit. What I'd like to see more of now, is earlier adjustment in game when things are not working, and a willingness to adjust the shape, whether that's to 4 at the back or 2 up top for certain games. In the early days it was all 4-3-3, now it's all 5-2-3. I'd like to see a bit more flexibility. I said from day one he had weaknesses in terms of set pieces as a manager and in terms of getting caught on the counter attack and both appear to still be issues. Barry seemed to improve the set pieces, but they were awful again in Armenia.

He has to find a way of breaking down poorer teams, now that he's proved we can dominate possession against them. If that means starting with the two biggest lumps we have up front, then that should be tried, if it means telling the midfielders to shoot every time they get a ball in the centre within 25 yards that should be tried. I still think there's hope that the team is improving and that the ability to beat those poorer teams, as well as those around our level and better will come. What he can't do anything about is not having a Robbie Keane, Damien Duff, Wes Holohan or even an Andy Reid at his disposal and that just makes scoring goals a lot more difficult than for any other Irish side in the past 30 years really. I'm not sure Kenny will stay in the job long enough to see the fruits of what he's started to implement, and maybe he just isn't good enough to actually do it anyway, but I do think there's the potential there, if we stick with a manager with a belief that we can play football in a modern style, for the team to have a big breakthrough in the next decade.

[Diggs246]

Inside Stephen Kenny's new Ireland deal - Salary, Euros bonus and potential severance package - Buzz.ie

If and its a big if tbf, that there is only a "3 month plus pay out clause" post NL. Stephen is literally playing for his job over the next three games


if we get 1 point from the next three games. I would say the FAI will sack him and pay him the funds ( basically he needs a win )

[Eirambler]

Anyone who think Kenny is safe until 2024 regardless of results - the length of time that was spent negotiating the terms of his contract certainly suggest that this isn't the case at all. The length of severance pay is speculative in that article but it's highly unlikely that he was given a free pass to 2024 given his previous poor results. It will have almost certainly have been set up in a way that allows him to be affordably removed if things don't improve.

[Supreme feet]

I'm not sure Kenny will stay in the job long enough to see the fruits of what he's started to implement, and maybe he just isn't good enough to actually do it anyway, but I do think there's the potential there, if we stick with a manager with a belief that we can play football in a modern style, for the team to have a big breakthrough in the next decade.

This. Great post.

[paul_oshea]

anyone who thinks we should be winning games "easy" hasn't been following Irish football for the last 100 years.
hasn't happened under any Irish manager I can remember save the odd result against the likes of san marino

Fixed that : P

[paul_oshea]

I'm not sure Kenny will stay in the job long enough to see the fruits of what he's started to implement, and maybe he just isn't good enough to actually do it anyway, but I do think there's the potential there, if we stick with a manager with a belief that we can play football in a modern style, for the team to have a big breakthrough in the next decade.

....if a player comes through capable of filling the final piece in the jigsaw. I think the crux of this argument is is that one piece of the jigsaw, from being a masterpiece.

If you're suggesting that this style of play will continue without him regardless I wouldn't be so sure otherwise, a manager will come in and do their own thing to achieve results.

Generally I agree with your point though, and it would be nice to have a team capable of playing football, playing football for the next 10 years. But we dont get any closer or nearer(breakthrough) to tournaments by playing nice football - we might just be more endearing and entertaining to the general football public.

[TrapAPony]

Needs to be got rid of immediately. We are going nowhere fast. 25 games in charge and has achieved nothing but take us backwards at an alarming rate.

[youngirish]

Please Steve Staunton come back. All is forgiven. Kenny has been the poorest Irish managerial appointment since Mick Meagan.

[seanfhear]

Any suggestions if the Stephen Kenny experiment does come to an end ? ?

[Bielsa´s irish]

Needs to be got rid of immediately. We are going nowhere fast. 25 games in charge and has achieved nothing but take us backwards at an alarming rate.

That Darragh Maloney seemed very furious on TV. Get Bielsa Ireland needs a big name after Kenny. Kenny will be replaced soon

[Bielsa´s irish]

Any suggestions if the Stephen Kenny experiment does come to an end ? ?

Should end after this window, the national team is not improving after the first match vs Bulgaria with a late header. Its the end of the road.

[Paddy Garcia]

He seems to be very much like Boris Johnson.

A lot of people in England think Boris gives bumbling interviews and then transforms into an effecive leader when he walks through the doors of the cabinet.

Maybe Stephen does transform - no idea.