Onus on new manager to enliven a ghost year for Ireland

What’ll attract interest in the meantime, on the pitch anyway, is how Ireland’s results in the Nations League is linked to the 2026 World Cup

Ireland have fallen 21 places in the World Rankings since Kenny joined the three and a half years ago.

How apt it was for the football fans to emulate their rugby brethren by singing Zombie this far week in Faro, for it’ll characterise what the next year entails.

Ireland’s Euro 2024 qualifying campaign has been in terminal decline since the June defeat in Greece.