Stephen Kenny has been to footballing heaven and hell during his Ireland tenure, and while his future in the role may be in limbo, the manager certainly does not believe that he is currently in purgatory.
Heading into next week's double header against the Netherlands and New Zealand, the manager acknowleged that they could be his final games in charge, but admitted that he was as much in the dark as everyone else outside of the FAI decision makers.
Kenny knows that the decision is now out of his hands, and his work over the three years in charge will be appraised by his employers before they decide on the future direction of the national team.
"I don't view [the uncertainty] as purgatory," said Kenny, speaking to the media following the squad announcement for the final Euro 2024 qualifier in Amsterdam, followed by the home friendly against the Kiwis.
"I've asked the question, no decision has been made," added Kenny. "If that was the case. If I knew it was the case, I probably would have released a statement or something, but that isn't the case.
"I've been told no decision has been made ...until after the New Zealand game, so I'll take that at face value.
"I respect that. So from our point of view, we've just got to prepare well for Holland and New Zealand and put in strong performances over the week."
So perhaps Kenny’s current state is more akin to a football manager’s death row, awaiting either execution or a last-minute reprieve.
Kenny has been well able to outline the positives that he has brought to the national team, taking over ahead of a global pandemic, while assembling a young, vibrant squad in his own image, and while he said that he would not plea for his position, he again outlined more positives that he has brought to the role.
And while the manager's celestial moments are perhaps overshadowed by the dark days of Hades, Kenny still manages to exude huge pride in the role that he has played in his dream job.
"As they say, success is not linear, and that's reality, but I think people look at the squad, the Irish public look at that squad and we feel they connect with it," said Kenny.
"The reason we know we connected, it's not coming from me, it's coming from people in the FAI, they've said our attendances are 25% greater than any other team over the last 10 or 12 years.
"The game against New Zealand, before we took over, there was only 15,000 at it. Against Lithuania on a Tuesday, we had 33,000, three days after we played Belgium at home. We have had 49,000 and over 40 thousand (at other games) and the atmosphere has been pretty special."
"That's been a good part of it, and people have identified with the team.
"There's been a lot of good things. Callum Robinson's five goals that weekend was special, to beat Azerbaijan out there 2-0 and his hat-trick against Qatar, special.
"Michael Obafemi and Troy Parrott's goals against Scotland. Gavin Bazunu's save against Portugal, Nathan Collins' goal against Ukraine, Chiedozie Ogbene's overhead kick against Belgium. Loads of great moments."
And yet, there is a sense that the manager expects that it will all come down to results, and knows that certain fixtures, most notably the defeats to Luxembourg, Armenia and Greece twice, could be what drops the guillotine on his rollercoaster reign.
"We have had our setbacks, starting with the defeat against Luxembourg at an empty Lansdowne Road and losing in Armenia, there was pain with that. And then losing to Greece this year," pondered Kenny.
"I might pay the price from losing to Greece. If we took four points off Greece maybe people would have a different perspective.
"We wouldn't have qualified but people might be thinking it's alright. That might be what we are judged on, ultimately, I don't know."
To his credit, the manager has dealt admirably with the constant criticism and conjecture surrounding his position, and it would appear that Kenny feels that he has been given a fair crack of the whip by his employers.
"I’m not making complaints or excuses in that regard," said Kenny, when asked had he received ample support from the FAI throughout his tenure. "I’ve no issues there.
"I think they (the FAI) know that the culture within the team is brilliant, the staff are exceptional behind the scenes and there’s a great culture. Just obviously it goes back to the fact the results against Greece will count against our situation. I get that and understand that as well. I must take responsibility for that.
"You have to be ambitious," said Kenny, when asked if he felt that more patience was needed in relation to getting the required results and harbouring hopes of qualifying for the major tournaments.
"Ambition is important, always. Even though we got the hardest group you could ever get, we were still thinking our objective is to qualify. You want that and feel you can. Most rational people say you won't but you got to strive to do it."
And looking beyond the New Zealand fixture on Tuesday week at Lansdowne Road, Kenny, no doubt, will be first to be told as to his status within the association, and while there will be no last-minute plea from the manager, he made it abundantly clear that he would be more than content to take the team into the next chapter or two on the international stage.
"Well, it’s stating the obvious that I want to stay on as Ireland manager, but I’m not shouting that out loud, nor shouting in the building," said Kenny.
"Ultimately, I’m preparing the team for Holland and New Zealand, am keeping my head down to work hard and have the team prepared. That’s all I’m focussed on."
Watch the FAI Cup final, Bohemians v St Patrick's Athletic, on Sunday from 2pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. Follow a live blog on RTÉ.ie/Sport and the RTÉ News app and listen to live radio commentary on Sunday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1
