Stephen Kenny: ‘It’s one of those nights that we need to make it happen’

Stephen Kenny

Stephen Kenny Credit: Brian F Smyth (ETPhotos)

Macdara Ferris reports from FAI HQ

There was talk coming into this week’s double header against two European heavyweights away to France and Sunday’s home game against the Netherlands that the Boys in Green could shift two heavy defeats and it would mean the end of the Stephen Kenny era.

The loss of Evan Ferguson due to injury feed into the pessimistic talk.

Ireland put of course put in a respectable performance on Thursday in a 2-0 defeat in Paris against a French side that Kenny called “the best team in the world” and “an incredible team, that's got better from the World Cup.”

Kenny knows his teams must win on Sunday if there are to secure qualification for the Euros through this group. Would a heavy defeat see him relieved of duty before his contract is up? Probably not now, as the FAI may also not wish to have no senior manager for the men’s and women’s upcoming games.

The Irish boss was asked at the pre-match press conference does he expect to be manager next month if his team lose to the Dutch? “Yes I do,” said Kenny who, like last month, noted he had neither received nor sought assurances about his future from the FAI.

“I’ve prepared the team for the (European) Championships. We play Holland tomorrow, then two games in October (Greece and Gibraltar) and the final qualifier in November (in Amsterdam). After that it's up to other people to decide. Really I’m just focussed on tomorrow.

“It’s a big night, a very big night and we do need a victory. We need a victory, a draw wouldn’t mathematically put us out of it but we have a desire to get a win.

Holland likewise will come and be very determined to get a win themselves.

“The reality is that it is a tough challenge and they (the Netherlands) are an exceptional team, but if we can get the win that we so desire, it gives us an opportunity in the October window to build on that. It keeps us very much in contention.”

The Dutch suffered a heavy 4-0 away to France at the start of the campaign and Ronald Koeman switched to three at the back for last Thursday’s 3-0 win at home to Greece.

“They played 4-3-3 (in previous qualifiers) in the Man City mould, if you like, that development Guardiola brought through, in relation to centre-halves becoming midfield players. That was the way they played for a while.

“They’ve gone back to a more traditional 3-4-1-2 style. They’re good in both. They’ve got players who can adapt. They’ll be formidable to play against. That’s the challenge and we’ll be ready for that.”

The high point of the Kenny reign was probably the 3-0 win over Scotland but while the Scots have won five qualifiers out of five, the Republic of Ireland have three loses to go with their one win.

“Obviously we played twice against France, the best team in the world, so everybody knows it’s a tough group. It is absolutely our ambition to qualify. That has been our ambition. We’ve built a team to qualify from this campaign, I’m not going to deny that, so we’re looking to get the victory we need tomorrow.



"We must work extremely hard to get that and we’ll need to give the performance of our lives and things to go our way.

"It’s one of those nights that we need to make it happen.”

About Macdara Ferris

Macdara Ferris is a contributor since 2007 to Hoops Scene (Shamrock Rovers' match day programme) and is the co-author of two books on Shamrock Rovers - 'Tallaght Time: Shamrock Rovers 2009 to 2012' (with Karl … View Full Profile