Kenny Cunningham

For the Costa Rican footballer, see Kenny Cunningham (footballer born 1985).
Kenny Cunningham

Warming up for Birmingham, April 2005
Personal information
Full name Kenneth Edward Cunningham[1]
Date of birth (1971-06-28) 28 June 1971[1]
Place of birth Dublin, Republic of Ireland
Height 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)[1]
Playing position Defender
Youth career
– Home Farm
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
1988–1989 Tolka Rovers
1989–1994 Millwall 136 (1)
1994–2002 Wimbledon 250 (0)
2002–2006 Birmingham City 134 (0)
2006–2007 Sunderland 11 (0)
Total 531 (1)
National team
1994 Republic of Ireland B 1 (0)
1996–2005 Republic of Ireland 72 (0)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.

† Appearances (goals)

Kenneth Edward "Kenny" Cunningham (born 28 June 1971) is an Irish former footballer who played as a defender. He played international football for the Republic of Ireland until his retirement in 2005. He spent his entire professional club career, from 1989 to 2007, in England, making more than 500 appearances in the Football League and Premier League playing for Millwall, Wimbledon, Birmingham City and Sunderland.

After retirement as a player, he worked as a pundit for RTÉ Sport, and successfully completed the UEFA Pro Licence coaching qualification in 2011.[2]

Early life and career

Cunningham was born in Dublin. He attended O'Connell's Boys primary school and St. Vincent's C.B.S. secondary school in the Glasnevin district. At school, he played more Gaelic football than soccer: he played for O'Connell's at Croke Park alongside future Gaelic star Dessie Farrell in a schools' final, and played for Na Fianna and Dublin Minors.[3][4] At association football, he played for the Home Farm club from under-9s to under-17s, before moving on to amateur club Tolka Rovers.[5]

Millwall

On 18 September 1989, the 18-year-old Cunningham signed a one-year contract with Millwall of the English First Division. His expectations, to play out the season in England and use the experience to earn himself a good contract back in Ireland, changed when, three months before the end of that "trial" season, Millwall offered him a further two-year contract.[6] He made his Football League debut on 17 March 1990, at right back in the starting eleven in a 1–1 draw away to Norwich City, and started four more first-team games during that season.[7][8] In five years with the club, he made 136 league appearances.

Wimbledon

Cunningham and team mate Jon Goodman moved to Wimbledon in November 1994, for the joint fee of £1,300,000. Cunningham played 250 league games for Wimbledon. In February 2000, Cunningham was involved in an incident with Chelsea captain Dennis Wise following their match and the FA charged Wise with misconduct for the alleged confrontation in the tunnel and later fined Wise £7,500.[9]

Birmingham City

Cunningham moved to Birmingham City, newly promoted to the Premier League, in 2002 for a £600,000 fee.[10] He went straight into the starting eleven, playing at centre back in place of injured captain Steve Vickers rather than his customary right back.[5][11] He formed a fine defensive partnership with Matthew Upson, who joined in the January transfer window,[12] and at the end of that campaign, his teammates chose him as their Player of the Season.[13]

After the first few matches of 2003–04, Birmingham's manager Steve Bruce was describing Cunningham as "on current form ... the best defender in the Premiership".[14] Nicknamed "King Kenny" by the fans,[15] Cunningham had a reputation as an organised solid defender,[16][17] and Manchester United and Ireland full-back Denis Irwin suggested in November 2003 that, though his ability had been under-rated in the past, "this year ... people are realising how good he actually is".[18]

However after the club's relegation at the end of the 2005-06 Premier League season, Cunningham was released along with seven other first team players. On 11 May 2006, Cunningham launched a scathing attack in the press on Bruce and the board, blaming the club's relegation on a lack of preparation throughout the season and likening the club to a "stiff corpse" that has "no heartbeat and, more worryingly, no soul".[19] While fans were in the main supportive of Cunningham's views,[20] the club reacted furiously,[21] and chairman David Gold wondered "if Kenny would have said the same things if we'd stayed up, Portsmouth had gone down and he'd been given a lucrative new contract".[22]

Sunderland

Cunningham signed for Sunderland on 19 July with Sunderland chairman Niall Quinn praising his leadership qualities.[23] He made 11 appearances for the Black Cats as they won the Championship, but no more appearances after October when he was made captain by manager Roy Keane before sustaining an injury.[24] He was released at the end of the 2006–07 season,[25] and retired as a player.[26]

International career

Cunningham won a total of 72 caps for the Republic of Ireland national football team. In March 2001, he returned after a long layoff due to injury, replacing Richard Dunne to partner Gary Breen in defence for a match against Cyprus.[27] Cunningham was named team captain after the 2002 FIFA World Cup. According to manager Mick McCarthy: "Kenny's qualities as a player are easy to see. From day one he has been a great influence. He is a talker on the pitch, he organises the players around him, and off the pitch he is a calm influence.[28]

He retired from international football after achieving 72 caps at the age of 34 on 12 October 2005, following Ireland's draw with Switzerland at Lansdowne Road, which resulted in his team's failure to qualify for the 2006 FIFA World Cup.[29]

Cunningham urged caution following a FIFA rule change allowing players over the age of 21 to switch their international allegiance. Commenting in relation to Ireland's qualifying campaign ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, he said: "It wouldn't be something I'd be hugely in favour of" and "I'd be very disappointed if I was a player in that squad to miss out on the World Cup for somebody who was jumping on board at the last minute".[30]

After football

Cunningham has worked as a pundit for RTÉ Sport's coverage of the Premier League and for Sky Sports's coverage of Ireland matches. He coached at English non-league club Nuneaton Town, who won promotion in his first year there.[31] before completing his UEFA Pro Licence in Ireland. He was appointed assistant to the League of Ireland XI manager Damien Richardson for the Dublin Super Cup tournament in 2011.[32] In June 2013 he was part of RTÉ Sport's coverage of the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup alongside Ronnie Whelan and Richard Sadlier. He was also part of RTÉ Sport's studio coverage of the 2014 FIFA World Cup.[33]

Honours

Sunderland

References

  1. 1 2 3 Hugman, Barry J., ed. (2003). The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2003/2004. Queen Anne Press. p. 102. ISBN 1-85291-651-6.
  2. ↑ "Licence to Nil – UEFA qualification no guarantee". Gareth Maher. 28 September 2013. Retrieved 29 September 2014.
  3. ↑ Faller, Gráinne (13 May 2008). Schools soccer strikes back (reprint). Irish Times (FAI Schools). Retrieved 17 July 2010.
  4. ↑ Doyle, Garry (21 April 2005). Football: Croke Park? No problem! I've won there before.. as a left corner-forward. Daily Mirror (reprint hosted at NewsBank). Retrieved 14 May 2012.
  5. 1 2 Quinn, Philip (5 September 2002). Captain Cunningham. Irish Independent. Retrieved 17 July 2010.
  6. ↑ O'Brien, John (23 March 2003). Ireland: Cunningham rises to task. The Sunday Times (reprint hosted at NewsBank). Retrieved 14 May 2012.
  7. ↑ Kenny Cunningham. The Millwall History Files. Gary Miles. Retrieved 17 July 2010.
  8. ↑ Statistics 1989/90. The Millwall History Files. Gary Miles. Retrieved 14 May 2012.
  9. ↑ "Blues close the gap". BBC Sport. 12 February 2000. Retrieved 29 September 2014.
  10. ↑ Jawad, Hyder (17 July 2002). Football: Blues' swoop just what surprised Cunningham was wanting. Birmingham Post (reprint hosted at NewsBank). Retrieved 14 May 2012.
  11. ↑ Arsenal ease past Birmingham. BBC Sport. 18 August 2002. Retrieved 18 July 2010.
  12. ↑ Tattum, Colin (31 December 2009). Colin Tattum picks his Birmingham City team of the decade. Birmingham Post. Retrieved 18 July 2010.
  13. ↑ Sav Honoured With Top Award. Birmingham City F.C. 9 May 2003. Retrieved 17 July 2010.
  14. ↑ Ellis, Ralph (28 September 2003). Football: Bruce's boys mean business. Sunday Mirror (reprint hosted at NewsBank). Retrieved 14 May 2012.
  15. ↑ http://www.joysandsorrows.co.uk/tag/kenny-cunningham/
  16. ↑ George, Bill (4 September 1999). Breen and Cunningham look like becoming durable duo. Irish Examiner. Retrieved 15 May 2012.
  17. ↑ Jawad, Hyder (1 March 2003). Football: Blues building for long-term Premiership future . Birmingham Post (reprint hosted at NewsBank). Retrieved 15 May 2012.
  18. ↑ McLaughlan, Lee (2 November 2003). Football: Cunningham's Top Man For Veteran Irwin. Sunday Mercury (Birmingham) (reprint hosted at NewsBank). Retrieved 14 May 2012.
  19. ↑ Clarkson, Ian (11 May 2006). The real failings at Blues. Birmingham Post. 11 May 2006. Retrieved 18 July 2010.
  20. ↑ True Bluenoses stand right behind Cunningham and his criticisms (reprint). Birmingham Post (reprint hosted at The Free Library). 12 May 2006. Retrieved 18 July 2010.
  21. ↑ Dick, Brian (12 May 2006). Incensed Blues hit back (reprint). Birmingham Post. (reprint hosted at The Free Library). Retrieved 18 July 2010.
  22. ↑ Hill, Graham (14 May 2006). Football: You Are A Wimp And A Coward (reprint). Sunday Mercury (Birmingham) (reprint hosted at The Free Library). Retrieved 18 July 2010.
  23. ↑ Cunningham signs Sunderland deal. BBC Sport. 19 July 2006. Retrieved 15 May 2012.
  24. ↑ Mellor, Jason (23 October 2006). Keane needs a captain. The Telegraph. Retrieved 15 May 2012.
  25. ↑ Keane lets Cunningham & Miller go. BBC Sport. 18 May 2007. Retrieved 15 May 2012.
  26. ↑ Alexander, Nick (21 September 2007). What a difference a year makes!. Sunderland A.F.C. Archived from the original on 9 June 2009.
  27. ↑ Connolly and Cunningham return. RTÉ. 23 March 2001. Archived from the original on 5 June 2011.
  28. ↑ Cunningham is new Republic skipper. BBC Sport. 4 September 2002. Retrieved 15 May 2012.
  29. ↑ Kerr sees bright future, Kenny quits. RTÉ. 13 October 2005. Retrieved 15 May 2012.
  30. ↑ Cunningham wary on eligibility change. RTÉ. 8 June 2009. Retrieved 15 May 2012
  31. ↑ Hicks, Danielle (15 June 2010). Rob Foster wishes Nuneaton the best. Coventry Telegraph. Retrieved 15 May 2012.
  32. ↑ Kenny Cunningham appointed Airtricity League XI assistant manager for Dublin Super Cup. Airtricity League. 5 July 2011. Retrieved 15 May 2012.
  33. ↑ "Move over Dunphy… RTÉ adds new faces to World Cup coverage". The Score. 6 June 2014. Retrieved 6 June 2014.

External links

Sporting positions
Preceded by
Steve Staunton		 Republic of Ireland Captain
2002–2006 		Succeeded by
Robbie Keane
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