Viewed through a certain lens, anybody winning 13 caps at international level, garnering multiple Heineken Cup souvenirs and rearing offspring who also went on to perform on the biggest stage would have had what would constitute a glorious career in rugby. Yet I often wonder does Trevor Brennan ponder what might have been.
Warren Gatland’s time as Ireland coach perhaps never got the plaudits it deserved – particularly in light of what he has gone on to achieve since departing these shores – but he will always be highly regarded by the occupant of this seat. Because he was one of the very few to see big Trev for what he was – a top class bloody rugby player.
For, you see, the former milkman from Leixlip’s face didn’t fit with a lot of the pompous rugby fraternity. Now, the Irish soccer ‘set’ are far from pompous, but, you always got the impression that, for some of them at least, Stephen Kenny wasn’t their cup of tea either. Look, of course it represented an enormous jump from League Of Ireland management even to U-21 at International level, but, on his achievements in both alone, he was entitled to a shot at the top job.
And, you know, he did a far better job with it than he’ll ever get credit for. He absolutely got the best out of the resources available to him. Which are meagre, make no mistake about it. However, through his efforts, whomever it is who now assumes the reins has the foundations of a good team with which to work.
Mind you, chanceces are, there might be a few who would concur that the now erstwhile manager deserved better than the manner in which he was more or less summarily swept out of his position. His dismissal reminded me of the episode of The Simpsons in which Groundskeeper Willie literally swept Nelson Muntz out the classroom door.
Who exactly it will be that takes up the role is anybody’s guess. Paddy Power had Neil Lennon 6/4f on the last odds I saw, but the great Armagh man will surely come in for bigger and better offers than this one to tempt him out of his punditry chair.
Lee Carsley has also been mentioned in the early running. Personally, I wouldn’t let him near it. To me, he’s no different to Declan Rice or Jack Grealish or Alex Bruce – turned his back on us!
With Gareth Southgate never exactly oozing confidence with regard to his job security at St George’s Park, Carsley would surely be in line to take over there should a vacancy come up. Especially given his successful connection to the Three Lions U-21s.
But then, it may boil down to what sort of approach the FAI take to filling the vacancy, if they go down the sticking plaster route, a la Brian Kerr and Steve Staunton and Kenny, then Carsley would of course be the easy. If, however, though it may be highly unlikely, they want to display a modicum of ambition, they could surely do worse than offer the role to Jim Crawford, who appears to have a seriously good rapport with younger players as the U-21 team’s results demonstrate for themselves.
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