STEPHEN KENN' NOT EASE OFF

STEPHEN KENNY says he cancelled his holiday during the off-season - and instead spent time with his former Ireland coaches John Eustace and Keith Andrews.

- BY MARK MCCADDEN

The St Patrick's Athletic manager visited Derby County and Brentford to learn from two of the men who were on his Boys in Green coaching staff.

Eustace, now at Derby, combined his QPR assistant manager role with a position in Kenny's backroom team, while Andrews served as his assistant manager.

The Dubliner has taken the Premier League by storm since his appointment last summer as Brentford boss.

Kenny, frustrated with last year's failure to secure European football, touched base with the pair to give himself a fresh outlook ahead of the new campaign.

"We had that expectation to qualify (for Europe) and we didn't,” he said.