After Damien Duff announced that he was stepping away from Stephen Kenny's Republic of Ireland backroom team, Stephen Elliott, Daniel McDonnell and Johnny Ward discussed the development on Saturday's OTB Sports Football Show.
A nightmare opening year for Republic of Ireland manager Stephen Kenny does not appear to be fully behind him just yet.
On Friday night, the Football Association of Ireland released a statement announcing the departure of Damien Duff from Kenny's backroom team.
Without a win from Kenny's first eight games in charge, the former Irish international departs Kenny's staff two months before the 2022 World Cup qualifying campaign gets underway.
"I find it ever so strange," the former Irish striker Stephen Elliott stated, "with the crisis we're in and the problems Stephen Kenny has had, if you're a member of his staff and really behind Stephen I don't think you would walk out on the situation.
"Even if he doesn't get on with the FAI, you've got to look at the bigger picture of being an Irish coach helping the Irish team."
On Saturday's Football Show, Elliott, Daniel McDonnell and Johnny Ward joined OTB Sports to discuss Duff's decision to walk away and what it may mean for Stephen Kenny and Ireland.
In light of what has been a difficult year for Kenny on and off the pitch, football writer Daniel McDonnell considered what the departure of Damien Duff may mean for the Irish boss.
"Clearly Duff had frustrations and decided to act on them," he concluded, "but at the same time it is not good for Stephen Kenny because he tried to persuade him to stay - it appears - and wasn't able to do so.
"When you haven't won in eight matches and there's a debate about how things are going, it is very easy to spin it that here is another person leaving, or here is someone looking to head off and that adds to the 'bad news' vibe."
You can watch Saturday's Football Show in its entirety here
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