Republic of Ireland have sacked Stephen Kenny as manager following a disappointing tenure.
Kenny replaced Mick McCarthy in April 2020 in light of UEFA Euro 2020’s postponement due to the Coronavirus pandemic, having previously managed the Under-21s Team under a planned transitory move which would of led him to take charge later that year.
Results though have been poor with just 11 wins in all competitions across his reign which included failures to qualify for 2022 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2024, plus two disappointing UEFA Nations League campaigns.
FA Ireland subsequently decided to act and decided to relieve Kenny of his duties with immediate effect, in a move to afford a new manager time to experiment with his squad across March and June 2024 in friendlies ahead of 2024-25 UEFA Nations League.
FAI CEO, Jonathan Hill a statement on Kenny’s departure as he praised the manager for his efforts to develop and progress the squad, whilst giving young players their breakthrough into the senior set-up.
“Over the period of his tenure, Stephen and his staff have worked tirelessly to create the right environment to support the development of our senior men’s team, and we are hugely grateful for that considerable contribution.
“Stephen has also overseen an important period of transition for our senior men’s national team and has given debuts to a significant number of new and younger players and this will serve as a solid platform for whoever now takes this group of players forward.”
FAI President, Gerry McAnaney added: “The Board and all at the FAI would like to sincerely thank Stephen and his staff for their hard work, professionalism and unwavering dedication to the team, the fans, and to Irish football. We wish Stephen every success for the future.”
A new manager will be announced in due course with a recruitment process already underway.
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