Ireland manager Stephen Kenny was under intense scrutiny ahead of Monday night's EURO 2024 qualifier against Gibraltar in the Aviva Stadium.
Kenny has faced questions from all corners after Friday night's defeat to Greece, with even the most ardent Kenny supporters starting to doubt his suitability to lead the national team after a poor performance in Athens.
In the face of criticism, Kenny has remained resolute, standing his ground in his pre-match media duties.
And, though his Ireland team looked nervous in the first-half, they ultimately ran out 3-0 winners against Gibraltar on Monday, somewhat easing the pressure on Kenny and his team.
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Ireland v Gibraltar: Stephen Kenny praises Irish response to Athens defeat
After Ireland and Gibraltar went in at half-time goalless on Monday night, several isolated boos could be heard from the Aviva Stadium crowd.
Ireland had all of the ball, but it would take a deflection from a Will Smallbone free-kick, and a tap-in from half-time substitute Mikey Johnston, for them to break the deadlock. A header from Evan Ferguson would double their advantage moments later, before an injury-time goal from Adam Idah made it 3-0.
They ultimately held on for a well-needed win which - once Ireland had broken the deadlock - was never in doubt. Nonetheless, their qualification hopes remain slim with just three points from their first three games in the group.
At full-time, Stephen Kenny spoke to RTÉ's Tony O'Donoghue, and dissected his team's victory.
Republic of Ireland manager Stephen Kenny reacts to his side's 3-0 win over Gibraltar and found many positives to take from the game - particularly how well his half-time changes worked. His thoughts now turn to September and games with France and the Netherlands. #RTEsoccer pic.twitter.com/AApWZ3rRkx
— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) June 19, 2023
Kenny was asked if he had been concerned pre-match about the potential for pressure to build on this Irish team if they had not secured a result on Monday evening. Kenny said that he did not allow outside perceptions to influence his decision-making, and praised the impact of those who came into the team for the clash with Gibraltar:
I don't let that [outside pressure] enter the way I'm thinking.
We need to just focus on the task ahead, and that's the match, prepare accordingly. Some of the players that came in did well, obviously Jamie McGrath came in and did well tonight...Jason Knight was absolutely flying, it was great to see that from Jason.
Despite his assertion that he had not let outside pressure influence his thinking, Kenny did admit that the team were still hurting from Friday's defeat in Athens, and had channelled that hurt to push them on to victory on Monday evening:
We're still disappointed about Friday. We know that, we feel it, we felt that, to lose that game.
It was important - because we've got a young squad, they were disappointed - it was important to respond in the right way.
Of course, we expected to beat Gibraltar - they're the lowest seeds in the group, the expectation is there.
Stephen Kenny now has the mammoth task of preparing his Irish team for a nightmare double header in September, as they travel to Paris to face France before hosting the Netherlands in Dublin three days later.
And, with Ireland looking like they are up against it to secure qualification for the EUROs in Germany, Kenny called on his players to rise to the occasion:
It's an epic two games in a three day period. Thursday night in Paris, Sunday night here. The place will be electric here with Holland coming and we've shown...we've taken Portugal - a world-class team - we've them with them here.
The margins are tight and anything is possible in the garden. No matter who we play, that's the way I feel.
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