Cult of Stephen Kenny

Jack Daw

He's been dreadful.Because he came out and said he wanted to change the perception of Irish football internationally and because his teams try to play from the back people seemed to think this meant Kenny is a sophisticate of the game and knows what he is doing. Passing the ball under no pressure in your own half of the field is not good football but lots of people were blinded to this because it seemed more sophisticated than hoofing ball up the field.

Kenny has managed to remove all the good things from previous Irish teams i.e hard work, discipline, fighting spirit an up and at them attitude and replace this with a spiritless team which although passes the ball short more often does absolutely zero with it. We've become a complete anemic , heartless side under him.

The fact is Stephen Kenny has been incredibly unambitious in his career if he really wanted to be a top football coach he would have moved out of Ireland a long time ago and tried to make a proper go of it in a higher quality environment either on the continent or in the UK but he failed in his short stint in Scotland and decided to come back to be a big fish a small pond in Ireland.He never played outside of Ireland either so has limited knowledge of what it takes to succeed in top level competition and it shows.

He's been as bad as Steve Staunton was but doesn't get half the criticism because he's a LOI guy and so much of the media covering the sport in Ireland are also LOI guys and so by admitting one of their own is not good enough they would be admitting they themselves or the domestic game they follow are not good and they don't want to do that so they don't go all in on him like the did with previous Ireland managers who were much better at the job than he was.

Kermit.de.frog

Every success our soccer team has had has come from us playing a defensive often route one game.

Seems odd to change that and pretend we have players with the technical skill to go toe to toe with practically any continental team on a level playing field.

We don't produce those more gifted technical players and so I don't see where success can come from with Kenny's style of play.

Flinty997

I don't follow soccer at all. So I'll ask all the dumb questions.

Wondering where are the better players going to come from. LOI matches look ok but obviously don't translate into performance at international level. School boy leagues seem to have decent talent but that's not delivering at least not yet.

Saw the recent France game and I thought the lads did ok kept shape etc. But outclassed in fitness and skill especially in the second half. The french just playing at a different level.

What could a new manager do differently?

Kermit.de.frog

..

CorkRed93

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121091179#Comment_121091179

doesnt get half the criticism because stauntons squad was better

trashcan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121091146#Comment_121091146

Do you keep hearing that ? Really ? All I can hear is the opposite.

trashcan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121091172#Comment_121091172

LOI fanboys ! You can f¥ck right off with that shite. Am I supposed to be embarrassed to support my local club ? Suddenly people who go to league games here are the problem ? On yer bike.

Curse These Metal Hands

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121091208#Comment_121091208

I'd rather try play a better style of football and not qualify than play that dreadful style again, and probably not qualify. And if we do, be the laughing stock of the tournament.

Gusser09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121091179#Comment_121091179

Hard to argue with any of this. Kenmy is trying to get players to play a game they simply are not able to do. I was shocked the other night. Why the **** would you even want our defenders or midfielders to try and out pass the french? What the jaysis was that about?

We needed to use what very few tools we had. Pace. Ogbene. Ebolese. Play the ball long in behind the french and give those lads something to run at. Counter attack.

But no. It was a tactical **** shocker as per usual with Kenny. An incoherent interview. Did we expect to get a result? No. But its so annoying how inept he is.

We need to go after a manager who is proven to get results from a poor group of players.

This group was lost in greece. We have always said that kenny would be judged on those results. And we have been well beaten on a few occasions.

Its time to go now. And bring McClean too. A great servant but a league 2 player again the french. Ffs.

Playing wingbacks without any actual wingbacks.

Off back to dundalk with kenny.

Gusser09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121091271#Comment_121091271

And be out of a group within 3 fixtures?

How is it better? Our style looks every bit as bad as trap or MON at the moment.

MrMusician18

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119207179#Comment_119207179

Roddy Collins

Pat Dolan

Pat Fenlon

Damien Duff

Roy Keane

Gusser09

Lee carsely perhaps.

Curse These Metal Hands

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121091288#Comment_121091288

What makes you think dogged, negative defensive football would have us competing any better in this group. We were painfully exposed playing that way many times. Can you also articulate why we should be beating Greece?

We've qualified twice since 2002, when we actually played a decent brand of football for large parts. The subsequent approach has been an abject failure.

2012 was horrendous, we played shite football and then got humiliated. 2016 was better but we got battered by Belgium, and for the saving grace of a best placed 3rd in the group, and an Italian B team we got to knockout football.

I'd rather bring the kids to a match now and at least see them attempt to play a bit of football. Not sit back in the Aviva and allow the likes of Georgia to dominate possession. Results, like against Germany, were great nights, but you can't bank on keeping out 30 odd shots every game, and hoofing it up the pitch to nick a goal.

Is Kenny the right man? I'm not sure, but ignorant hoofball is definitely not the right approach any more.

Curse These Metal Hands

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121091302#Comment_121091302

So Damien Duff, a League of Ireland manager with even less experience?

Maybe you're joking actually.

Kermit.de.frog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121091271#Comment_121091271

It DOESN'T have to be Trapattoni negative. We could mix it up a bit. However, I am 100% certain we can not qualify trying to play the way we are trying to play.

Think about it. You are asking us to play the exact same game as technically superior teams that will always be superior. Ergo we lose.

GSBellew

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121091302#Comment_121091302

When Damien Duff takes Shels to the Aviva for a Champions League play off you can come back and talk about him being a better manager.

The Ireland position is a poisoned chalice that is only going to end badly for any manager, the league is woefully underfunded and as a result we are not producing / nurturing the talent that is there in young players. Look at the few players that have made it through and realise that there are hundreds that don't stick it because the supports are just not there.

If we had a better funded league from the bottom up we would have young players coming up through the school boys leagues into the LOI that would be capable of going up against any team in the world, because of the lack of funding in the lower leagues and peoples reluctance to get out and put money behind supporting their local team because of the perception that the LOI is **** the problem is compounded.

There is massive value in a season ticket for a LOI team, twenty home games for less than going to one Premier league game, then you start with the away games, we are a small country, you can drive to and from any ground without needing to stay in a hotel.

Laugh away, but the national team is never going anywhere unless the "Best Fans In The World" (TM) start putting their money into the league so that the players are there to play for the national team.

circadian

You just posted what I think about it all. The entire football system is a shambles here and the GAA just hoovers up talent due to their solid organisational skills.

I'm a derry fan so my view of Kenny is obviously biases, he brought some great times to the club and sure, he might not be an amazing manager at this level but I doubt a top tier one could do much better.

I watch my son play football every week, he's good, raw but good. There's plenty others like him but as the months pass most fall away with the majority focusing on playing for the local GAA club instead.

JeffreyEpspeen

Lads, we just need to start playing Joe Hodge and Will Smallbone in midfield and we'll win the European Championships. Don't you all listen to the absolute oddballs on YBIG? The coward moderator who doxxes members personal details (Sham) and the two lads whose alt-accounts make up about 83% of the forum (Prat Junior and Double Maxim).

Strumms

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121091260#Comment_121091260

Did I intimate that you are supposed to be embarrassed ?

im criticising those championing and advocating an LOI manager to transition from managing said teams in a poor league to an International team of 100% professional footballers, playing at a far higher standard than Kenny has ever dealt with, a team of players pushing to qualify for Euros and World Cups…. In an environment multiples more competitive and pressurised than he is accustomed to.

he doesn’t have the necessary experience, expertise or pedigree for the job. If he did, he’d have experience managing a championship or premiership side.…in life you need to learn from your mistakes…. The FAI didn’t…

Staunton…. No high level management pedigree…. Failed on his arse, an unmitigated disaster.

Kenny…. No high level management pedigree…. Failing on his arse, heading for a disaster barring the turnaround of the century…

hasn’t got the players ? Absolutely agree, if you haven’t got players, you better get a damn good international class manager to get the best out of what you do have. he isn’t it and he ain’t doing that.

he went to Dunfermline, got them relegated. Was allowed to stay on, try and get promotion but, he was unsuccessful and was sacked with Dunfermline languishing second from the bottom 👀

He won 16, lost 24 and drew 11 with Dunfermline. Granted he enjoyed domestic success here subsequently but anytime he was asked to step up from Irish domestic football he was found out so……. Internationally he isn’t up to it, he’s been managing over 20 years… if it was going to happen it would have…. The LOI is his proven level. He’s been found out any and every time he’s attempted to step up.

His fanboys have been found out too….

callaway92

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121091302#Comment_121091302

Lord above

redseat1

The plastic hammer waving League of Ireland haters don't see much live football. They think all teams should be as successful as their beloved Liverpool and ManU. They don't realise that even when we were hoofing our way to international tournaments, we were doing it with one or other Keane, a McGrath, a Dunne, a Given. If Klopp came in to manage us, he still has to pick a keeper, midfield and strikers from a long list of Championship level players, Ferguson being the only exception.

Motivator

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121091271#Comment_121091271

You do realise that’s probably the most stupid thing anyone has ever said about anything?

This “attractive football” theory is a total myth. Stringing together 5 passes between our midfielders who face their own goal and the centre half before kicking it aimlessly long is not attractive.

pgj2015

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121091435#Comment_121091435

Maybe you cant remember how we used to play under Trap and O Neill? defenders hoofed the ball up the field and hoped one of their team mates got it, the players were afraid of the ball, at least now they try to play football and aren't afraid to be in possession of the ball.

gormdubhgorm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121091435#Comment_121091435

Exactly, and some eejits are saying it is great to watch!

If Ireland had a player to play proper technical football they would go for the brave forward pass. Side to side is the safe cowards option for those who are told to pass but are afraid of their limited ability.

If there was such a player that would play those defence splitting passes with regularly and fearlessesness I would have no problem with Kenny's philosophy. But there is no such player so it can't work.

Ireland had 53% possession in Kenny's first game v Bulgaria it was awful - draw.

https://www.whoscored.com/Matches/1457194/TeamStatistics/International-UEFA-Nations-League-B-2020-2021-Bulgaria-Ireland

586 passes v Finland and lost 1-0 Kenny's second game.

https://www.whoscored.com/Matches/1457197/MatchReport/International-UEFA-Nations-League-B-2020-2021-Ireland-Finland

gormdubhgorm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121091527#Comment_121091527

That was players on the other extreme, players playing constant side to side backwards short passes - with no forward ones do so out of fear.

Players who hoof the ball for the sake of it do so out of fear. But direct quick ball is a different thing, with purpose. That is what suits the Irish players - with their pace up top and lack of creative midfield.

pgj2015

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121091179#Comment_121091179

If you think the Irish team dont have fighting spirit and discipline then you mustn't have seen the game the other night, the score would have been 5-0 if they didnt put up a fight. The likes of Jason knight tried very hard but you have championship players against world cup winners and champions league players.

Also anyone who runs down the league of Ireland and never goes to a match but flies over to Liverpool, Manchester etc to watch "their" team you guys are the problem and have some nerve saying Kenny isnt good enough, maybe spend your money in your own Country instead of pretending your a manc.

PokeHerKing

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121091542#Comment_121091542

And if you watched the greek game, you know, the game that qualification more or less hinged on. The performance the managers job depended on. You'd realise they had of fight, no spirit amd no care for any of the above.

pgj2015

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121091563#Comment_121091563

Jack Daw said Kenny has removed the Irish teams fighting spirit and discipline, im just pointing out that this isn't true looking at how they played only a few days ago.

redseat1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121091563#Comment_121091563

For comparison, could you set out a few of the great away victories against teams ranked higher than us in the past decade or 2?

PokeHerKing

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121091612#Comment_121091612

Id prefer to judge the present. Isn't that what the Kenny era was all about? Not playing like we did in the past?

That game proved to me that there was no progress. If the team had any belief in SK then the effort at the very least would have been 100%.

You'd have to be blind to think they gave much more than 50%. A clear indication to me its time for a change.