Harte of the Matter on Arsene and Enda

This has been a big week in politics in Ireland. The longest exit by a Taoiseach saw Enda Kenny eventually step down as Taoiseach and leader of Fine Gael.

This departure has ignited the race which in reality has been going on for almost a year as Varadkar and Coveney battle it out for the coveted prize. Meanwhile, Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger, who has spent 21 years in charge of the Gunners will have his future revealed after this weekend’s cup final.

Sport like politics should be about character contested by men motivated only by their passion. Wenger and Kenny both clung onto power too long and there is no quicker way to lose respect than not knowing when to go. While both were in a position to exercise power and had given their clubs some worthwhile service, their quest for power left good men in the shadows for too long.

The losers will be the players and politicians who promised so much and were kept in the dark, much to the detriment of Arsenal FC  and Fine Gael. Both clubs had so much talent but both had managers in charge who got bigger than their clubs.

Donegal’s Joe McHugh has declared for Varadkar and because he has made his decision, there is an assumption that members will have limited influence on the outcome.

In Kenny’s successor battle, Varadkar and Coveney both have qualities that will bring something to the table, but only one can succeed. Whichever candidate can persuade members of his party to back him will gain the ultimate prize - leader of the country.

We are a country in recovery from a recession that could have crippled us, but we survived the rollercoaster that was the Irish economy. The result of this race will be watched by many an observer who has the pulse of the nation in his blood. Whoever it is will be in a difficult position as the winner will be rewarding his troops in handing out the government posts after the vote concludes.

Varadkar is the centre forward who wants the glory but someone must deliver the ball to him at the correct time. Coveney is the centre half who has to work hard to get the ball up to the forwards and get rid of problems at the back. His job is to ensure there’s no slippage at the back and goals aren’t scored against them, including own goals!

Personally I’d rather have a strong centre half on my team rather than a showman in midfield who gives flashes of ability when it suits him.

And mentioning no names, don’t forget the ball boy – a small boy in big trousers picking up the balls outside the pitch.

While the momentum is with Varadkar, history has shown that Leicester won the Premiership when they were 1,000 to one against to succeed. Their’s was a fairytale story which landed them in the Champions League, where they did reasonably well considering they had really no big names to parade onto the pitch. Compare them to a hyped up Arsenal team who have finished  outside the top four in the Premiership.

Like Kenny there were a few troubles off the field for Arsenal who had a woeful season, scoring own goals in the second half of the campaign.. Remember Kenny’s own goals - the army at the bank machines, the meeting with Katherine Zappone over the whistleblowers that never happened, and the alleged sacking of Martin Callinan.

Fancy football it may be but points on the table is what matters. If there was an offside rule in politics it would go to Enda Kenny as, despite some definite achievements, he was eventually caught with nowhere to go.