Alan Kelly has shared his disgust with the suggestion that he has been involved with the leaking of information from the Republic of Ireland soccer camp regarding a video shown in the build-up to a recent friendly defeat to England.
One of Stephen Kenny's backroom coaches, the former Ireland goalkeeper Alan Kelly has this evening taken to Twitter to distance himself from rumours regarding a leak from the Irish camp.
Alan Kelly statement: “Enough is enough” pic.twitter.com/PolHtvRFhR
— Goalkeeping Skills (@Keepingskills) November 21, 2020
In the aftermath of Ireland's 0-0 draw with Bulgaria on Wednesday evening, the Daily Mail reported that Stephen Kenny had upset unnamed members of his team and backroom staff for showing a video that was alleged to have been 'anti-English' in tone.
Believed to have been screened on the day of Ireland's 3-0 defeat to England at Wembley stadium, it has since been confirmed that Kenny has held "very positive" talks with the Football Association of Ireland after they deemed the story worth investigating shortly after it was reported.
Although the video itself is unlikely to have any lasting impact on Kenny in his role as Ireland manager, it has been the source of some speculation how the information made its way from the Irish camp to the media.
Alan Kelly, a former Ireland 'keeper and long-time coach in the national set-up who recently excused himself from travelling with the team on account of health concerns, has this evening sought to distance himself from any suggestion that he was responsible for the leaking of this information.
"I made the decision to 'sit out' the last match because the risk as becoming too high for me as an asthmatic," Kelly's statement read, Ireland's senior squad a repeated hot spot for positive Covid-19 tests in the recent international windows.
"I am not absolutely furious and disgusted with the narrative & innuendo being created in the media that this decision is somehow linked with stories leaked to the press out of OUR dressing room.
"I can say, with 100% certainty, that I have never bleated to the media in 35 years as a player and coach & I've been in some pretty interesting dressing rooms.
"This narrative is wholly and totally wrong & it should be the question who is spreading and benefitting from this? What I can say is it's not me.
"I have been a loyal servant to Irish football for over 30 years and to find my name & reputation being dragged through the mud is shameful. Enough is enough."
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