Kenny Cunningham
Kenneth Edward "Kenny" Cunningham ( born June 28, 1971 in Dublin ) is a former Irish football player. The defense, which was mostly, but alternatively used on the right side and on the other defensive positions, was active in the two highest English leagues for Millwall FC, FC Wimbledon, Birmingham City and Sunderland AFC. In addition, he completed between 1996 and 2005 a total of 72 caps for the Irish national team, World Cup finalists in 2002 and was in the last three years to 2005, Ireland's captain.
Sports career
Club career
Beginnings: About Dublin to Millwall (until 1994)
Born in the Irish capital Cunningham attended St. Vincent 's School in Glasnevin, in the Gaelic football was played as a football more. So he used in his early years also long contact with two sports until he at the football club, known for its good youth work Home Farm end of the 1980s, decided after years against the Gaelic football. His path led him first to the amateur club Tolka Rovers, from where he set off to London in 1989 to start there at FC Millwall a professional football career.
He graduated from the season 1989/90 "on trial ", ie the original contract had only a one-year term. He made his debut on 17 March 1990 in the First Division, which had the highest checkout English game at the time, against Norwich City (1-1) on the right side of defense. Although the club finally descended as Table, Cunningham came four more times to use. These extended the club's management with him the contract for a further two years. Overall, Cunningham remained until November 1994 the "Lion ", where the intended back in the Bundesliga neither under Bruce Rioch even Mick McCarthy from the 1992/93 season. At a regular player on the right side he matured it only under his compatriot McCarthy; previously he had not gone beyond the status of the makeup player and used in equal parts on the left flank or in the center.
Wimbledon FC (1994-2002)
For 1.25 million pounds, he moved in early November 1994 ' in the package " with Jon Goodman in the Premier League for FC Wimbledon. In the " Dons " he conquered immediately secured a regular place - sometimes as part of a three - man defense -, was good on the ball and also in offensive actions by successful " overflowing " effective. With the exception of blocks of six games, Cunningham was also in the 1995/96 season " ever present " and especially after Christmas 1995, his form improved such that he attracted the attention of the Irish national team in coming. The best league placing in his career succeeded Cunningham in the 1996/97 season with the eighth rank to which he ultimately contributed 36 appearances in the starting line-up and a series of Torvorbereitungen through passes and edge runs.
Overall, he matured more and more a reliable key players in the defense network, whether at right-back, as so-called " Wingback " outside the 3- 5-2 - system or in the center. Cunningham was estimated that in 1998 the award of Ireland's National Player of the Year was awarded, by his good anticipation skills and leadership qualities on the pitch were not uncommon in significant speeches to teammates expression. In the season 1999/2000 Cunningham took for a short time the injured captain Robbie Earle. He was usually the usual good performances, whether. Upon his ancestral right-back position or in the case of injury concerns on the left or in central defense He came here in 37 of 38 league games for use and lacked only the " Black Sunday ", as the game against Southampton FC sealed the relegation to the second division. In the second division season 2000 /01 Cunningham had a long pause due to a groin injury and until the end of January 2001, he returned to the team. There the now promoted to captain veteran henceforth formed with Mark Williams in the middle. There was for him one last season 2001 / 02, in which he remained the last constant in a strong defensive converted composite before the move to Birmingham City seized the opportunity to return to the Premier League in July 2002.
Birmingham & Sunderland (2002-2007)
The transfer fee was for the trained by Steve Bruce Movers 600,000 pounds and matured in the meantime, the captain of the Irish national team, he was in central defense - in the second half along with Matthew Upson - with a guarantee of relegation in 2003 despite some persistent injury problems, the. Cunningham could rarely come to adequate training sessions in the subsequent 2003/04 season between game days, Cunningham served as captain on a major factor in the team that realized the leap into the upper half of the table.
After a suspension for two games earlier in the season 2004/ 05 he was in his third year for Birmingham this in every game and represented the leading players who cared with making sure that the team not able to repeat last year's success, but with rank 12 the league secured comfortable. However, Cunningham's fourth and final season then ended with the descent as third from bottom in the Premier League. Previously, he had shown due to age no longer the previous speed in the fight for relegation, but for some deficit still balanced with good positional play. Birmimghams spectators passed him by his coach at the last home game with a standing ovation. At season's end he was cleared for a change of club and with Sunderland AFC, which was like Birmingham descended straight into the Football League Championship, was found in July 2006, soon a new employer.
Time in Sunderland provided only a brief interlude dar. first he was well into the new team, even, representing the -budgetary captain Steven Caldwell before a thigh and a little later a knee injury put him out of action in September 2006. Thus he came to the end of the season to any further use of more and AFC Sunderland let him go at the end of the 2006/07 season. Then Cunningham ended his active career.
Irish national
Cunningham completed 72 caps for the Irish national team. He abandoned it after four appearances for the U -21 made its debut at the side of Paul McGrath in the middle against the Czech Republic (0:2) in April 1996. As short time later, his former Millwall coach and promoter Mick McCarthy the sporting management took over, Cunningham remained in the following years a fixed size, as this rejuvenated the team with players like him, Gary Breen and Ian Harte. First, Cunningham failed in two play-off games to participate in the final tournament of the 1998 World Cup in France ( v. Belgium), as well as the Euro 2000 in the Netherlands and Belgium ( against Turkey ) before it - even through injury - in the successful qualifiers for the 2002 World Cup rarely came to train in Japan and South Korea, as the defensive mostly Gary Kelly, Stephen Carr, Richard Dunne, Gary Breen and Steve Staunton were preferred. Then in a tournament, he came to two inserts per Substitutes for Staunton, first just before the final against Germany (1:1) and after about 50 minutes in the second round against Spain, which ended with the resignation on penalties.
After the World Cup Cunningham received after the withdrawal of Roy Keane from McCarthy on a fixed basis, the captaincy. Under his aegis, but Ireland missed the following Euro 2004 in Portugal, and as a draw in October 2005 against Switzerland also meant the failure to qualify for the 2006 World Cup in Germany, Cunningham ended his career in the Irish national team.
Activities after retirement
According to his own playing career Cunningham started as a football expert for the Irish broadcasters RTÉ. He also worked for the amateur club Nuneaton Town and qualified on to a UEFA licensed coach.
Title / Awards
- Irish National Player of the Year ( 1): 1998