Depleted Dutch defence offers Stephen Kenny hope of ending competitive reign on a high

Thursday’s win for Slovakia over Iceland finally extinguished that desperate backdoor route to the Euros via the playoffs Kenny clung to before the Dutch defeat in Dublin.

ORANJE WARNING: Manager Stephen Kenny during a Republic of Ireland training session at Johan Cruijff ArenA in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

For some unknown reason, the roof of the Johan Cruyff ArenA will be closed on Saturday night but for months the walls were moved inwards to smother Stephen Kenny’s Ireland reign.

Temperature at kick-off is forecasted to be a crisp six degrees yet the chills have been cutting into the Ireland boss since his team froze five months ago in Greece.