It's the Stephen Kenny Thread

When you break it down the number of upward moves that have failed, the number of injuries suffered, the number of youth players who didn't make the anticipated step up, the sheer extent of bench warming in the Championship and Premiership, and how that now plays into significant uncertainty as to what the nature of the squad will be in September, creates a very concerning situation.

Kenny has had little luck, but he now has to contend with his charges coming off the back of one of the worst seasons in living memory for Irish players.

The brits up there have had their own issues dealing with Luxembourg down the years. And they won't be at the Euros this year either.

We're not trying to play like City and PSG. We're trying to bring fresh players through the system, who can actually pass a football properly, while turfing those who can't, out into exile. It's more akin to Brighton than City. That is the priority in this campaign, and probably the next one. Results are really of secondary importance atm, and qualifying is not a serious consideration. It's a complete rebuild of squad, style of play, and how we do things. It's transition and it takes time. And patience. If the price for it is a result at home to Luxembourg, that's the price that has to be paid. 

The mental image of Sam in our dugout, relentlessly chewing gum for 90 minutes, is stomach churning. Then there's the football side of it. The total disconnect between the senior team and the rest of the Irish football set up has been tried far too often and failed far too many times over recent years, to even be contemplated ever again. 

We’ve played 2 group games. We were good in one and rubbish in the other. 

Great he pleases some people because he try’s to play more football even though we offer no threat in this way and currently are a mile off being effective playing this style.

He has had no luck but in the middle of this two of the big decision he has to make he has got wrong he backed Doherty over Coleman and secondly he picked Travers over Bazunu in Serbia which probably cost us a result.

That’s what really worries me about him.

Kenny won’t save us he is not capable of it.

The only thing that will get us going again is top players we have a few potentially good defenders close to coming through.

So we should build a system around them and any one can see that.

But until we find a few players capable of putting the ball in the net Kenny’s beliefs won’t be effective enough.

And by the looks of it those players won’t come through until Kenny is long gone.

Maybe because as much as people don’t want to hear that’s where our strengths lie.

If our strengths at the opposite end of the field I’d be advocating that we built a system around them.

Turn and twist it anyway you like if we concede a goal at the moment there is a very good chance we won’t win the game.

We can hardly score once not to mind twice.

No one is saying hoof ball but at the moment it must be built around first and foremost don’t concede.

We can’t compete any other way.

I’d love some one to show me evidence to contrary.

Agreed. But by and large I don't think even close to a majority of either media or the fans have turned against him.

It's fairly obvious that fans and media alike have taken a step back and not getting the usual knee jerk reactions. The current situation with the Irish football team isn't black and white.

But a point will come if things don't change.

I’m a Kenny fan - hope he does well. 

What are expectations for the two upcoming friendlies? Weakened squad and end of season friendliest aren’t usually a recipe for good games or performances but given we’re we are, not beating Andorra wouldn’t be great.