Repeat of Greek tragedy won't result in early Kenny sacking
Another Greek tragedy this Friday won’t result in the sacking of Stephen Kenny, insists FAI supremo Jonathan Hill.
Kenny’s precarious three-year tenure as Ireland boss was hurtled into a tailspin in June by losing to the fourth-placed Greeks in Athens, even more convincingly than the 2-1 margin suggests.
An unlikely route into the European Championship qualification race didn’t ensue from last month’s window with further defeats to France and Netherlands, putting next year’s tournament in Germany all but beyond Ireland.
The manager’s position has been discussed at board level but various factors, including financial and the availability of a potential successor, led to a decision to hold fire until the 2023 schedule concludes with a friendly against New Zealand on November 21.
Hill and his Director of Football Marc Canham conveyed that stance last month and not even the acceleration of this slow death by slipping up in Friday’s final home qualifier will prematurely lower the axe.
"No, I don't think so,” said Hill when asked if the upcoming double-header, which concludes with a trip to minnows Gibraltar on Monday, could fast-track the timetable.
“We're committed to the process of reviewing the whole of the qualification process in November.”
Should the break clause in Kenny’s contract be invoked before the deal lapses in November, Kenny’s No 3 coach John O’Shea has been floated as a potential stopgap.
Lee Carsley is the leading contender to become the next permanent boss but the former Ireland midfielder has four qualifiers over the next six weeks with the reigning U21 European champions he oversees. The English FA would prefer the four-month window between then and the March 2024 fixtures to deal with his exit.
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