International friendly: Qatar v Republic of Ireland (tonight, Nagyerdei Stadium, Hungary, 7.45)
UNDER-FIRE manager Stephen Kenny reiterated his desire to build a team that “exhilarates Irish football people” – and also highlighted the human rights abuses in Qatar ahead of tonight’s international friendly with next year’s World Cup hosts.
The Dubliner was left reeling after Saturday night’s shock home defeat to Luxembourg which leaves Ireland’s World Cup finals hopes in tatters, having picked up no qualification points from their opening two games.
Kenny, who received backing from his FAI employers the day after their 1-0 defeat to Luxembourg, says the “tactical shift” he’s implementing will take time to bed down.
“We’ve got to believe in these players. There are a lot of really talented players that are going to come good.
“I do feel they’re going to improve. It was pointed out to me that Mick McCarthy’s team, which got to the World Cup [in 2002], didn’t win in their first seven (games) or something.
“They had some brilliant players at the time.”
Enda Stevens and Matt Doherty have been ruled out of tonight’s friendly tie in Debrecen, Hungary where the Irish hope to end their 10-game winless run.
“Sometimes when you’re introducing players like that, there can be… too many too quickly, you might say.
“[But] we have the capacity…. Like, I want to build a team that really exhilarates Irish football people. And that’s it. Nothing more than that.”
Meanwhile, Kenny said the human rights abuses in Qatar "can't be swept under the carpet" after players from Germany, Norway and Holland wore T-shirts voiced their concerns.
A recent study claimed 6,500 migrant workers died in the 10 years since the nation was awarded the 2022 finals.
"There is a clear issue with human rights in the building of stadiums in Qatar, and the number of people who have died. It can't be ignored," said Kenny.
On the wider issue of athletes using their position to address political issues, the Ireland manager said: "Where do you draw the line? Do you say, for example, America boycotting the Olympics in Russia, Russia boycotting the Olympics in America, what does that achieve? We're not sure. Years later, we still haven't gauged a measurement of what that actually achieved."
