Kenny won't be making plea for contract extension as Ireland boss

NO PLEA: Ireland manager Stephen Kenny. Pic: ©INPHO/Laszlo Geczo

Stephen Kenny insists he’s not making a plea to remain Ireland manager as decision-time looms on his tenure.

For the second qualifying campaign in a row, Ireland are out of contention to reach a major tournament heading into the final window when they meet Netherlands in Saturday week’s concluding Euro 2024 qualifier.

The three-and-a-half-year tenure of Kenny era will stumble into a final friendly on November 21 against New Zealand – more of a swansong for James McClean on his 104th and final cap – but the FAI board are set to decide to appoint a new boss for the 2024 series and the difficult path to the 2026 World Cup.

His squad reveal at Abbotstown on Thursday was suitably underwhelming due to the absence of Sammie Szmodics and Andrew Moran, both of whom are blazing a trail in the Championship with Blackburn Rovers.

The personal reasons that led to his withdrawal from last month’s window was attributed to the omission of Szmodics while Kenny opted to allow Under-21 boss Jim Crawford keep hold of 20-year-old Moran for their Euro qualifier in Norway.

The prospect of Séamus Coleman returning to the squad after his six-month layoff was deemed a “bridge too far” in the context of him playing just two short Under-21 run-outs for Everton.

“It may well be the case,” Kenny said when asked if these matches represent his final fling in his dream job.

“I can’t be certain on any of these things, but regardless we will be professional in our approach. We’ll have to see; those decisions are out of my control.

“I am not making a plea - certainly not doing that. My contract is up after the New Zealand game.

“I am very privileged to manage Ireland, it’s a transitional phase but you can see the squad now.

“A record number of players have come through, some of them are in the Premier League. Their international experience has really enhanced their club careers, and their opportunity to get club moves.

“Several of the players who have been blooded early have enhanced their ability to get the moves they have, when people have seen them play at international level it has encouraged them. You can go right through the team, there’s eight or nine players.

“What happens next I have no control over, so really we are focusing on having a good week, and making sure we are ready for Holland and the last game against New Zealand.

Kenny again defended his tenure which has yielded a miserly six wins from 28 competitive games, including defeats to Luxembourg, Armenia and Greece twice.

“We were in the proverbial group of death,” he said of the Euro tilt against France and Netherlands, the latter able to join the former in Germany next year by beating Ireland in the Amsterdam Arena.

“I was at the draw when Northern Ireland, as fifth seeds, got Slovenia, Finland, Kazakhstan [Denmark and San Marino the other teams.] “We were third seeds and ended up with France, Holland and Greece.

“Our performances at home to France and Holland were really excellent, the disappointing aspect is to lose the games against Greece, and I take responsibility for that.

“Overall the attitude of the players, their application, determination and high level of skill in a lot of the matches. A lot of the games we have had against the top teams over the years, Portugal home and away, Serbia home and away, Scotland home and away, France at home, Holland at home, the centenary game against Belgium, they have all been top class games of football. Top class games of football.

“People have seen that and enjoyed it, but you’re right, we haven’t won enough. Particularly the games against Greece, and that’s the disappointing aspect. I take responsibility for that.”