Stephen Kenny refuses to single out one Under-21 starlet to shine at senior level because it’s like being asked to pick his favourite child.
Two or three of his former players could make his first senior squad ahead of the Nations League games against Bulgaria and Finland in September.
He has an array of talent to pick from but said: “Picking one is like choosing between my children.
“But Aaron Connolly and Troy Parrott have accelerated quickly and Lee O’Connor has already been capped by the senior team.
“They have had a rapid rise and there are quite a few more in there that will have the ability but only time will tell.”
Kenny was speaking on a fundraising initiative for Down Syndrome Ireland yesterday and all questions were asked by fans.
Asked if he could pick any former Ireland captain to lead his current team, he selected Johnny Giles.
“We’ve had so many great Irish captains from Johnny Carey to Roy Keane and Seamus Coleman.
“But I’ll go with Johnny Giles. He was a trailblazer in his era and had great vision for the game itself.
“He played for and managed Ireland and wanted to change the way football was played for Ireland and I think that is important.”
Quizzed on the best player he ever managed, Kenny chose his former Derry City star Paddy McCourt, who went on to become a cult hero at Celtic.
Kenny added: “I’ve managed all different types of players and feel privileged to have had so many great ones.
“But the most naturally gifted was Paddy McCourt at Derry. He was such a natural talent and he would just take your breath away.”
But Kenny once again stopped short of guaranteeing League of Ireland players a route into his team just because he made his name in the domestic game.
“It depends,” he said. “You can’t predict how people will do. “The higher the level you are playing, the greater the opportunity to show what you can do.
“Shamrock Rovers and Dundalk playing in Europe, that helps. We’ll look at everyone with new eyes. We’ll give everyone an opportunity.”
