Republic of Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson has backed Celtic forward Johnny Kenny to become a key figure for the national team in the future.
Kenny, 22, remains firmly part of Celtic’s first-team plans following his loan from Shamrock Rovers.
Hallgrimsson has been monitoring his progress closely and believes the striker already possesses the qualities to perform at international level, despite his age and limited recent minutes.
Kenny has made several appearances for Celtic, scoring his first goal in a 5–1 win over Aberdeen in May, and has recently signed a contract extension until 2029, showing the club’s faith in his potential.
Hallgrimsson highlighted Kenny’s work ethic and style of play as reasons for his confidence in the forward’s development.
He said: (RecordSport), “I think he has a big future as one of our strikers in the squad. I know he is young, he has time to improve a lot. But I think he’s ready and we really want to work with him.
“I think there are a lot of similarities to how Troy would play. He’s very good at going in depth, he’s an energetic player, I’ve seen a lot of Rovers games from last year where he was always running in depth.
“Not only for the first minute, but consistently for 90 minutes. That was rewarded with late goals for Rovers last year.
“I was happy with him.”
Hallgrimsson’s words matter for Celtic, especially after Kenny signed a new long-term deal that shows the club trust his ability. His work rate, attitude and displays so far suggest he could soon play a bigger role in Brendan Rodgers’ team.
Supporters will also be lifted by his call-up to Ireland’s senior squad, which proves his reputation is growing.
As Celtic look to compete at home and in Europe, backing from his national coach gives more weight to his progress.
With his development clear at club level and praise now coming from the international stage, Kenny looks ready to make an impact for both Celtic and Ireland in the seasons ahead.
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