Stephen Kenny blasts Ian Harte for claiming manager 'has found his level' 

St Patrick’s Athletic manager Stephen Kenny called Ian Harte an 'empty vessel'.

Stephen Kenny has branded Ian Harte an “empty vessel” after the former Ireland defender claimed the manager found his level back in the League of Ireland.

Harte, whose 64-cap Ireland career included the 2002 World Cup, was critical of Kenny during his spell managing the international team. After two windows, in October 2020, Harte contended Kenny was out of his depth and it was already “time for change”.

In an interview earlier this week, he spoke about the state of Irish football from his perspective as an agent and was also asked about Kenny’s current standing in charge of St Patrick’s Athletic.

“I think he’s a good League of Ireland manager but as an international manager, I don’t think he was the best,” Harte told Betway.

“Any manager could come in – you could put Pep Guardiola in there - but you’re based on results.

‘The problem, not that I have a problem with Stephen, I don’t, but he would always find positives in getting beat.

“Obviously people who know football, people who’ve played football, can see through that. Fans cottoned onto it and I think he’s found his level where he is.” 

Kenny responded to the opinion today, speaking ahead of Friday’s visit of Sligo Rovers in the third series of Premier Division fixtures. He even suggested the beef might have stemmed from his decision to drop Robbie Keane from his coaching staff during the 2020 managerial changeover from Mick McCarthy.

“For some reason, he wants to have a personal go at me,” began Kenny.

“I’ve never met Ian Harte, never had a conversation with him and never come across him in any shape or form.

“I have met his uncle, Gary Kelly, a good few times and he is an absolute gentleman, a really impressive man.

“It was interesting, my very first game as Ireland manager was against Bulgaria and Ian Harte was tweeting.

“The headlines after the game were that Ian Harte was tweeting this and that.

“I was like, I know there are going to be a few people waiting in the long grass, but he’s a bit early. The game wasn’t even finished.

“People were saying in the FAI, well, he’s Robbie Keane’s friend, he’s been his teammate and he’s upset, he wants to show loyalty and get after you.

Kenny has suggested the beef might have stemmed from his decision to drop Harte's, centre left, friend and former teammate Robbie Keane from his coaching staff during the 2020 managerial changeover from Mick McCarthy

“So I said, okay, I’m not going to respond to it at that time.” Kenny is baffled as to why he’s resurrected his opinion.

“I’m 18 months out of the job and he wants to have a go, saying “Stephen’s found his level’.

“Why would he want to say that? What would be his motivation for wanting to bring me into the conversation? I find that strange.

“I’m happy to be involved with the League of Ireland, I’m very proud of that. I’m very proud that I’ve managed the international team, I am very proud to work every single day as a coach, wherever that is.

“There are not many Irish coaches working across the 92 clubs in England, Noel Hunt at Reading (and Alan Sheahan caretaker with Swansea and Rob Eliott at Crawley Town).

“For him to use a betting company... to try to get himself a profile, then attack me in some way, I think he is an empty vessel.” 

Former Leeds United and Sunderland defender highlighted how LOI clubs are pricing young players out of the UK transfer market - citing as an example Justin Ferizaj, a midfielder Shamrock Rovers sold to Italian Serie B club Frosinone as a teen.

Kenny added: “He is an agent. He feels he should profit more from a deal with a lad going to England, than a club should get for having him for 10 years.

“He thinks his agency fee should be higher than what a club could get.

“His issue is probably with Stephen McPhail because he’s sporting director at Shamrock Rovers.

“Stephen McPhail seems to be a fair-minded man. His issues seem to be with Shamrock Rovers and Stephen McPhail was his former teammate.

“I don’t know the details of that (Ferizaj) situation, so he seems to have a problem with Shamrock Rovers. That’s nothing to do with me, I have no knowledge of the actual deal or any aspects of it.

“The broader argument is subjective and anyone can have an opinion on that.”