Stephen Kenny is a leading contender to become the new manager of League One side Lincoln City.
The Imps have been without a boss since October 12 when they sacked former Ireland international Mark Kennedy. Since then their interim boss, Tom Shaw, has overseen a run of two wins and a draw - reducing pressure on the Lincoln Board to make a quick decision.
And that has kept Kenny in the frame as he is currently in limbo with the FAI, with his contract due to run out at the end of this campaign. Direct talks between Lincoln and Kenny have NOT yet taken place but the former Dundalk, Derry City and Bohs manager IS firmly on the Imps’ radar.
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While two other Irish managers, Damien Duff and Stephen Bradley, are short odds with the bookies to get the Lincoln job, sources have indicated that Kenny is a much likelier candidate to succeed Kennedy than either man. Other names in contention include ex-Lincoln boss, Danny Cowley, and former Luton Town manager, Nathan Jones. Ireland play the Dutch on Saturday week and then a friendly against New Zealand at home - the match that is likely to be Kenny’s last game.
Sources have also indicated that Lincoln have no issue delaying their decision within that timeframe.
Shamrock Rovers boss Bradley rejected an offer from Lincoln last year to take over as manager after the 38-year-old was held talks with the club to replace Michael Appleton in the dugout. The Imps formally approached Rovers for the right to talk to Bradley after he led the League of Ireland club to back-to-back Premier Division titles and the 2019 FAI Cup.
All signs pointed to Bradley accepting Lincoln's offer, but Bradley released a statement confirming that he would be remaining at Tallaght Stadium. "During the past few days there has been much speculation about my immediate future as Shamrock Rovers Head Coach," he said at the time.
"I would like to thank Lincoln City for expressing an interest in speaking to me about their vacant managerial position. Like every manager and coach I one day have an ambition to test myself in different countries and at different levels of the game.
"But right now, I am very happy to stay and continue my work at Shamrock Rovers. I love this club and I feel that our work here is not yet complete. The exceptional squad of players that we’ve built and our incredible fans makes me feel so hungry that we have a real opportunity to achieve more success at home and in Europe to match the ambitious targets the we have set ourselves as a club over the next few years."
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