Kenny & Eustace bonded over 'tea and chats' at WBA

The Black Country; one of the birth places of the Industrial Revolution, renowned for its coal mines, iron foundries, brickworks and steel mills, and acquiring of the name as a result of the soot that constantly covered that not-so-scenic stretch in the English midlands.

The not-so glamourous life of an international football manager, as Stephen Kenny informed the assembled press in Dublin on Tuesday that "West Brom is a place I spend a lot of time in".

A trio of Irish stars, Jayson Molumby, Dara O'Shea and Callum Robinson, ply their trade for the Baggies, and as a result, the Ireland manager tends to spend quite a lot of time at the Hawthorns monitoring their form and that of any Irish eligible player who may be in opposition on any given Championship afternoon or evening.

Relationships with the players, no doubt, strengthened on such occasions, however, it has been a rendez-vous of a different kind that has led to the arrival of the latest member of the extended Ireland squad and coaching staff.

QPR coach John Eustace was named as Anthony Barry’s replacement on the Ireland backroom staff ahead of this week’s double-header against Belgium and Lithuania, and with no obvious connection with Kenny, there was a natural curiosity regarding his appointment.

"John is someone I have bumped into going to matches," explained Kenny. "I’ve met him a lot at West Brom, because he lives in Birmingham and West Brom is a place I spend a lot of time in, because we’ve got Jayson Molumby, Dara O’Shea and Callum Robinson playing there, and various other players from visiting teams.

"We would often meet there and have cups of tea and chats over the last year. I’ve seen him coaching at QPR and he has done well, so it just seemed, when I was working