Bohemians speak to Stephen Kenny about managerial vacancy

Bohemians are in talks with Stephen Kenny to come straight back into the League of Ireland fold.

Kenny is keen to return to club management since being cut loose by the FAI last November after an unsuccessful Euro 2024 campaign.

The former Republic of Ireland manager would be tempted by a job in England below the Premier League but if an offer does not materialise in the next fortnight, a return to Dalymount Park is now possible.

Kenny guided Bohs to a Premier Division title in 2003 before beating Bate Borisov in a Champions League qualifier, only to be later knocked out by Rosenborg of Norway.

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From 2013 to 2018, Kenny won four league titles as Dundalk manager and the FAI Cup twice. He also guided Derry City to Cup success in 2006.

The 52-year-old managed Dunfermline to a Scottish Cup final in 2007. Aberdeen are currently interviewing candidates to replace Neil Warnock, although his name has not been mentioned alongside Neil Lennon and others.

But Bohs are believed to be pushing for Kenny to replace Declan Devine, who was released by the club last Sunday, just four games into the season.

Another household name in Irish football, Richard Dunne, was connected to Bohs as a replacement for Keith Long two years ago but the former Ireland international has no experience as a manager. The club’s solid coaching structure under director of football Pat Fenlon might allow a figurehead like Dunne to take charge if Kenny’s salary demands cannot be agreed. The former Dundalk manager was reportedly paid between €520,000 and €560,000 by the FAI.

An alternative option for Bohs is Alan Reynolds. The 49-year-old is highly regarded as an assistant manager, with Waterford rebuffing recent moves by Derry City to bring him back to the Brandywell as Ruaidhrí Higgins’ number two.

Reynolds reportedly declined an offer to replace Long before Devine was appointed in 2022.

Bohemians officials are not commenting until the recruitment process is complete.

Reynolds also trains the Ireland under-21s alongside head coach Jim Crawford, who is another potential candidate to fill the vacancy.

On Thursday, Crawford announces his squad to play San Marino on March 22nd.

A reprise of the Kenny and Reynolds double act – they previously worked together at Derry – might satisfy the Bohs fans that left before the final whistle of last week’s 2-0 home defeat to Damien Duff’s Shelbourne.

Fenlon is officially overseeing the first team since Devine was sacked but Derek Pender and Trevor Croly ran training this week.

Duff’s number two Joey O’Brien is another highly-rated coach who might come into consideration. As could Pender, who effectively takes charge when Derry visit Phibsboro this Friday, although he works full-time in AIB as a treasury analyst and does not currently hold the necessary Uefa coaching badges.

Whoever Bohs appoint, they will encounter the same issues as Devine. In particular, club captain Keith Buckley and goalkeeper James Talbot are unavailable in the medium to long term while comparable replacements for Jon Afolabi and Ali Coote have yet to materialise.

Fenlon is also seeking a new director of the Bohs academy to replace Craig Sexton. But the priority for the club is to secure a new manager before the trip to Tallaght stadium to face Shamrock Rovers on March 29th.