It's the Stephen Kenny Thread

I have a vague memory of that. Roy also played centre half for us under Mick. To put it in context, we were desperately short of quality centre halves at the time. We ended up with two full backs playing there in Cunningham and Stan (with both doing really well). The other regular centre back was Gary Been who was struggling at club level. Richard Dunne hadn't established himself at club level (not at centre back) and while I remember him doing very well against the Dutch, I don't think Mick had full confidence in him. While we were stronger everywhere else on the pitch in 2002, our current options at centre half would compare very favourably to their 2002 counterparts. 

One of the worst titled documentaries I've ever heard 

Things really picked up for the Euro 2000 campaign - Duff and Robbie Keane emerged and we were good at home. He set us up too defensively in the away games though. We were 13 seconds away from qualifying as group winners, but we failed to defend a corner away in Macedonia in the last play of the campaign and blew it. Then we lost the playoff on away goals. It was very unfortunate but I don't think we'd have qualified for the 02 world cup if it hadn't happened. We intentionally arranged away games against the Dutch and Portuguese in Autumn 2000 straight after the Euros and caught them cold a bit as a result. The two away draws set us on our way.

So, in short, there was some pressure in the first campaign but he got through on the basis that he was rebuilding the team. The second campaign was a near enough miss that he was always going to get a third shot at the 02 world cup qualifiers.

We were competitive because we had the Players still didnt qualify though, who have we got now? we had a half decent striker in McGoldrick but he quit as we know, Kenny has a lot on his plate and should be left in the job for at least two more qualifying Campaigns imo, anyhow who do you bring in its the same old story you have not got the players/quality, anyhow I for one will be renewing my ST it will be great to get back to Lansdowne and see YBIG playing live again when ever that may be hopefully sooner rather than later

Do we harbour qualification hopes? We usually don't qualify for anything, no matter who is in the dugout. 

The next campaign is about tearing up the "qualify or else" handbook. Let's face it, nobody really wants to go to Qatar just before Christmas anyway. It's a transition job, to bring new players through, change the way we play, and if we're lucky, very lucky, scraping a playoff spot. If we're going to make any long term progress, then we have to be willing to sacrifice the next campaign and look to qualify for the next Euros instead. That means putting the grassroots down now. That's what Belgium have done, that's what Iceland have done, that's what Finland have done, that's what we need to do. Because the "lump it up to Duffy with 10 minutes to go" tactic hasn't worked, and won't work, no matter how long we use it. 

Kenny is not a messiah, he may not be up to the job, and if he isn't, I'm sure you'll remind us of it at every opportunity. But the least he deserves is a qualifying campaign to make his case. That's what every other Irish manager has got before him, even back in the days when we had a battle just to finish 4th in a 5 team group. Some of them got multiple campaigns with better players at their disposal, no virus to contend with, and they still couldn't qualify. This is the beginning of a long haul job, not the start of a short term fix. And fans have to be ready for that. 

Once again I call you to identify the posts in relation to Alan Kelly that need to be removed.  You have posted this time and time again but you cannot identify the posts. 

Like Murph you are spoofing.  

Very True. 

Mr Bricks nightly bump of this thread is wearing thin.