Republic of Ireland Under-21 manager Stephen Kenny issued a positive bulletin on his health when he named his squad for the upcoming double-header against Italy and Iceland in Dublin today, but the former Dundalk boss declined to divulge the nature of the problem that caused his prolonged stay in Sweden.
Kenny, whose side top their qualification group for the 2021 European Under-21 Championships after three matches, took ill and was hospitalised as the squad prepared to fly home after inflicting a 3-1 defeat on their hosts on 10 September.
"I'm feeling very well," Kenny, who spent a couple of weeks in Sweden, told reporters at the FAI's headquarters in Abbotstown.
"I had a stay in Sweden but there's probably not a better health system you could have than in Sweden. It wasn't the worst place to be not well in.
"I'm absolutely fine now. I was in England all last weekend and in England again yesterday."
When asked whether he would reveal details on the precise nature of his recent health scare, the 48-year-old told reporters: "I’d prefer not to."
Ireland entertain Italy at Tallaght Stadium on 10 October and travel to Reykjavik to face Iceland five days later in two games that will likely prove crucial to their hopes of qualification.
Kenny will have been left pleasantly surprised that Mick McCarthy has resisted the temptation to draft any of his budding stars into the senior squad for the long trip to Tbilisi to face Gerogia, despite both Aaron Connolly and Troy Parrott featuring on the senior manager’s 41-man shortlist.
However, Kenny, who announced his squad today, still believes that Connolly could be spirited away, should McCarthy’s attacking options become depleted.
"I think the possibility exists that Aaron Connolly could be called up at any time," Kenny admitted.
"He's the most likely of the squad at the moment.
"He's in our squad and preparing for the Italian game. But the possibility always exists. He's the closest, I think, to the senior squad."
