Republic of Ireland boss Stephen Kenny has fired back at the detractors who want him to leave his Ireland post with a passionate speech highlighting his credentials.
The former League of Ireland boss's failure to reach the Qatar World Cup last year, the Euro finals in 2021, and numerous failed Nations League campaigns has garnered criticism from fans, pundits, and former players in Ireland.
This international window, Ireland has encountered the same problems they have in previous ones under Kenny. A loss to Greece in Athens was followed up with a poor first-half performance against Gibraltar.
Ireland did go on to beat Gibraltar 3-0 on the night, but the first half left many people wondering once again if Kenny is the right man for the Ireland job.
The pressure appears to be mounting on the 51-year-old's tenure with Ireland. A common feeling expressed among many fans of the national team is that Kenny has to reach Euro 2024, or he has to leave the post after another campaign failure.
The Ireland boss was asked a number of questions on Monday about the Ireland team but decided to give his own passionate speech highlighting why he was the man for the job despite mounting calls for his sacking in the media.
"I have been in 16 cups finals. I was in eight FAI Cup finals," said Kenny to reporters after the Gibraltar win. "I have been in two Scottish Cup finals. I won six league cups. I won more trophies (in Ireland) than anyone in modern history. I won five league titles. 46 Champions League and Europa League games; I beat Maccabi Tel Aviv, BATE Borisov, Gothenburg home and away, Hajduk Split and others, drew with Paris Saint Germain , drew with Legia Warsaw.
"That’s why I got the job because I am the most successful Irish manager at this time."
Daniel McDonnell: Stephen Kenny returns to campaign mode as he reminds people of his CVhttps://t.co/trTohulaHZ
— Independent Sport (@IndoSport) June 21, 2023
"The reason I took clubs from nothing, through divisions, and into the Europa League group stages was because I believe you can achieve extraordinary things. I'm very strong and very resilient, and I don't really care. I don't need to listen to anyone's opinions to know what I want and what I am," he explained further.
The consensus is that the young Ireland squad is being built to compete, but that idea does not seem to hold as much weight as it once did.
Kenny, who was once the Ireland boss of the U-21s, also remarked about his record of promoting younger players to the senior squad.
Players like Evan Ferguson, Adam Idah, and Troy Parrott are all established in the senior squad, and Kenny sought to remind people in the media about the work he has done.
"We had nine years with nothing (no players) through, nothing. We brought 18 players through the system," he added.
"The players are really talented, a progressive, young group. I know what I'm doing. I have a brilliant backroom staff. Keith Andrews is an outstanding coach, outstanding. John O'Shea has been a brilliant addition; Dean Kiely, these are top-level people; Stephen Rice has graduated and is doing a great job, and all of the backroom team.
"So we will get better, we still want to qualify from this group. I'll see it out until the end of the campaign. I don't know, after that, it's other people's decision. The objective was to qualify from this campaign, that is the objective, I'm not trying to hide from that."
Ireland's next games will be against France and the Netherlands in the September block. Let's hope Kenny's fighting talk will be on show for it.
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