As the hunt for Stephen Kenny's replacement rumbles on, many Irish fans will bemoan the fact that the former manager's ideals of attractive, attacking football ultimately did not see much success during his time in charge.
Kenny placed an emphasis on youth and encouraged players to build out from the back, even in games where Ireland may have traditionally expected to be on the back foot.
Ultimately, the Kenny reign ended with a whimper, with a dismal EURO 2024 qualifying campaign seeing the FAI choose not to renew his contract at the end of 2023.
The end of his reign was also marked by tension with veteran star James McClean, and Derryman McClean has been vocal in his criticism of the former Ireland manager in recent weeks and months.
Making his punditry debut on RTÉ last week, McClean threw a not-so-subtle dig at Kenny, comparing his philosophy unfavourably to those of his predecessors Mick McCarthy and Martin O'Neill, suggesting that Kenny should have put an emphasis on results.
On Wednesday afternoon, McClean returned to our TV screens as part of RTÉ's EURO 2024 coverage - and explained that the idea of winning games in the "right" way was one which infuriated him.
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Stephen Kenny namedropped in RTÉ debate on football purism
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Is there a correct way to win a game of football? James McClean, Stephanie Zambra and Kevin Doyle have their say #EURo2024 #CROALB
📺Watch @rte2 and @RTEplayer: https://t.co/b2OI4OoWVJ pic.twitter.com/hDoG44Pf8m— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) June 19, 2024
Speaking about the styles of football employed in the European Championship thus far, James McClean said that the idea there was a "right" way to win a game of football was one which he could not stand.
It actually infuriates me. Is there a right or wrong way to win a game of football? It's about winning a game of football, it doesn't matter how you do it.
This "winning the right way or winning the wrong way"? No. It's about winning the game of football. That's all that matters.
I had a few years under Tony [Pulis], a few really enjoyable years. Our style of play wasn't up to the purists' tastes but, look, we did quite well. We got some good finishes in the Premier League.
The grass isn't always greener. When Tony left, we got relegated the same season. It's about winning games of football.
Given McClean's remarks on his former Ireland boss Stephen Kenny just last week, it was easy to draw parallels between this assessment of his time at Stoke and his frustrations with the end of his international career.
Host Joanne Cantwell would namedrop Kenny in her follow-up question, before fellow pundit Kevin Doyle admitted to McClean that he had shared many of the same frustrations while covering Irish games over the past few years.
McClean responded to those points by doubling down on his point, with a side-eyed remark to Doyle which hinted where he and Kenny had differed in their footballing philosophies.
When you come off the field of play and you've won a game of football, you're not coming off devastated like, 'Ah, we didn't play good football.'
You come off happy because you've won the game. That's all that matters.
Well, I always thought that that's what matters anyway.
With a crucial Group B game coming up between Croatia and Albania, some fans took to Twitter to express their displeasure that the Stephen Kenny topic was yet again being prioritised on RTÉ.
Some Irish fans felt that the former manager was being unfairly targeted on the coverage.
How much longer is Stephen Kenny gonna catch strays in the RTE studio? Pathetic stuff at this stage. Straight into it for the 2pm game
— Christian Peyton (@ChristianPeyton) June 19, 2024
They know exactly what they’re doing and it’s utterly utterly pathetic how miserable he is towards Kenny who did a lot for him that other managers unless they were his mates that played with him wouldn’t have dared doing https://t.co/B1XJgUnplU
— ®️² (@notead3s) June 19, 2024
It doesn't seem as though there will be an end to this saga between James McClean and Stephen Kenny any time soon.
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