STEPHEN KENNY TODAY named his squad for Ireland’s final Euro 2024 qualifier away to the Netherlands and its drab epilogue, a friendly against New Zealand in Dublin.
The accompanying press conference at FAI HQ was shot through with an elegiac tone, given its highly likely that this will be the last squad Stephen Kenny will name as Ireland manager. Kenny’s position will be reviewed at the end of the campaign, but with a Euros play-off now a nigh-impossibility, the anticipation is that formal ties will be severed by the end of this month.
It seems everyone is preparing for the future now, with the Irish Daily Star today reporting that Kenny is a strong contender for the vacant manager’s job at Lincoln City. Kenny was coy on the links today.
“You can be linked to any job”, said Kenny when asked about the report. “The only thing that I am concerned about is managing Ireland. That is the biggest job. No club job could compare to managing your country.
“Managing your country is the biggest honour that could be bestowed upon you and that is something that I want to do. Obviously no decision is made in that regard, whatever will be will be, I’m just focusing on the games and making sure we are well prepared. I’m just very focused on what we have got to do, I can make decisions after that based on when I’m informed either way.”
Asked again about the link to Lincoln, Kenny said, “I’m not discussing any individual club at this stage.”
Kenny does want to remain as Ireland manager, but is realistic that results may dictate otherwise. He issued another broad defence of his time in charge, but acknowledged his position has been undermined by defeats home and away to Greece.
“Listen, we were in the proverbial group of death”, reflected Kenny. “I was at the draw with Northern Ireland, they were fifth seeds and they got Slovenia, Finland, Kazakhstan etc. [Denmark and San Marino were the other teams in their group.] We were third seeds and ended up with France, Holland and Greece.
“Our performances at home to France and Holland were really excellent, the disappointing aspect is to lose the games against Greece, and I take responsibility for that. A lot of the games we have had against the top teams over the years – Portugal home and away, Serbia home and away, Scotland home and away, France at home, Holland at home, the centenary game against Belgium – they have all been top class games of football. Top class games of football. People have seen that and enjoyed it, but you’re right, we haven’t won enough. Particularly the games against Greece, and that’s the disappointing aspect.
“I am not making a plea [to remain as Ireland manager], I am certainly not doing that. My contract is up after the New Zealand game, I am very privileged to manage Ireland, it’s a transitional phase but you can see the squad now. A record number of players have come through, some of them are in the Premier League.
“Their international experience has really enhanced their club careers, and their opportunity to get club moves. Several of the players who have been blooded early have enhanced their ability to get the moves they have, when people have seen them play at international level it has encouraged them.”
As for the squad itself, Kenny has been afforded a rare luxury of making very few changes, with the returns of Caoimhín Kelleher and Troy Parrott the only changes from the initial squad picked for last month’s games with Greece and Gibraltar.
Seamus Coleman hasn’t made the cut, despite making the first steps of his recovery from a serious knee problem by playing twice for Everton’s U21s.
“We’d love to have him here but he has been out for seven and a half months”, said Kenny of Coleman, who hasn’t played for Ireland since the 1-0 loss to France in March. “The Holland game is probably a bridge too far to jump into an international game from there.”
Also absent from the squad are Blackburn duo Andrew Moran and Sammie Szmodics. Moran has been named in the U21s squad for qualifiers against Norway and Italy, though he may link up with the senior squad for the friendly against New Zealand. Szmodics has been left out for personal reasons.
“I didn’t consider Sammie Szmodics for selection”, explained Kenny. “He obviously had to leave the camp on the second day in the last camp because of personal reasons and those personal reasons haven’t changed, he just can’t be away for 10 days so he couldn’t be considered.”
Ireland squad
Goalkeepers: Gavin Bazunu (Southampton), Caoimhin Kelleher (Liverpool), Mark Travers (AFC Bournemouth).
Defenders: Matt Doherty (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Festy Ebosele (Udinese), Ryan Manning (Southampton), Liam Scales (Celtic), Shane Duffy (Norwich City), Nathan Collins (Brentford), Dara O’Shea (Burnley), Andrew Omobamidele (Nottingham Forest).
Midfielders: Josh Cullen (Burnley), Jayson Molumby (West Bromwich Albion), Alan Browne (Preston North End), Will Smallbone (Southampton), Jason Knight (Bristol City), Jamie McGrath (Aberdeen), Mark Sykes (Bristol City).
Forwards: Evan Ferguson (Brighton and Hove Albion), Adam Idah (Norwich City), Callum Robinson (Cardiff City), Chiedozie Ogbene (Luton Town), Mikey Johnston (Celtic), Troy Parrott (Excelsior, on loan from Tottenham Hotspur).
Fixtures – November
18/11 – Netherlands v Republic of Ireland, Amsterdam Arena, 7.45pm
21/11 – Republic of Ireland v New Zealand, Aviva Stadium, 7.45pm