Seat swap caused Aaron Connolly and Adam Idah to miss Slovakia playoff

Stephen Kenny has, reluctantly, shed some light on the Covid mishap that hindered Ireland's Euro 2020 ambitions

Stephen Kenny speaks with Aaron Connolly and David McGoldrick during training at Abbotstown last week. The Ireland manager is also without McGoldrick for the game against Wales. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

Stephen Kenny has confirmed that Aaron Connolly and Adam Idah essentially sat in the wrong seats for the squad's flight from Dublin to Bratislava last Tuesday.

Both players missed the Euro 2020 playoff defeat to Slovakia after being deemed close contacts of a non-football member of staff who subsequently tested positive for Covid-19 after the party's arrival in the Slovakian capital.

The Irish Sun reported on Saturday evening that the two players opted to take two spare seats at the rear of the aircraft - behind the member of staff in question and in an area not meant for the players - rather than their designated spots further up the cabin.

“Yeah, that seems to be the case, yeah,” said Kenny, who was very reluctant to go into any detail on the matter when asked about it in a pre-match conference ahead of the Nations League game against Wales. 

“But, again, I wouldn't have been aware of that because I was at the front of the plane obviously.”

Connolly and Idah are also out of the Nations League fixtures against Wales and Finland as a result. Both returned to their clubs in England from Bratislava while the rest of the Ireland squad flew back to their base in Dublin.

The entire episode, which stretches back to the steps taken when a first member of the team bubble tested positive last Monday, has raised questions over the FAI's handling of Covid-related protocols.

The staff member who tested positive in Slovakia was what Kenny referred to as a non-essential and non-football member of the party.

The Dubliner would not comment on anything of that nature, stating it would be ”grossly irresponsible” of him as senior manager to be making such public statements, but he did stress that there are great staff and good people working with and for them.

“This is a situation that is unprecedented, for sure,” he added. “It's something that we just have to contend with and ... Without doubt, everyone can learn but it's an unfortunate situation and one that we have to live with.”

Kenny would clearly prefer if the narrative shifted to the next two games but even he accepted that the Covid situation which deprived him of two key attackers was “not something that should have arisen”.

He also confirmed that Connolly had been pencilled in to start the playoff and that the drama caused unwanted distractions ahead of such a must-win game.

To find out on match day, and then a bit of a saga because the possibility existed of an appeal and so forth... So it wasn't good preparation on match day because we were having discussions about it and the impact of it rather than the match itself, but there is nothing we can do about it.”

Ultimately, he said, there was no guarantee of a different result had the two players been available. Ireland now have to move on without them, as well as David McGoldrick who has been scratched from the next two fixtures with an abductor muscle injury.

The Sheffield United striker was superb at times against the Slovaks and his absence is another blow in a game that holds major importance for Ireland in terms of rankings and seedings ahead of the World Cup qualifier draw next month.

James McCarthy, who came off on the hour on Thursday, is also a doubt although it has been confirmed that the Crystal Palace midfielder did not tear anything before coming off. There was no mention of anyone being ushered in as replacements.

“We have a lot to consider,” said Kenny as he chases a first win at the fourth attempt. “The players played 120 minutes but every international is very important and significant in the lives of the players, albeit there is not a full house with the current situation.

“Some think that dilutes the importance of it but it shouldn't. It still should be an occasion within itself and all the players are proud to play for Ireland. They are all hurting at the moment after losing the other night. It's a huge disappointment because the players were excellent.”

It's a big ask for a squad that had already suffered the losses of Seamus Coleman, Darragh Lenihan, and Harry Arter. It was 5.30am on Friday morning before they landed back in Dublin and Kenny admitted that another 24 hours would have been welcome before playing again.

That said, he felt it unnecessary to stress the importance of this game to his squad. Or the positives from the game in Slovakia which could be easily overlooked given the crushing disappointment that was the end of their Euro 2020 ambitions.

“I don't think I have to. They see it themselves, having gone toe to toe in our last two away games and largely controlled the games, and Slovakia was end to end. We have to improve upon that and finish our chances and create even more.

“They have seen it themselves and with their own eyes. They know themselves that they have a lot of potential in the team and they are very capable footballers and well capable of going toe to toe with some of the best teams.”