Stephen Kenny

[seanfhear]

The Siege is lifted for now anyway.

[BOOMSHAKALAKA]

I can't get away from the similarities between Kenny's reign and Steve Staunton's reign. We had the embarrassing defeats, poor media performances, lots of talk about the assistant managers. This Scotland win now reminds me of Staunton's spell post Cyprus and San Marino. We beat Wales, we beat Slovakia in euro qualification games, we beat Denmark 4-0 in a friendly and the talk was that the corner had been turned. That didn't last long and it eventually it had to be accepted that Stan was out of his league. Let's hope Kenny can actually turn things around. He needs a result Tuesday night for sure.

[youngirish]

People have short memories. The main reason for that great performance yesterday was because Obafemi started and played the first 60 minutes. Remember that only a short time ago this was a player Kenny had written off as not good enough for the team when he was regularly experimenting with the likes of Aaron Connolly, Adam Idah, Troy Parrott, Will Keane, Callum Robinson, Chiedozi Ogbene and James Collins instead. At the time it was clearly obvious to anybody with a clue, even before Obafemi started his great run of form at Swansea, that he was worth at least a shot over many of the above, none of which were performing miracles at any of their club teams either. Yet Kenny continued to pick from the selection above in a side that consistently struggled to score.

The quicker we are rid of this fool the better. Irrespective of the manager you will always get the odd good result if you have a player in your team that can turn the game with some moments of brilliance like Obafemi did yesterday.

[Stuttgart88]

It wasn’t clear to me. I thought he was underwhelming at club level before he found his feet at Swansea.

[Nesta99]

I suppose comparisons could be made in the specific results mentioned above, but thats as far as it goes imo. Results and performances are gradually improving under SK considering that it is a complete rebuild. Staunton didnt really have that gradual improvement. SK has bags more experience than Stan in coaching and Im not sure what Bobby Robson contributed. The players Stan had were generally playing at a higher level and were more experienced. SK has a development strategy, Stan was winging it game by game. As a Dundalk man I respect their respective achievements, one as a player and one as a coach. The Kenny project will not happen overnight but you can see incremental improvements even if results are undermining things somewhat. But look at Michael O'Neills results with NI before he got them to qualification. The Scots game is a lot more like where we are at compared to the way we let Armenia damage us on the break. Against Ukraine we put phases together but not for 90mins but that 90min performance is on its way as the side develops.

As an aside, if SK was to lose his job, who is available to step in never mind someone who is not purely going to pay for short term gain as we ultimately slide down rankings with no development plan to build back again?

[passinginterest]

It wasn’t clear to me. I thought he was underwhelming at club level before he found his feet at Swansea.

Not only that but he was underwhelming at under 21 level and he was injured at various points too.

[youngirish]

It wasn’t clear to me. I thought he was underwhelming at club level before he found his feet at Swansea.

So it wasn't clear he at least deserved a chance in a team that Troy Parrott was playing in who couldn't, at the time, get a goal or often even a game in the Ipswich or Millwall teams? Or James Collins, who wasn't scoring in a struggling Cardiff team? How about Aaron Connolly who was consistently struggling at both club and international level for performances and goals? Or Ogbene who is a League 1 winger with a poor goals to games ratio? What great strikers were keeping Obafemi out of the squad, never mind the team?

[pineapple stu]

Kenny's first game as Ireland manager was September 2020. In the 20/21 season, Obafemi made four sub appearances in the league for Southampton and that's it. He played far more U23 football than senior ball. I think he was injured for a few months too. That's not the form of someone who deserves a chance.

This season he had one goal in the league by mid-Feb, but at least was getting more game time. He was called up in March when his form warranted it, but he pulled out through injury.

You can maybe say that he wouldn't have been much less effective than some other options, but there's nothing there to indicate he'd have been capable of a performance like yesterday's during the WC qualifiers.

[joey B]

If we lose on Tuesday,which is very possible it’ll be 3 defeats out of 4 and it will be a terrible window,the Scotland game and performance won’t change that,I’d say Kennys biggest regret will be not changing the team more between the Armenia and Ukraine games,that was a big mistake IMO….

[BOOMSHAKALAKA]

I suppose comparisons could be made in the specific results mentioned above, but thats as far as it goes imo. Results and performances are gradually improving under SK considering that it is a complete rebuild. Staunton didnt really have that gradual improvement. SK has bags more experience than Stan in coaching and Im not sure what Bobby Robson contributed. The players Stan had were generally playing at a higher level and were more experienced. SK has a development strategy, Stan was winging it game by game. As a Dundalk man I respect their respective achievements, one as a player and one as a coach. The Kenny project will not happen overnight but you can see incremental improvements even if results are undermining things somewhat. But look at Michael O'Neills results with NI before he got them to qualification. The Scots game is a lot more like where we are at compared to the way we let Armenia damage us on the break. Against Ukraine we put phases together but not for 90mins but that 90min performance is on its way as the side develops.

As an aside, if SK was to lose his job, who is available to step in never mind someone who is not purely going to pay for short term gain as we ultimately slide down rankings with no development plan to build back again?

Kenny has been in the job for over 2 years and 25 matches. Stan only had 17. Kenny's results have been worse than Stan's. The 'complete rebuild' excuse is nonsense. He inherited a squad who were on the verge of major championship qualification, plus numerous youngsters with large potential coming through. The facts are that results and performances have been terrible for the majority of his reign. He should be fired but if he gets positive results for the remainder of the nation's league, he will remain in the job. If he doesn't then he will be shown the door.

[SkStu]

So it wasn't clear he at least deserved a chance in a team that Troy Parrott was playing in who couldn't, at the time, get a goal or often even a game in the Ipswich or Millwall teams? Or James Collins, who wasn't scoring in a struggling Cardiff team? How about Aaron Connolly who was consistently struggling ay both club and international level for performances and goals? Or Ogbene who is a League 1 winger with a poor goals to games ratio? What great strikers were keeping Obafemi out of the squad, never mind the team?

All you’ve proven there, if anything, is that all those players were struggling equally as badly as Obafemi was at the time.

[paul_oshea]

He's such a warm and likeable man

Ya after reading that you just want Kenny to do well for that reason alone. Then have them qualify for something and have oneill on the panel on say ITV and see what he says then : )

[passinginterest]

Safe to say his job is secure for another while? Has this window provided more questions than answers? What's our best formation? Does he know? Does it need to be flexible depending on availability of players? E.g. Matt Doherty at wing back is a must, but if he's not available are we better with regular full backs where Coleman and Stevens can still do a solid job? Is it time to go all in on the younger players and ditch the old guard? It feels like some of them have played themselves back out of the team (maybe even the squad). If you look at the current squad and recent call ups there's 45/46 players listed (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republ..._football_team). That's a lot of depth before even getting to the under 21s who might push on. So with everyone available in September and a full squad to chose from who do you pick and what formation do they start in? I'll have a go at a 23 of;
Keepers
Bazunu 20
Kelleher 23
Travers 23
Pick themselves in fairness, other options; O'Leary 25, Talbot 25, Randolph 35.

Wingback/fullbacks
Doherty 30
Coleman 33
McClean 33
Stevens 31 (32 in July)
Arguably where we have most experience but are potentially weakest in depth. Options wise; Manning 26, Christie 29, McNamara 23, Browne 27, O'Connor 21 (22 in July), Festy 19 (20 in Aug), Ogbene 25, Adaramola 18, Bagan 20, we'll be hoping some of the young guns start the season well. Bagan maybe prime position to push on and McNamara must be close to a call up.

Central Defenders
Collins 21
Omobamidele 19 (20 in June)
Egan 29
O'Shea 23
Duffy 30
Some huge calls to be made, but hard to imagine Duffy being an automatic first choice now. Options obviously are pretty extensive with; Lenihan 28, Dunne 24, Long 31 (32 in Aug), McGuinness 21 etc.

Midfielders
Cullen 26
Hendrick 30
Molumby 22 (23 in Aug)
Browne 27
Smallbone 22
Knight 21
Still feels like we're lacking a bit here, there's quite a lot of options but few have really impressed. If Hendrick is getting games he's still going to make squads, Hourihane might be coming to the end of his time. I'd bump Smallbone up if playing regularly. Plenty of options still; Hourihane 31, Taylor 23 (24 next week), Arter 32, Kilkenny 22, Coventry 22, Sykes 24 (25 in Aug), Ronan 24, McGrath 25, O'Dowda 27. Some of them maybe options in the forward positions also so it's a hard call.

Forward/Wingers
Obafemi 21 (22 in July)
Parrott 20
Ogbene 25
Robinson 27
Idah 21
Again, there's plenty of options and the first choice three are probably now Idah, Obafemi and Parrot, form at the start of the season will probably decide this one more than any of the other positions. Options include; Connolly 22, Keane 29, Hogan 30, Hamilton 27, Collins 31, Curtis 26, Long 35, Ferguson 17, Odubeko 19

Plenty to ponder!

[Trequartista20]

John Eustace reported to be taking over from Lee Bowyer at Birmingham.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/footb...owyer-27381976

[paul_oshea]

Working for Ireland really is a great career move, within months you can get a promotion.

Worrying how we can't hold onto our assistants/backroom staff for very long.

Which title are you?

[seanfhear]

Any chance Stephen Kenny would give me a Job ? = = Great for the Auld CV.

[TonyD]

Working for Ireland really is a great career move, within months you can get a promotion.

Worrying how we can't hold onto our assistants/backroom staff for very long.

Which title are you?

Or maybe - Stephen Kenny has a great eye for spotting up and coming coaching talent 😛

[Trequartista20]

John Eustace reported to be taking over from Lee Bowyer at Birmingham.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/footb...owyer-27381976

Confirmed.

https://www.bcfc.com/news/club/john-...ues-head-coach

[Eirambler]

He really needs to find someone this time who is willing to commit to the job for two years. Constantly chopping and changing the coaching staff can't be helping things.

[pineapple stu]

We didn't even have time for BOOMERS to credit him with our upswing in form.