Repeat of Greek tragedy won't result in early Kenny sacking

NO PREMATURE PARTING OF WAYS: FAI Chief Executive Jonathan Hill and Manager Stephen Kenny. Pic: ©INPHO/Evan Treacy.

Another Greek tragedy this Friday won’t result in the sacking of Stephen Kenny, insists FAI supremo Jonathan Hill.

Kenny’s precarious three-year tenure as Ireland boss was hurtled into a tailspin in June by losing to the fourth-placed Greeks in Athens, even more convincingly than the 2-1 margin suggests.

An unlikely route into the European Championship qualification race didn’t ensue from last month’s window with further defeats to France and Netherlands, putting next year’s tournament in Germany all but beyond Ireland.

The manager’s position has been discussed at board level but various factors, including financial and the availability of a potential successor, led to a decision to hold fire until the 2023 schedule concludes with a friendly against New Zealand on November 21.

Hill and his Director of Football Marc Canham conveyed that stance last month and not even the acceleration of this slow death by slipping up in Friday’s final home qualifier will prematurely lower the axe.

"No, I don't think so,” said Hill when asked if the upcoming double-header, which concludes with a trip to minnows Gibraltar on Monday, could fast-track the timetable.

“We're committed to the process of reviewing the whole of the qualification process in November.” 

Should the break clause in Kenny’s contract be invoked before the deal lapses in November, Kenny’s No 3 coach John O’Shea has been floated as a potential stopgap.

Lee Carsley is the leading contender to become the next permanent boss but the former Ireland midfielder has four qualifiers over the next six weeks with the reigning U21 European champions he oversees. The English FA would prefer the four-month window between then and the March 2024 fixtures to deal with his exit.

O’Shea’s lack of standalone management experience also militated against an interim arrangement but his CV will broaden by joining Wayne Rooney at Birmingham City.

The pair of former Manchester United teammates and close friends are reunited after Brum’s American owners Shelby, including NFL legend Tom Brady, replaced John Eustace with Rooney yesterday.

O’Shea will jobshare his international duties, as will Ashley Cole, who ironically flanks Carsley with England.

Hill, meanwhile, confirmed that the FAI have assembled a dozen-strong long list candidates for the women’s team managerial vacancy.

Vera Pauw’s public popularity wasn’t shared by her players, leading to her dismissal within a month of Ireland’s first-ever major tournament, the summer World Cup in Australia.

Caretaker boss Eileen Gleeson is adamant her long-term focus is on reverting to her head of women’s football role despite being on course to top their Nations League table after strolling through past Northern Ireland and Hungary on an aggregate score of 7-0.

The recruitment process, assisted by an agency, will run in tandem with Gleeson completing the six-game campaign up to the Northern Ireland rematch on December 5.

"We're at the long-list stage which will move quickly to a shorter list and then a shortlist of three,” revealed Hill.

“We have people working for us and talking to all 12 of the people - doing a good job, cracking on helping Marc Canham.

“Ideally, we'd have it done before the end of the year. In relation to notice periods, we'd then see when someone can start but we'd like to be able to announce as soon as possible after the final Nations League game.”