Pressure growing on Stephen Kenny as Ireland face tricky assignment

Hosting Ukraine in 2022 carries more symbolism than any mere football match can conjure, due to Russia waging war across their country, and in the wake of Oleksandr Petrakov’s team being denied a place at the World Cup in Qatar by Wales last Sunday, the prevailing emotional energy makes this meeting impossible to predict.

“Even if they make changes, and they have made changes right throughout the [World Cup] campaign, they have rotated their midfield, Shaparenko and Sydorchuk have played regularly for them, and both are really good players,” said Kenny of pre-match analysis that can be questioned after the Irish management were caught unawares by Armenia’s five-man defence.

Kenny will resist wholesale changes but Jason Knight’s previous ability to dovetail with the established attacking duo puts pressure on Troy Parrott, who was ineffective in Yerevan. “[We are] not in a hurry to make too many changes at the moment . . . but he definitely has a future with the senior international team if he continues in that vein of form.”

Out of his depth from the start. Appointed before Mick McCarthys tenure was even close to being finished. Another FAI shambles. We think we're better than we are because some of our players have the odd good game in England while surrounded by players of decent calibre.

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