If St Patrick's Athletic are able to appoint Stephen Kenny as their next manager, it would be a "phenomenal" coup for the club, according to former Saints captain and boss Johnny McDonnell.
Former Republic of Ireland, Dundalk, Derry City, Bohemians and Longford Town manager Kenny has been increasingly linked with the vacancy which opened up at Richmond Park following the decision to sack FAI Cup-winning head coach Jon Daly last week.
Since parting ways with the Irish national team set-up last November, it had been thought that Kenny was keen on finding a management role further afield.
But over the weekend, reports suggested that St Pat's were in advanced talks with the 52-year-old in the hope that he could replicate the huge trophy-laden successes he had achieved previously within the League of Ireland.
"With the quick departure of Jon [Daly], I think they obviously have someone in place," he said, adding that he was not in the know about which prospective candidates Pat's may be negotiating with at present.
"But to get Stephen in, with the history of what he's done in the league, would be phenomenal for the club.
"I think he's got a good feeling for Pat's. And the things that he's done, and we think back to Dundalk, but if you go back to the Longford days when he started his career and the stuff he did, he's got a brilliant eye for getting players in and finding players and building teams."
McDonnell pointed out that the competitive nature of the SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division, with teams bunched closely together and finding momentum hard to come by at present means that whoever takes charge of Pat's - Kenny or otherwise - has the potential to push the Saints right into the mix quite quickly with a managerial bounce.
"For Stephen to go in, there would obviously have to be a plan - a two or three-year plan for him - and on his past performances and what he can do at League of Ireland level, if he can replicate that going into Pat's would be unbelievable, fantastic," McDonnell added.
Also speaking on this week's podcast, former St Pat's striker Eoin Doyle pondered whether no clear club options further afield in the UK or the continent over the past six months may make a League of Ireland return more attractive in Kenny's eyes.
"I'm sure his name is being put out there but it doesn't seem to be getting any traction for him over there so for me he's the absolutely outstanding candidate to go into Pat's. He's the one that everyone would want in the league," said the former Bolton, Cardiff and Hibernian striker.
"If he is to go into a job, he has to be backed in the job and I'm sure that's what [Pat's chairman] Garrett Kelleher is thinking here.
"If he's out trying to get him, it'll be a long-term project, he'll give him the backing he needs to try and get them up challenging for titles again.
"It'd be a very exciting time for the club and everyone involved because Stephen going in there really could bring some glory days back to the club there, 100%, because it would be a long-term project.
"I'd love to see it, I really would. I hope he gets it and Garrett's able to pull it off and get him in and I think it won't be only great for Pat's but it would be great for the league. It would be another proper challenger to Rovers alongside Derry. Exciting times."
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