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The absurdity of the managerial succession plan hit home in Amsterdam this week.

We had Mick McCarthy interviewed about Nations League games that he won’t be in charge for, claiming Stephen Kenny will be “thrilled” with the draw.

I think Mick’s message might have been a little more guarded if he was taking the team himself for those games with Wales, Finland and Bulgaria.

It’s an unsatisfactory situation for both managers to be in and, with a big game looming, Mick could do without the distraction.

Naturally, we all hope the playoffs go well and that he’s leading the team to the Euros.

But confirmation of the Nations League fixtures hammered home the fact that the Kenny era is almost upon us.

He could be in charge for the Turkey and Luxembourg games in the summer, of course, if we hit the playoff skids.

Very soon we’ll be debating whether a League of Ireland man like Kenny will be picking players from the domestic league.

Experience tells us to heed caution.

When Brian Kerr got the Ireland job in 2003, League of Ireland fans expected one or two players to break through considering Brian’s ties.

We had some serious players, like a young Wes Hoolahan, but to be fair to Brian he had a squad of Premiership players to pick from.

(Image: ©INPHO/Oisin Keniry)

It was far more difficult to get into the Ireland team then than it is now. Right now, there isn't a huge gap between our top internationals and our top LOI players.

Some lads in the Ireland team continue to underperform and levels are generally nowhere near where they should be - and we can’t score either.

There are at least two League of Ireland players who should be in the Ireland XI, never mind the squad - Jack Byrne and Patrick Hoban.

What more can you say about Jack? He impacts games and is the only player we have who can conjure up a bit of magic when it’s needed.

And Hoban deserves international recognition. He was outstanding against Shamrock Rovers last Friday.

His one-touch layoff play in the first-half was exceptional and he took his goal so well. He makes it so difficult for defenders because he never stops moving.

He’s playing with maturity and he’s extremely physical for his height. Kenny knows him well from their Dundalk days and we’re short in that area.

I’d back Hoban all day to adapt and I’d also give honourable mention to Sean Gannon who would easily hold his own in the Ireland squad.

His problem is that right-back is our strongest position with Seamus Coleman - injured at the moment - and Matt Doherty.

Gannon is 28, but that’s not too old. Enda Stevens is 29 and only made the left-back shirt his own a year ago.

Martin O’Neill wanted Michael Duffy but there was a delay in his paperwork and then O’Neill was out of the job. He’s another who could profit from Kenny’s arrival.

Byrne, Hoban, Gannon and Duffy are also exposed to European club football on an annual basis, something only Doherty in the Ireland squad is used to. It all helps.

Kenny will surely promote a handful of his Under-21s and quite right too but we’re starting to see a softening of the old attitude about the League of Ireland.

Our best players are good enough to play for Ireland and Kenny knows that.

Player welfare must be kept in mind

(Image: ©INPHO/Oisin Keniry)

Hopefully the players who suffered from hypothermia at Shamrock Rovers II v Galway United last weekend are doing okay.

What an alarming chain of events and it goes to show you shouldn’t take risks with player welfare.

Charles Livingstone Mbabazi was a fans favourite at St Pat's but played his last game the day before his 22nd birthday in 2003.



He had a pre-match ritual to get himself fired up where he would either have a cold shower or douse himself in cold water before going out to play.

But it was below zero against Bohs that night and having experienced chest pains earlier in the day, his body went into shock.

It exposed his underlying heart condition and he had to retire.

Conditions were brutal at Tallaght Stadium last Saturday so maybe it shouldn't have gone ahead.

Gary Deegan is perfect leader for Shels

(Image: ©INPHO/Ryan Byrne)

I love seeing 'Deega' take things by the scruff of the neck at Shels.

I remember him as the take-no-crap youngster who cycled to training every day from Coolock.

Even back then with Shels, Gary Deegan had a raw edge about him. And I love that in players because it’s a rarity these days.

Pat Fenlon then snapped him up for Bohs where he won two leagues and a double before moving across the water.

But he's back with Shels as skipper. He’s their leader, their father figure.

I could only smile watching him dish out slaps-in-the-face to all his team-mates in the huddle last week.

With that fierce beard of his, he looks like Dermot Keely in the 1980s!

But the younger Shels players need someone who is willing to lead them into battle. It gives them a sense of protection.

‘Deega’ has a bit of everything in his game too - a great engine, bite and the odd goal. He's a great signing and I’m looking forward to tonight’s derby all the more for it.

TV must show best league has to offer

(Image: ©INPHO/Ciaran Culligan)

We need to be more selective about which matches are shown on live TV.

Last week's humdinger between Shamrock Rovers and Dundalk was as good a game as I can remember.

It had everything and the 8,000-capacity Tallaght Stadium was just shy of a sellout. It looked the part on TV too.

Perception matters when we're trying to sell this product to a new audience and we shouldn't show poor games in dreadful grounds.

Unfortunately, Dundalk are victims of this as Oriel Park looks brutal on TV. Very few of our stadia look well to be fair.

You might get a wonder goal but if the viral clips show dilapidated stands that are shut down, what's the point.

So many pitches are in rag order too. I thought that was a thing of the past. It's not and the start of the season has been a bit of a shambles in that regard.

There’s plenty of people lining up to have a pop at the league and we don't help ourselves.

If that means being selective in what games are shown, so be it - even if leaves others with their nose out of joint.

Flores goal brings van Basten and Zidane to mind

I scared the life out of my wife by letting out a roar when Jordan Flores scored 'that goal'.

In any other game, Jack Byrne's sublime winner would have been the only talking point. It was worthy of winning any game.

But in terms of execution, Flores’s is up there with Marco van Basten at Euro 88 and Zinedine Zidane in the 2002 Champions League final.