![]() 11 rushing attack in the nation this season. ![]() Over the last six seasons, he's become one of Fleck's most important assistants and was the chief architect of the Golden Gophers' No. Burns was also a member of Fleck's staff at Western Michigan in 2016, helping the Broncos finish the season ranked 26th, win the Mid-American Conference Championship and earn a berth in the Cotton Bowl. Fleck for the past six seasons and is in his 15th year as a college coach. There is so much fight for the manager and every single one of us in there is fighting for him.Burns comes to Kent from the University of Minnesota where he has served as assistant head coach since 2019 and running backs coach under P.J. “I think it’s obvious that we love playing under Stephen. We’re in the right direction, with the football we are playing and the fans are excited. “Listen,” said Shane Duffy, before ramming home the same point, “if you don’t think we are going in the right way you are writing the wrong stuff. We’re enjoying the style of football we’re playing and we’re starting to see the rewards results wise, from the performances we’ve been putting in.” Player support was never a concern for Kenny, with Josh Cullen, the revelatory Anderlecht midfielder, openly speaking on behalf of the entire squad last November that “we’re fully behind the manager and believe in what he’s trying to do. “We share that belief and we look forward to continuing the journey with Stephen and his staff and players.” “There is real optimism amongst the Irish football community about the future direction of our international team,” said FAI president Gerry McAnaney. Kenny, meanwhile, is tasked with unearthing a coach comparable to Barry, after the 35-year-old helped reinvent the way Irish teams play, before Barry’s new employers Belgium come to Dublin for the Centenary match at the Aviva on March 26th. Hill must now focus on attracting a shirt sponsor and recruiting numerous off pitch positions, including an FAI director of football, to ensure the on-pitch progress is matched by the association’s administrative activity. ![]() ![]() Such medium to long term planning, put into the public domain by an under pressure Kenny, forced the FAI’s hand to some extent, with subsequent results, inspired by Robinson and Gavin Bazunu heroics, put a sheen on Ireland’s third place finish, behind Serbia and Portugal, in failed qualification for this winter’s Qatari world cup. I have taken the decision, right or wrong, that we would build this squad to be really, really competitive to qualify for Germany 2024.” “Did anyone think that we were favourites to qualify or we should qualify?” Kenny wondered aloud last year. A competitive victory only came in match number 17, thanks to Callum Robinson goals against Azerbaijan in Baku. Kenny was quickly labelled “out of his depth” by former Irish internationals, having come from the League of Ireland and a particularly successful stint at Dundalk, as his young team failed to win his opening 12 matches in charge. Now that is resolved, a tumultuous 23 months, by any standards for an Ireland manager, cursed by the pandemic colliding with a financial crisis, has ended. Talks around Kenny’s contract had been ongoing since November with a severance package, in the event of a failed Nations League campaign, seemingly a stumbling block. “Stephen and I have agreed on that deal now and we look forward to working together as he seeks to guide Ireland to the next European Championship finals.” “The board gave me clear instructions to agree a deal that sees Stephen in charge for the upcoming Uefa Nations League and Euro 2024 campaigns at a time when there is so much excitement about the future of this young and emerging Ireland squad,” said Jonathan Hill, the FAI chief executive.
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