John Fallon: Caustic Hamann a cogent voice in Kenny debate
There is a certain irony amid the ongoing narrative around the Ireland manager’s job that the most cutting criticism has come from a foreigner.
Didi Hamman doesn’t live in Ireland, nor has any connection to the FAI, removing the German from the unspecific group of pundits Stephen Kenny alleges have an agenda against him.
Richard Dunne is, according to Kenny, ‘close’ to Robbie Keane, whom he overlooked for an assistant role, Brian Kerr was a previous Ireland manager and Damien Delaney, well, played for Ireland.
Kenny has refused to elaborate on those who supposedly hold a grudge against him but isn’t shy in complaining about coverage to television stations, either directly or through his handlers.
His relationship with Kerr, traced back to when Kenny was invited to an underage tournament during his early stages of coaching, has deteriorated to the point of being non-existent.
Hamman, a World Cup finalist and Champions League winner, has sat in his RTÉ chair during this reign, presenting his analysis based on what he sees on the pitch and hears from the manager.
Questioning the slew of debutants Kenny cites for allowances against the tallies of his predecessors and the standard of the few teams he’s beaten since taking charge in 2020 were just two of his notable observations.
Last Friday, as Ireland slumped to another defeat to Greece, this time at home, Didi broadened his critique into a summary of the Kenny’s Era.
“You get judged on what you do and on results, and on whether there is improvement. There hasn’t been any improvement,” blasted the German.
“I want to see successful football. I don’t care how they play. This team is miles away from going to a tournament. They got outfought and outplayed by a Greek team who
Read on irishexaminer.com
