David Meyler: FAI should stick with Stephen Kenny unless Ireland 'flatline'

Former international midfielder thinks topping Nations League group a realistic target

Former Ireland midfielder David Meyler at the launch of the 2022 Spar FAI Primary School 5s Programme, where he was joined by Ireland international defender Louise Quinn. The pair were on hand at the FAI's headquarters in Sport Ireland Campus, to provide a coaching masterclass to a number of students who will be participating in what is Ireland's largest grassroots football programme Register for the SPAR5s by March 4 at www.fai.ie/SPARPrimarySchool5s. Picture: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

David Meyler is convinced that the FAI should keep faith with Stephen Kenny so long as the team he’s presiding over doesn’t “flatline”.

The Ireland manager is in advanced talks with his employers about extending his contract beyond the July expiration, with a maximum early severance package and his backroom team budget the foremost sticking points.

A strong conclusion to the World Cup campaign, that saw Ireland claim seven points from three games to snaffle third place on goal difference, influenced a decision by the FAI to offer fresh terms.

Meyler – the 26-time capped former Ireland midfielder currently assisting U17 manager Colin O’Brien – has described the Nations League campaign kicking off in June as a blank canvas.

Ireland will first have two friendlies in March to improve Kenny’s win rate of 20%. Then, meetings with Ukraine (home and away), Scotland, and Armenia are scheduled in the Nations League campaign, completed by two more in September.

Meyler wants to see more of what was on view in October and November, cogniscant that patience in the Kenny project can only last so long.

“How long is a piece of string?” the Corkman said when asked how much time can be afforded to Kenny, whose tenure began in April 2020.

“I think as long as there is progression, as long as it doesn’t flatline and stand still. It’s easy for me to say the squad needs patience and it needs time but how much of that he gets is not up to me.

“Results at the start of Stephen’s reign weren’t great but people had patience. When the results didn’t turn, a section of those patient people went negative.

“But the ones who stuck with it saw the progression come towards the end of the campaign with the performances. The results improved.

“The Nations League which is a blank canvas. Stephen has had time to work with these players and people are going to be the inevitable judge.” 

 Kenny made a bold prediction about topping the Nations League group before the draw was even made but Meyler insisted Ireland have to live in the real world.

“Of course, I’m going to be confident but you have to be realistic because there are difficult games in there too,” he noted.

“Ukraine reached the quarter-finals at the last Euros and Scotland are our next-door neighbours. Regardless of form, that becomes a rivalry game like it did when we went to Celtic Park during the Euro 16 qualifiers.

“With the progression Ireland have shown, I’m confident that we will win games and think topping the group is a realistic target.” 

 Meyler is also enthused by the generation coming behind. His job has offered a first-hand view into burgeoning talent like Evan Ferguson, Kevin Zefi,  and Cathal Heffernan.

“There are a lot of fantastic players coming through,” said the Leesider, gearing up for the elite qualifiers in March against Portugal, Finland and Bulgaria.

“Please god there’ll be another group of six or seven pushing through the first team in the next two to three years.” 

- David Meyler helped launch the SPAR FAI Primary School 5s Programme for 2022. The fun five-a-side football programme for boys and girls in 4th, 5th and 6th class has grown year-on-year and is now the largest grassroots football programme of its kind in Ireland with over 40,000 participants each year.