Stephen Kenny was today officially unveiled as the new Bohemians manager.
Bohemians president Felim O'Reilly announced the appointment at a press conference in Dalymount Park and hailed the 30-year-old Dubliner as a "meticulous professional, who is definitely the most appropriate man for the job." Kenny signed a two year contract, which encompasses the remainder of the current campaign and the entirety of the following two seasons.
Kenny was a coach with St Patrick's Athletic when they won the Premier Division title in 1998, but really came to prominence by virtue of his achievements with Longford Town in the last three years.
In his second season in charge, Longford won promotion from the first division and last year reached the FAI Cup final, where they were beaten by Bohemians, and secured qualification for Europe.
The Longford Town board, however, are expected to contest the legality of Kenny's move. While both the manager and Bohemians insist he had no legally binding contract with the Flancare Park outfit, Longford officials appear to differ and will initiate legal proceedings later today.
Kenny, meanwhile, said he was "delighted" to accept "the best job in the country" and said he had "no illusions, but no fears" about the size of the task ahead. He revealed that though he was sad to leave Longford, the opportunity to work with a professional club of Bohemians' potential was simply too good to refuse.
"I really want to embrace professionalism, and the Longford chairman, Adrian Duncan, admitted to me that it would be 2003 before Longford could begin to think about going full-time. Bohemians have all ready got the infrastructure and financial backing in place - there's 20-odd full-time players here, and then there's an excellent gymnasium, running-track, and pitches out at ALSAA."
That, insists Kenny, is the basis for making Bohemians "a force in Europe" he said.
"I want to follow the European model. If you look at clubs such as Rosenborg, not only do they dominate their own league, but, because they get all the best players available in their country, they can also make an impression on Europe. That's the aspiration Bohemians have - I want to make this the elite club in Ireland."
A look at the current league table, however, might make some observers scoff at such ambitions - the champions currently lie fourth from bottom. Kenny, who won't meet his new players for the first time until this evening, admits his first task is to instill renewed confidence in the team.
"I watched their recent games against Dundalk and St. Pat's, and I thought the players looked very edgy," he said, "the crowd were getting on their backs and there seemed to be a lot of tension in their play. Our next two league games are against Bray and Shelbourne and then we're into the last series of games, so it's important to start winning quickly to avoid getting into a relegation battle."
The contracts of several members of the Bohemians playing squad will expire in the summer, but the new manager says he will only offer new deals to players who adopt or maintain a professional lifestyle.
"I want them to be always preparing for games, in everything they do. It's true one of my first tasks will be to convince certain players to stay, but it's a double-sided deal: all the players also have to convince me they're worth keeping."
Kenny, of course, must also convince the fans - a particularly abusive section of whom were ultimately responsible for Pete Mahon's decision to resign last week - that he himself is worth keeping. Though he admits he has never experienced such abuse personally, he says he's sure he can cope should it ever arise.
"I'm going into this job with my eyes open," he said. "I know that's part of it. It shouldn't be, but it is. I remember taking Longford to play against Waterford United a few years ago and after we beat them their manager, Mike Flanagan, got unbelievable stick. The same thing happened to Derek Mountfield when we won in Cork just before he was sacked. So I've seen it and I feel that, though it won't be easy, I'll be able to deal with it if it happens."
He may, of course, be set to experience an ear-bashing very soon. Next Saturday he takes charge of Bohemians for his first match, which the Cup draw has determined will be away to, of all teams, Longford. The home crowd are angry at Kenny's departure and are expected to make their feelings clear.
"I honestly don't know what to expect," says Kenny.