His tactical flaws prolonging for the October defeat to the Dutch ensured the feeling that his tenure was trapped in a cryotherapy chamber unable to shake off the shivers.

Ultimately, the cold reality is that the hastening of his departure from the job was executed by two failed Premier League managers, Gus Poyet and Ronald Koeman.

Whether Kenny gets the chance to test himself in that landscape has been damaged by his failure. Not much that happens against a Dutch side depleted in defence will colour those credentials but at least his final rodeo can be fondly remembered.

Thursday’s win for Slovakia over Iceland finally extinguished that desperate backdoor route to the Euros via the playoffs he clung to when the Dutch came from behind two months ago in Dublin to win 2-1.

That hasn’t stalled the revisionism nor the fanciful hypothesis of what might be, had certain moments fell differently.

Realising his fate will be decided by the FAI board on November 28, Kenny has taken to predicting big things for the generation he’s blooded.

“There’s been quite a radical shift over the last couple of years and I’ve been criticised for using too many players, too soon,” he asserted.

“In my view, they were the players with the greatest potential at that point and I think that will prove to be the case going forward.”

Alan Browne, who flanked Kenny at what will be his final pre-match briefing for a competitive international, justifiably highlighted the difficulty of the group.

“With the draw we got, we knew it was an uphill battle right from the start,” he said about being pitted against France and Netherlands.

“I think we were very unfortunate. Any other team would be unfortunate with it as well. You’re up against the best teams in the world. If you want to succeed you've got to beat them.”

What he didn’t mention was beating the fellow middling ones too. Greece were fourth seeds and still conquered Ireland twice, each time with a bit to spare. None of those ‘fine margins’ that have been spouted applied either in Athens or Dublin.

Kenny was outthought by Poyet and his players outmuscled by the Greeks. Browne, at 28, will be around to see if another manager fares better. Amidst all the suffering of fans at another tournament passing with Irish participation, the Corkman insists the campaign which only has wins over Gibraltar to show hasn’t sunk morale.

“Not as much as you might think,” he noted about the perception of gloom.

“Given the circumstances, the opposition that we faced, it doesn’t hurt as much. When you try to go toe to toe with those teams and you’re not far off, you can take some credit and confidence from that. We try to stay as positive as we can.

“I’m not saying we’re happy to lose games. We’re disappointed after every game we lose, even draws to a certain extent. We reflect on those games and analyse them. Reflecting on the moments that have cost you, you kind of think there’s not an awful lot in it.

“Goals are massive and goals change games. In this campaign we conceded when on top. Just as you feel a goal is coming, there’s a sucker-punch.”

Evan Ferguson’s availability after recovering from the back injury that kept him out of Brighton’s weekend game, coupled with Virgil Van Dijk being the only fit centre-back of their preferred trios, offers encouragement.

Injury has also robbed Ireland of two speedsters, Chiedozie Ogbene and Festy Ebosele, heaping the burden on the teen sensation to hit the net.

Ireland’s two goals in the five matches against the Dutch, France and Greece were sourced from a penalty and corner.

“It’s important not to expect too much of Evan and be cognisant of his age,” cautioned Kenny.

“He’s just turned 19, has an all-round game and a few goals already for Ireland. Evan was in this stadium last week when Brighton played and has been very positive this week, very positive.

“He could easily have opted to pull out having not been available for his club last week. Yet he’s here, determined to do well and deserves a lot of credit for that.

“There’s no pressure on Evan here. We want him to enjoy his football and show his quality.”

Pressure is also off Kenny when this winter window was flagged in his grand masterplan as the juncture he’d finally deliver a dividend under it.