Stephen Kenny

**Diggs246** · 28/09/2022, 1:06 PM

Originally Posted by DCWA

Would agree with this too, I don?t slate Kenny for this sub last night it was all a bit of a formality. There can be no one that can genuinely say they sat there and thought oh no this is going to cost us the game. If anything I thought it might be a game where Hourihane could ping the ball about and look half decent maybe even get a few shots off from that 20-30 yard range something I felt we didn?t have someone to do in the first half (possibly Brady but not much oppportunity from LWB for that).

As it transpires there are no games in a green shirt left in which Hourihane can look good.

The sub at the time however, was or seemed fine.

I nearly died when I saw him come on and said this is a big problem and I'm not nostradamus. I just know playing a sh*t player isn't good management. He did have to take Molumby off, but not for Hourihane

**DCWA** · 28/09/2022, 1:09 PM

Originally Posted by Diggs246

I nearly died when I saw him come on and said this is a big problem and I'm not nostradamus. I just know playing a sh*t player isn't good management. He did have to take Molumby off, but not for Hourihane

No one can say they expected us to near throw away the game on the back of bringing Hourihane on is what I said. He is a poor player, it wasn?t an inclusion in the squad I would support never mind an inclusion on the pitch at any stage but no manager or fan would have predicted the near disastrous impact him coming on had.

**ifk101** · 28/09/2022, 1:18 PM

I know he wasn't in the squad, but if we are talking about alternatives to Cullen, Omobamidele would be more suited to a midfield anchor role than Collins imo. My sense is Omobamidele is more mobile and capable of covering more space than Collins in that role, and he has a good brain and footballing ability to boot.

**Stuttgart88** · 28/09/2022, 1:57 PM

Originally Posted by Diggs246

I think its illogical to have him in the squad though? He has shown for years that he is a poor player.

For us yes, and at club level shows flashes of quality. Until we can call on the U21s (now as it'd appear to happen) he's always going to be in or around the squad.

You'd swear he was an active anti-Kenny agent though. Misses a near tap in in Slovakia, gifts an equaliser to Armenia. Both potential turning points in SK's tenure!

As a pal said in a chat last night he poses around the pitch thinking he's Zidane. I think that's what I hate most about him.

**Diggs246** · 28/09/2022, 2:21 PM

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

For us yes, and at club level shows flashes of quality. Until we can call on the U21s (now as it'd appear to happen) he's always going to be in or around the squad.

You'd swear he was an active anti-Kenny agent though. Misses a near tap in in Slovakia, gifts an equaliser to Armenia. Both potential turning points in SK's tenure!

As a pal said in a chat last night he poses around the pitch thinking he's Zidane. I think that's what I hate most about him.

No need for u21s yesterday
Just push Brady up to midfield and bring on mclean
This isn't me being captain hindsight
I'm simply avoiding playing a poor player and I don't think that's complicated.

He's in game management is awful
He subbed obefemi off v Scotland. I mean sweet jesus

**Stuttgart88** · 28/09/2022, 2:39 PM

That'd have been a fair call alright.

**ifk101** · 28/09/2022, 2:43 PM

Kenny did try playing Brady in the middle before and it didn't work - he was on a different wavelength to everyone else. And if you moved him into the middle last night, the midfield loses its balance without somebody sitting (Knight, Hendrick or Brady are not going to sit). But beyond a couple of good crosses, did Brady have a good game? Seemed to me he slowed play and didn't have the pace to go by their fullback. Once Hourihane came on (set-piece taker), was there a need to keep Brady on the pitch? Think I'd have preferred McClean's directness and energy. After what Hourihane did last night, I don't think he can have complaints if he is not picked again. But once Molumby forced Kenny's hand, Hourihane was the correct sub to make of the options available.

Obafami looked tired against Scotland imo.

**Stuttgart88** · 28/09/2022, 2:44 PM

Originally Posted by texidub

I expect to be none the wiser about Kenny's abilities or the level of talent in the team after these two games. That's part of the entertainment factor with this past few years under Kenny though... no idea what we'll get... but all the time young players are getting a chance and building experience (and being forgiven mistakes and medicore moments).. and the overall play still feels like an improvement on some of the turgid dependability of previous generations of the Irish team. Can't make head nor tail of it though. Looking forward to both matches.

This (from the Scotland/Armenia thread)!!

I can't even make head nor tale of sections within games now.

I think the in-game management criticisms are fair but equally I think it's fair to point out that the options are limited too and individual brain farts are players' responsibility.

**paul_oshea** · 28/09/2022, 4:41 PM

Originally Posted by ifk101

He had to take Molumby off - that decision was forced on him. He made a like for like change - why change the whole game plan when we were coasting to victory and under no apparent threat? To be innovative?

This is what I'm talking about, he knows the limitations of Hourihane his complete lack of ability to play that role, or at least he should, so we had to make a defensive minded change considering we were taking off a defensive midfielder. We were 2-0 up at home against the 92nd ranked team and a blind man and his monkey know we need to find alternatives, Collins was playing much further forward than he should have been anyway, we'd have kept a defensive minded midfielder in the holding role and we need to try out alternatives for that position that was a very appropriate time to try it out.

There might be other better alternatives but Collins can't have done any worse than hourihane and I dont think anyone would have had issues with that trying, in fact I'd say many of us would be discussing the out of left field change from Kenny in trying it out.

**Kingdom** · 28/09/2022, 6:04 PM

Originally Posted by ifk101

Kenny did try playing Brady in the middle before and it didn't work - he was on a different wavelength to everyone else. And if you moved him into the middle last night, the midfield loses its balance without somebody sitting (Knight, Hendrick or Brady are not going to sit). But beyond a couple of good crosses, did Brady have a good game? Seemed to me he slowed play and didn't have the pace to go by their fullback. Once Hourihane came on (set-piece taker), was there a need to keep Brady on the pitch? Think I'd have preferred McClean's directness and energy. After what Hourihane did last night, I don't think he can have complaints if he is not picked again. But once Molumby forced Kenny's hand, Hourihane was the correct sub to make of the options available.

Obafami looked tired against Scotland imo.

Robbie Brady was abysmal last night. 2/15 crosses that were decent, and a penalty don't mask that.

**Trequartista20** · 28/09/2022, 9:43 PM

Injuries have taken their toll on Brady. His legs have gone and this has been evident for some time. He doesn't have the pace or athleticism to play a wingback role at that level any more.

**Insidetherock** · 28/09/2022, 10:22 PM

I genuinely thought Brady was rubbish last night.. he has no pace, and maybe I missed his brilliant crosses or something but nothing he did stood out for me, bar him grabbing the ball for the penalty

Some might call that being brave, but when I seen it, it just smacked once again of him being "my ball Brady"

He wants to take every free, every corner, every throw..

He slows down play, takes too many touches and just frustrates the life out of me.. gimme the raw honesty of Mc Clean over him any day

**paul_oshea** · 28/09/2022, 10:28 PM

He setup the first goal with a perfect corner. Then he scored a penalty to win the game. When you look at all that went on he can't have been the most rubbish or near it

**DCWA** · 28/09/2022, 11:47 PM

Originally Posted by paul_oshea

He setup the first goal with a perfect corner. Then he scored a penalty to win the game. When you look at all that went on he can't have been the most rubbish or near it

I also thought he was very poor to be honest, first half he was awful.

Decent set piece delivery is the absolute minimum you expect from and him and fair enough he handled the penalty well and converted coolly. However in general play he can, and in my opinion, was, one of our poorest players.

**ontheotherhand** · 29/09/2022, 12:09 AM

Actually think he had one of his better games. But I don't rate him at all so I'm not saying he was good.

He was tidy enough in possession and offered more than Doherty. Playing him at LWB also removes him from the middle of the park where he just swans around waiting for free kicks and corners. I'd still prefer McLean but we are so short of options there. Enda has fallen off a cliff and there's nobody close to breaking through. Andy Lyons was one of the few good performers for the 21st against Israel but I'd be surprised if he could make the step up tbh.

**Bielsa´s irish** · 29/09/2022, 12:53 AM

thank you for your work Mr. Kenny but this must be the end of the road, after 3 years and 26 matches he showed he cant make the best from this crop of players, ditto this I think, I deeply think, he should do the honorable thing, and resign, so the FAI can get someone for the next level, thank you very much, but he is just not up for the challenge, he tried but he wasnt good enough. some things will be good from his aproach but some other are very regrettable,

best wishes

**samhaydenjr** · 29/09/2022, 1:26 AM

In terms of our problems in midfield, clearly the first order of business is to cap Will Smallbone in the Autumn friendlies. Conor Coventry is probably next in line, but unless he gets some game time between now and then, I would probably leave him out. Here's a thought, given that some people are suggesting moving Nathan Collins forward - how about Darragh Lenihan? He looked comfortable on the ball alongside Collins against Ukraine and played the first few years of his career as a midfielder. Beyond that, it seems a matter of monitoring the progress of Coventry, Luca Connell, Conor No? and Dawson Devoy, maybe see if Connor Ronan can soon start playing a level above where he has been doing to date.

Another thought - We had Callum O'Dowda on the bench last night - given our utter lack of penetration around the penalty area, would he have been more suitable on the left? I know Brady ended up winning the game at the end, but aren't his crosses from deep pointless if they're aimed at Michael Obafemi? When playing against opposition who park the bus, would we have more success from a winger who takes on defenders, gets to the byline and gets the ball into the "corridor of uncertainty" for defenders?

**lofty9** · 29/09/2022, 9:23 AM

It had all the elements of Kerr v Israel, poor subs and it cost. Kenny got lucky though. He needs to bring in at least 2 u21s for Norway and get rid of at least CH and those who are incapable of playing at the tempo he requires.

**BOOMSHAKALAKA** · 29/09/2022, 9:40 AM

Lads, what is all this nonsense about building for euro 2024? This is not what Kenny was hired for. He came up with that after losing to Luxembourg. The FAI certainly didn't hire him on that basis, just look at the contracts he was given.

We came very close to qualifying for the euros in 2020, coming just behind 2 very good teams in Switzerland and Denmark. Kenny's job was to build on this using the same squad while adding some of the most exciting youngsters we've had in a long time. He has failed miserably in this task.

He has taken us from a team that consistently competed at the business end of qualification tables to a team that consistently competes at the bottom. He has to go. He has had more than enough time. 10 more games than Staunton had, nearly as many as Kerr. All he is doing is bringing a new generation of players into a losing culture that will be hard to fix. Let's get a competent manager on board for the Euros.

**seanfhear** · 29/09/2022, 9:50 AM

Originally Posted by BOOMSHAKALAKA

Lads, what is all this nonsense about building for euro 2024? This is not what Kenny was hired for. He came up with that after losing to Luxembourg. The FAI certainly didn't hire him on that basis, just look at the contracts he was given.

We came very close to qualifying for the euros in 2020, coming just behind 2 very good teams in Switzerland and Denmark. Kenny's job was to build on this using the same squad while adding some of the most exciting youngsters we've had in a long time. He has failed miserably in this task.

He has taken us from a team that consistently competed at the business end of qualification tables to a team that consistently competes at the bottom. He has to go. He has had more than enough time. 10 more games than Staunton had, nearly as many as Kerr. All he is doing is bringing a new generation of players into a losing culture that will be hard to fix. Let's get a competent manager on board for the Euros.

Who could we get with the amount of money the FAI have to offer ?