Stevens ready to back up Kenny's case for the Ireland defence

One of the first utterances made by Stephen Kenny when he was handed the baton from Mick McCarthy earlier this year was his observation that the Republic of Ireland already possessed one of the ten best defences in the European game.

This wasn't a casual opinion. Kenny processed the data and went through the numbers and he based his findings on the back four that started against Denmark last November at the Aviva Stadium: Matt Doherty, John Egan, Shane Duffy and Enda Stevens.

Only Ukraine, Turkey, Belgium and Italy conceded less in the Euro 2020 qualifiers. Poland and Spain, like Ireland, conceded just five times. Look at it in those simplistic terms and Ireland's defence is in the top seven.

What's more interesting is the fact that every one of the other six qualified for the finals. Ireland did not. It suggests that if the Republic can maintain that stinginess at the back and ally it with a greater threat going forward then this team could be in business.

“It's obviously a big compliment,” said Stevens of that ranking, “but it comes down to the players having to produce that level of performance consistently. That's why you can't rest on your laurels, you can't take your foot off the pedal.”

Stevens knew Kenny before the latter became senior manager. The pair share a League of Ireland background and met now and again at annual PFAI ceremonies. They also bumped into one another at Dalymount Park early last month when watching a Bohemians-Dundalk game.

The Sheffield United defender describes a man who wears his heart on his sleeve and one who has made no secret of a desire to write an entirely new chapter in the history of Irish football with a national side that plays on the front foot and seeks to dominate possession. What a change that would be.

“Players are looking at it as an opportunity to impress the new manager. It’s a clean slate for every player, and we will all be eager to play well so we can put our name into his head and get that shirt, hopefully play well and as many times for our country.

“It’s a new manager and a new staff, they will have their own ideas but the players have to play well to stay in the team,” said the Dubliner. “There’s a lot of competition for places, and that’s the healthy competition we need.”

Stevens has some experience of big ideas being put into practise given Chris Wilder's penchant for overlapping centre-backs and wing-backs at Sheffield United and there is a sense from him and other Irish players that they are not being asked to reinvent the wheel here.

The new manager has highlighted how international teams are no longer lining out symmetrically with, for example, a left-sided midfielder holding the mirror image position to his counterpart on the right.

That flexibility, or unorthodoxy if you prefer, will clearly be utilised in the Kenny era and it should certainly suit full-backs like Stevens, Doherty and Seamus Coleman who are as comfortable in an opposition's box as their own in today's Premier League.

“They're more kind of used as an attacking outlet nowadays and there's a lot more freedom to try to go and express yourself further up the pitch,” said Stevens of modern full-backs in general.

“If you look a Matt's stats, they are crazy for someone who plays as a wing-back. He's scored a lot of goals, he's got a lot of assists over the last two seasons.

“It's something I want to do. I want to add to my game and want to do a lot more of and score a few goals. Matt's been excellent as a wing-back over the last few years. It's just a new dimension for teams, the way they play, and it's a positive one for us.”

It makes for an intriguing prospect as Kenny's first games, against Bulgaria and Finland, come on stream this week and there is a similar sense of anticipation around Tallaght right now where Steven's old club are to face AC Milan in the Europa League .

The 30-year old was part of Michael O'Neill's Shamrock Rovers side that faced Juventus in Dublin ten years ago when two goals from the Brazilian-born striker Amauri gave the Serie A side a 2-0 advantage from the first leg.

The Rossoneri finished sixth in the Italian table last season and haven't won a major trophy since claiming an 18th league title in 2011. It is still AC Milan and Stevens has urged his old club to give it everything in a tie that will be decided over one leg.

“It’s a chance for them to show what they can do. They have got to have that belief that they can win the game. It’s a one-off game. Especially at home. It’s going to be some experience for them but it shouldn’t faze them. They should just go out there and express themselves.”