Kenny - 'One big win puts us right back in it'

EXCITING CHALLENGES: Stephen Kenny is excited about the upcoming challenges when the face France and Holland. Pic: ©INPHO/Gary Carr

World Cup qualification and a spirited showing in each of their three games at their first major finals wasn’t enough to keep Vera Pauw in charge of the Republic of Ireland Women’s National Team.

In the extremely late hours of Tuesday night, it was finally confirmed that Pauw’s near four-year stint in charge of the Girls in Green was over as the FAI’s board voted against extending her contract, which expired once they arrived back from Australia.

Stephen Kenny’s future could be the subject of a similar meeting in the coming weeks and months but qualification for Euro 2024 would certainly see him avoid a similar fate to Pauw, whom he spoke to on the phone on Thursday morning.

Unfortunately for Kenny, it’s not quite as simple as that. Yesterday, the Irish boss named the 25-man squad that he hopes will secure a vital three points from the six on offer in their upcoming double-header to at least keep their dreams of reaching Germany next summer alive.

Standing in their way though will be a full-strength and therefore star-studded France side in Paris followed by a talented Netherlands team arriving at a sold-out Aviva Stadium with a point to prove.

Despite the pressure Kenny’s currently under, those matches offer challenges he will enjoy because in his words; “you have to, why wouldn't you?

“I know from our point of view they are tough games, against two of the top teams in Europe, France, one of the top two teams in the world, world class players all over.

“It's a brilliant week to be involved in football, that's a very special week, to play France in Paris and play Holland here in front of a full house, a sell-out against Holland in a European Championship qualifier, really big games, very exciting for everyone involved.

“We are excited about that, no doubt about that, they are games to look forward to.” 

The current state of play in Group B offers few reasons to be optimistic though. The French – the 2018 World Cup winners and the 2022 World Cup runners-up – lead the way with a perfect record so far with four wins – including a narrow victory in Dublin – from their four games in which they have scored nine goals and conceded zero.

The Dutch remain the favourites to secure second spot, but they have work to do thanks to their 4-0 drubbing at the Stade de France while Ireland’s only win so far came against minnows Gibraltar in Dublin last time out.

But it’s their performances against the biggest nations during his tenure that has Kenny bullish in the lead-up to these tough assignments which will go a long way to deciding whether or not Ireland feature at Euro 2024, as well as his future in the role.

“I feel that we are just one big win away from the group having a completely different complexion, to pull that one big win out,” insisted Kenny.

“All of our games against the top teams have been such narrow games, now we just need to come out on the right side of one of those games and it looks completely different.

“I think if we can do that, the complexion of the group looks completely different. I just mean in terms of the group itself; one big win puts us right back in it with the October window, Greece at home and Gibraltar away, it puts us right back in it.

“We have to try and do all we can to get that. Alright, the odds might be stacked against us, people might think that's a challenge too far, but we have got to absolutely.... the games against the top seeds have been really strong games, not trying to get moral victories but we can take comfort from the fact that all of the games have been narrowly decided, draws or by one goal, against say Portugal home and away, Ukraine away, the top seeds, Scotland home and away, France here.

“They have all been good games so we can take... we just need to come out on the right side of one of those games and put ourselves right back in the group, that's what we must aspire to do.” 

In terms of his squad, Seamus Coleman, Callum O’Dowda (both injured) and Troy Parrott will miss both fixtures while Matt Doherty will return from suspension for the tie with the Netherlands.

In their place come uncapped youngster Festy Ebosele, Shane Duffy and Aaron Connolly - the latter two earning recalls following their impressive form since switching clubs in recent times.

Kenny had hoped Caoimhin Kelleher would follow their example this summer and he even went as far as stating back in June his belief that the Cork native would leave Liverpool in search of regular first team football.

But that now seems unlikely to happen, unless there is a dramatic twist before the transfer window closes tonight.

“It's just a situation where he's behind the best goalkeeper in the world,” added Kenny.

“It's a great club. A club with a great history, one of the top clubs in the world. It's just very hard for him.

“They are in the Europa League, he may play in that, I don't know. It would be great for him to play more matches in the Europa League and in the cup conditions.

“There's not much more I can say about that that I haven't said in the past. There's a great set-up at Liverpool, but I am sure he just wants to play. Because he is good enough to play.”