Derry City chairman Philip O’Doherty has confirmed to BBC Radio Foyle that Stephen Kenny has opted to leave the Brandywell post to take over the vacant managerial post at Shamrock Rovers.
The Board of Directors will meet today to discuss the potential candidates for the role of the first team manager at Derry City.
Speaking to BBC Radio Foyle, the club chairman confirmed that the week long saga surrounding the future of the Brandywell boss had been concluded.
“I met him this morning at 9.45 and his first words were ‘It’s time to go home’,” Derry chairman Mr O’Doherty told BBC Radio Foyle.
“It’s very sad and Stephen was quite emotional himself.
“The club are very disappointed but we understand that Shamrock Rovers are his hometown club and Stephen lived in Tallaght until he was 20 years of age.”
The Derry chairman acknowledged that Kenny’s departure was a “very bad Christmas present”.
“It took him a long time to make a dcision and I suppose that’s testimony to how close he was to the people of Derry.
“But when the Michael O’Neill thing started to take place, we all suspected that there would be an approach.
“It’s very disappointing but I can understand it too.
“If it had been any other club, I would have been telling Stephen to wise up but Shamrock Rovers come from Tallaght and it was going to be an attraction for him.”
The Derry chairman said that the club have not earmarked any successor.
“We’ve about five weeks until we’re supposed to be beginning pre-season training.
“It isn’t good timing at all but the board are going to meet at 12 o’clock (on Saturday) to start looking at a successor but initially people will be shocked to hear this on Christmas Eve.”
