Joseph Anang makes bold St Pat's predication for next season and says 'it's going to be a movie!'

Joseph Anang insists he is not losing the plot by claiming St Pat’s will be box office under Stephen Kenny next season.

Under Kenny’s direction, the Saints scripted a blockbuster finish to the season to be in contention on last week’s penultimate night.

Beating Derry City to win an eighth league game on the spin saw to that, but they just ran out of road as Shelbourne’s win on the same night dashed their outside hopes. But Europe would be a remarkable consolation if they win in Sligo tonight, considering St Pat’s briefly flirted with the relegation playoff earlier in the season.

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Goalkeeper Anang has been a key man in their revival with Kenny swooping for the former St Pat’s loanee on a permanent deal during the summer. And the ex-West Ham goalkeeper is excited by where St Pat’s can go next season under Kenny considering the transformation he has brought about since arriving in May.

Anang beamed: “Next year is going to be a movie! The best movie ever! At the start of the season, we were struggling but since Stephen has come in, everything has changed because of his aura. He's getting everyone playing to their maximum. Next year, honestly I just can't wait.”

Quizzed on how Kenny has turned fortunes around at St Pat’s, Anang continued: “He knows how to get the best out of players. Before he came in, some players weren't doing as well but since he came in, those players are different players now. He gets the best out of players.

“It's more his aura and what he has done in the past. If you have someone of his calibre like said earlier on, telling you to do this and that, you take it on straight away. We all know how good he is because he used to manage Ireland. To manage St Pat's in our league, when he gives you instructions you have to take it on board.

“For the last two months the aim was to get to Europe, and to win eight games is massive for confidence. Since our first European game against Vaduz at home, we’ve won matches. That was the turning point for us and everything has gone our way. But we need to get three points in Sligo to secure that European spot because Europe is massive for us.”

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Anang, 24, is also hoping that his form for St Pat’s can help his international prospects with Ghana. He was at West Ham between 2017 and 2024 and progressed up their ranks to become third choice goalkeeper at one stage. Anang also had loan spells with Stevenage, St Pat’s in 2022, and then Derby County before returning to the Saints on a permanent deal this summer.

He won an Under-20 cap for England in 2019 but remains eligible for Ghana and would love to emulate Shamrock Rovers defender Roberto Lopes by playing in the AFCON.

“I'm just putting in the work and waiting for a call-up,” added Anang. “We’ve been speaking the last two years but I was at West Ham as a No 3 and not playing. They might look at me more now and, hopefully in the future, you never know.”

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