Gary Connaughton reporting from the Aviva Stadium
“How did you go bankrupt?"
"Two ways. Gradually, then suddenly."
That famous line from Ernest Hemingway's 1926 novel The Sun Also Rises may be almost a century old now, and while the Stephen Kenny era did not end in financial ruin, in many ways this quote sums up how the great revolution in Irish football ultimately came to an end.
The results under Kenny were never good enough. His reign has been littered with poor defeats against lesser opposition, as well as a struggle to get over the line against top opponents in spite of some good performances.
In saying that, there remained an optimism that things would ultimately turn around. The side received an unprecedented amount of support throughout this period and it was felt that the foundations were being put in place for future success.
Looking back with the gift of hindsight, it's seemed unlikely that the Ireland manager was ever going to recover from those early setbacks .
If losses to the likes of Luxembourg and Armenia meant that the Kenny era was slowly heading towards its conclusion, it's clear that the Euro 2024 qualifying campaign has brought it to an abrupt halt.
Being placed in a group alongside France and the Netherlands was always going to make this a trick year for Ireland. However, all of the optimism that previously surrounded the team was quickly lost after the loss to Greece back in June.
Like in Hemingway's novel, this was at first a gradual process, then a sudden one.
When it became clear that the fans has lost faith, the end was always going to be nigh.
Stephen Kenny has been working on borrowed time ever since that fateful night in Athens. The last number of months have been spent in a strange sort of purgatory, with everyone knowing this would be his final few fixtures in charge of Ireland.
By the time last night's friendly against New Zealand came around, the previous devotion to him and his team had turned to apathy. Only just 26,000 fans turned up to watch the game, by far the smallest crowd of his tenure (once stadiums were reopen to supporters after the pandemic). Fewer still stuck around to see the team off the pitch.
Speaking after the game, Kenny admitted that he knew his time as Ireland manager was coming towards its end. He also said that managing his country was an achievement he would not surpass no matter what happened over the remainder of his career.
“No matter what you do from here, it would be a step down."
An emotional Stephen Kenny said that if is his last Ireland game as he expects, managing his country will always be the biggest honour of his career 💚 pic.twitter.com/Xu2MAIs9CS— Balls.ie (@ballsdotie) November 21, 2023
The (FAI) board are meeting next week, so they have a decision to make. I respect whatever that decision is.
Of course it'd be a dream to carry on and manage the team. My instinct is that it's not going to happen...
It's been a privilege, it's the greatest honour you can have. Whatever you did in life, it would be a step down no matter what you did.
The next question is: what now? That applies to both this Ireland team and Stephen Kenny.
A number of names have been linked as possible replacements for the current manager, none of whom seem concrete at this stage. Lee Carsley is an intriguing an option, but the list of potential candidates outside of him quickly becomes rather uninspiring. The FAI need to get this next appointment right.
As for Kenny himself, it remains to be seen what his next move will be. He had been linked with a move to Lincoln City in recent weeks, although he would admit that he had not considered his options beyond the end of his Ireland tenure. Last night he would also rule out the prospect of taking a different role within the FAI, saying he sees himself as a manager moving forward.
It is a pity that this marriage has not worked out. The union was originally full of hope of what the future may hold, but as with many divorces, the reality was not satisfactory for either party.
In the end, a parting of ways seemed like the most amicable solution, even if not the most romantic one.
SEE ALSO: Ireland Player Ratings As Kenny Era Ends On A Bum Note With New Zealand Draw
