QuoteCan someone post Liam Bradys article from Yesterdays Sunday Tribune on here.. it was pretty much an attack on Kerrs managerial skills!
Smart-boy-wanted lobby well off target-Tom Humphries
what you think about the above assesment?Smart-boy-wanted lobby well off target
Tom Humphries
http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/spo...12TOMLOCK.html
LockerRoom: The last calamity hadn't been so far in the past that we'd been able to forget what a profoundly deflating feeling a home defeat in Lansdowne Road is.
The experience strips you bare of all pretension. The place empties and all the hopeful green tat gets left behind on the stands. It's all you have left. Somebody has just come into your house and taken from you everything except that handwoven little motto above the mantelpiece. "Draw Away, Win At Home." Ha! Ha! So where does last Wednesday night leave us? Sucking up the reality, I think. Sifting through the debris.
Does it leave us putting a Smart Boy Wanted ad in the window of the FAI? The aftermath of home defeat has traditionally featured a bell tolling ominously for the Irish manager. There's no doubt when Brian Kerr looks back on that big happy press conference which greeted his accession to the job and to his first coup, the restoration of Roy Keane, he must reflect that the bitter ironies are gathering over him like vultures.
The media which chaired him shoulder-high into the job are surprised and disillusioned at how relationships became so bad, so quickly. It doesn't really matter where you stand on the media's involvement in the entire Robbie Keane Karaoke Extravaganza (or the Herald's Saipan II stirring) - the point is that relationships were bad for a long time before that.
Now Kerr ends up travelling to Cyprus with his players not speaking to the media and without Roy Keane, who could list his last appearance in Cyprus as among the five most influential games he played for Ireland. He dragged us out of the mire that night.
The auguries are poor just now. Firstly, players are mistaken if they think not speaking to the media makes things better. They might as well refuse to use microphones when speaking to a large crowd. When players give interviews or press conferences they don't actually speak to the media; they speak to the public who employ them and whom they are paid to represent. They create the environment that establishes profile and brings in sponsorships and all those other nice things.
Leaving a vacuum is silly. It is the nature of editors to abhor a vacuum. The space unfilled by even sulky press conferences and circumscribed interviews gets filled by analysis pieces and critiques. Without the need to maintain the lifeline of access the pieces get more and more robust. (Instead of following the disastrous English model of media relations the FAI should send a working party to the World Cup next year to study how other nations handle things.)
Secondly, the fact Roy Keane, Andy Reid and Clinton Morrison won't be departing for Cyprus leaves us is in a slightly perilous position. The Cypriots don't pretend to be world beaters but they do need beating and against Switzerland last week they put up stout resistance.
So if all goes pear-shaped does Kerr walk the plank? Does his backside get lowered into the bacon slicer? Does he have to do whatever it was Mick McCarthy feared doing in Burton's window? It hardly seems fair.
Where, for instance, is the new David O'Leary? When Big Dave was left out by Big Jack all those years ago he conspicuously wore his big crown of thorns around the place and in pub conversation was offered as the big panacea for the ills of Irish football.
There's no figure of equal weight to whom we can now turn. You look at some of those who didn't see action for the French (Anelka, Mexes, Pedretti, Zebina) last week and you envy the French the room they have for debate and mending and alteration and you wonder which names can be conjured up with which to batter Brian Kerr? I think you could make a case for Aiden McGeady being in the panel regularly in place of one or two journeymen travellers who appear to have their feet under the table, but beyond that? Mark Kennedy? Ronnie O'Brien? Paul Butler? There are no viable alternatives.
You might have a preference for Finnan over Carr, maybe you like Holland better than Kilbane, but basically what is in the panel is what we have. That panel has four players who are regulars for genuine top teams in the Premiership.
And then there's the Premiership culture.
Last week in this paper John McCloskey, the Armagh conditioning trainer, a man who studies these things, made the point that with the exception of a couple of clubs in the Premiership, soccer on these islands is in the dark ages when it comes to player preparation.
It's interesting to think that in the early hours of last Saturday morning, just as the paper containing that interview was coming off the presses, Robbie Keane was coming out of Lillies Bordello, where, not surprisingly, he was photographed.
I'm no conditioning expert but it's hard to imagine a self-respecting GAA club player being out till four in the morning so close to a match of any significance. I'm open on these things but on Wednesday it seemed to me Robbie singularly failed to make the case for the clubbing-and-karaoke approach to top-level football. For a fella who hasn't been getting much pitch time at Spurs every wink of sleep and ounce of sharpness might have been more helpful.
I know how Brian Kerr felt about the media end of things with Robbie but not what he felt deep down about the karaoke and clubbing itself. If I were him I would feel I had been taken advantage of.
With Roy Keane in Saipan a simmering dislike between player and manager erupted volcanically. Some of us would argue that there was a way back but neither man was emotionally inclined that way. So a player who was undroppable stayed at home.
Brian Kerr and Robbie Keane go back a long way, however. Robbie is the nation's top scorer and the best we have in striking options. Out of footballing need and out of friendship he was undroppable.
Still it seems harsh to me to talk about replacing Brian Kerr. The team's performance against France wasn't bad. It was honest and if we lacked the hustle of old at least there was some passion about, much of it emanating from Roy Keane. Generally all that was separating the teams was the French ability to produce a little piece of blinding genius or, if you like, the width of the post when Andy Reid took that free.
If Domenech dismissed us afterwards as predictable we shouldn't be too offended. They knew enough to take care of Duff. After that they didn't allow us much time on the ball. Duff didn't get the runs. Kilbane got no land to go swashbuckling in. Andy Reid was let meander to a certain point. When things got bad we had no options. To say we had no Plan B would be cruel because Brian Kerr is too smart a man to leave the house in the morning without plans A through to Z. We just don't have the players with which to execute those plans. We don't have the personnel for Plan B, let alone Plan C. My preference would have been to move Duff inside and take off Robbie Keane, getting Reid to switch wings and introducing Finnan. I've no great faith in that plan but neither was I on the edge of my seat with excitement when I saw Ian Harte and Gary Doherty coming in.
Last week was disappointing but the four points lost to Israel will be more critical when they do the final audit on Group Four. So, what does Brian Kerr deserve if we fail to get to Germany? Well, on the way home from an early away defeat in Romania, Mick McCarthy had a blazered arm put around him and a new contract thrust in front of him. He was given the chance to learn on the job, and by being given the FAI's imprimatur, he had any sense of isolation or weakness removed.
Brian Kerr has less to work with, a less-mature, less-talented squad (in Romania that night in 1997 we had Roy Keane, Steve Staunton, Ray Houghton, Kenny Cunningham, Denis Irwin and Andy Townsend on the pitch. We still finished 10 points off the Romanians in a group filled out by minnows).
There were mistakes made back then and a gallows built for McCarthy. There have been mistakes made this time around. When you work with high stakes and slender resources you live with mistakes and the knowledge you'll be second guessed. But Kerr dangling without a contract undermines him and attracts vultures.
Jack Charlton got lucky first time out (Ah, sweet Gary Mackay!). Every other manager has been given the space to learn and been judged in the context of what's available. Brian Kerr is owed that much at least.
© The Irish Times
Can someone post Liam Bradys article from Yesterdays Sunday Tribune on here.. it was pretty much an attack on Kerrs managerial skills!
First team football in La Liga, Seria A or even la Championat is better than sitting on the bench for man utd. I agree Irish players arent being proactive enough.
What about our own league though ? its massively important
I think totalfootball's idea deserves a full thread on its own.
Apart from making them rich what benefit is there in Liam Miller languishing in MUFC's reserves or Steven Reid playing for the glorified prison XI that is Blackburn Rovers? I fear that even Duffer is having his flair coached out of him at Chelsea. English football is benefitting a lot of our players, but definitely not all of them.
But how can financial vested interests be overcome? Central contracts such as those in Rugby Union, allowing the FAI to "lease" certain players to continental clubs? At least then the FAI could pro-actively market those players whom it feels are too good for domestic football & but for whom England may not suit.
Our own league is important but I personally believe that the eircom league is too fragmented for us to depend on it to nurture our best talent. I'd prefer to see more Irish clubs competing regularly against continental clubs via some form of league competition sponsored by UEFA. Something along the lines of the second tier competition that Connaught competes in in rugby.
Would Liam step up to the plate, or is he happy in his well paid, no-pressure comfort zone at Arsenal? I don't recall him offering his services last time around. Whatever you think of Kerr's performance he had the balls & desire to take it on.Originally Posted by Reality Bites
how many games can strasbourg et al offer keane and co, 8 - 10 games a season, and the rest a poor domstic league. is it worth those players mentioned moving for that many games and playing in a crap league compared to playing against the top 6 teams in england 12 times a year. i dont think so, but if you can disprove me then go ahead.
I'm a bloke,I'm an ocker
And I really love your knockers,I'm a labourer by day,
I **** up all me pay,Watching footy on TV,
Just feed me more VB,Just pour my beer,And get my smokes, And go away
This is a very valid solution (above), unfortunately it will take a couple of years for a trend of moving to European clubs to develop but it's apparent now that it really needs to happen. Its a frustrating situation & its the way the premiership is going. Rotation players with safety backup players behind them. One good thing is we KNOW Robbie Keane will not be happy sitting on the bench which means by christmas he will be gone to another club that will play him. But there are others... who will sit on the sub's bench, with no work, no stress & high pay & in any other occupation who would blame them. I wonder how long Liam Miller will just sit on his arse & watch the bank balance rise?
I was disapointed also that Tom Humpries didn't offer a possible solution in the article, The idea at least needs to put out their by the media?
Did Kerr really advise Harte not to move to Spain, or was that just a load of rubbish that was written during the standoff between the two?
Most of the rubbish that was written came from either Harte's agent or from that tosser Paul Hyland from the Herald.
Kerr has stated that the tactics used in England are detrimental to the Irish players as it limits them, so the idea of him lambasting a player for moving abroad is farcical.
Here they come! It’s the charge of the “Thanks” Brigade!
Humphries has a bit of a vested interested though seeing as how much he pushed for Kerr in the first place. Kerr has been pretty much a failure and if we can get anyone out there who is better we should jump at them.
There is no such thing as a miracle cure, a free lunch or a humble opinion.
For example?
Martin O'Neill
martin oneill martin oneill martin oneill martin oneill....
I'm a bloke,I'm an ocker
And I really love your knockers,I'm a labourer by day,
I **** up all me pay,Watching footy on TV,
Just feed me more VB,Just pour my beer,And get my smokes, And go away
Humpreys has many vested interests: anti Charlton and McCarthy, pro Roy Keane etc. He's also the man who published a list of 50 reasons why the GAA is better than soccer. He's not a soccer man. Just a journalist and a good writer - doesn't mean his views should be seriously considered.
The "Premiership culture" saw a Premiership team winning the Champions League and 2 out of the 4 teams in the semis were from the Premiership. It's easy to make a pejorative comment such as ""Premiership culture" and not back it up with what that means.
The digs at Robbie Keane are harking back to Saipan which don't forget Humpreys was the catalyst. I don't think his night out had any affect on his performance. He's going to Cyprus unlike some other "model professionals".
Jack Charlton's team was not "lucky" to qualify for Euro 88. They won the group - they got more points than any other team in the group. No luck in that.
I agree with his basic point though that we are limited in our choice of players but it has always been like that - an Irish bench is or never has been rich with talent. Kerr would be entitled to another crack of the whip if we don't make it but if the performances against Cyprus and the Swiss are abysmal, then there might be a rethink.
Martin O'Neill is a manager, not a coach. He's rarely on the training pitch with the players. He rarely even talks to the players. I would not be in favour of him taking over from Kerr.
Not even with Walford & Robertson, as at Celtic?
Kerr has made far less mistakes than Mick or Jack. A new manager always sounds good but in reality he may not make the slighest bit of difference.
jollyrodger you said that on the other post as well.
we have chris hughton, he is a coach, so that doesnt matter a wolly.
I'm a bloke,I'm an ocker
And I really love your knockers,I'm a labourer by day,
I **** up all me pay,Watching footy on TV,
Just feed me more VB,Just pour my beer,And get my smokes, And go away
I don't think MON would be suited to international football. Juninho spoke out after O'Neill resigned:
"O'Neill started me on the left [Against Barcelona] and took me off at half-time, with no explanation. I was very offended, not because I was substituted, but because people told me I had been playing well and then I got no explanation. For days I did not understand that decision, and no-one told me anything."
"We played Hibernian in the league and it was 2-2 at half-time and I had set up both our goals. In the dressing-room at half-time, O'Neill starts showering me with insults: he was aggressive, impolite and he humiliated me, saying the way I played football was not the way it was meant to be played. He wanted to take away my respect in front of everyone else."
"People at the club told me this is just his way, that he shouts and swears without thinking of the consequences - and they were right. I went ahead thinking that things would change - but I was wrong."
"O'Neill didn't take the practice sessions. He only came in on Fridays, to referee a friendly game. That is unbelievable: what kind of coach does that? He is the first coach I have seen that does not give a team-talk before the match, which is crazy. He would come in just over one hour before the game, and say, 'Okay, today we will play with this team, you go to the bench and the others can sit in the stands.'"
"Then he would disappear and we would see him shouting on the touchline and motivating the players. The players had to explain to me how I had to position myself. We were in a complete blank, because he never said anything during the week. He never talked much but he was always authoritative. And yet I never had a problem with him away from football: he was not a friend but he was fine with me away from the pitch."
When O'Neill took over at Celtic the first thing he did was changed the title from 'coach' to 'manager'. At international level you need a coach.
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