Separating spin from substance: How to assess Stephen Kenny's first year in charge?

John Fallon examines Ireland's performances during the first year of the Kenny era under three headings

Republic of Ireland manager Stephen Kenny at Ireland training at PGA Catalunya Resort in Girona, Spain. Photo by Pedro Salado/Sportsfile

A year in the role is an opportune time to take stock on any managerial reign and what a rollercoaster 12 months it has been for Ireland under Stephen Kenny. We can only hope and expect that the longest winless streak since 1972 is shattered at the 12th attempt in Andorra tomorrow, a microstate minnow anchored 158 in Fifa’s rankings.

What has been produced by Ireland for the past 12 months, for all the mitigating factors, simply hasn’t been good enough.