Brian Kerr...

[colster]

According to Brian we were the better team!:confused: Now I know managers are reluctant to have a go at their players in public but that is actually insulting the intelligence of the fans. At least have the gumption to admit we were outplayed over the 90 minutes

Couldn't agree more. He didn't even look angry!!
He didn't have to name names. All he had to say was that that performance was totally unacceptable and that a lot of the players need to look at themselves and whether they want to play in the World Cup or for Ireland.
Maybe that might be too much to say in public but he should have busted some balls in private.
Can you imagine Ferguson/Wenger/Mourinho accepting a perfomance like that in any game let alone a must win game like Cyprus.
I'm starting to think that Kerr doesn't do this with players. He's too nice. Maybe thats why he does well at Youth level. At senior level you need to be tough.

[mypost]

I am rapidly losing faith in Kerr, mainly because there has to be a reason for such a dismal performance other than the players are not up to it. I think your assessment is very fair & I would go with it.

Has the cent dropped now??

[Tram_14]

Has the cent dropped now??

I always said there was a problem, what I didn't agree with was the futile & destructive reports in the media which was fuelling a negative outcome of these games.

[mypost]

Has the cent dropped now??

Apparantly not.


I always said there was a problem, what I didn't agree with was the futile & destructive reports in the media which was fuelling a negative outcome of these games.

It's because of the awful show against Cyprus, and others, that dictate the media coverage of BK's Ireland. If we had won by several against Cyprus, which a team of ours should have done, there wouldn't be any "futile & destructive" reports. Until this coach grows up, and sends out teams to play like lions instead of pussycats, such reports will continue to circulate, be they destructive or not.

[Stormin Normin]

The responsibility for performances and results ultimately rests with the manager. However at present the players are playing as if they haven't got a clue what they're about and/or they don't give a sh*t. I actually believe it's a bit of both.

I like Kerr. I was pleased when he got the job but his management record in comptetitive games is abysmal. We're getting worse game by game not better. There mightn't be any great alternatives out there but if we don't get through on Weds there has to be a change. The problems we are seeing now will only get worse (if that's possible).

I've been of the view all along that if we got out of the group Kerr should get new contract. After watching Kerr 's carryon last week and the worst performance I've ever seen from an Irish team (25 years going to games) I've no faith left in him. I'll go to game on Weds, get behind the team for all I'm worth but will be amazed if we pull off result. And it's sod all to do with quality of Switz.

[Gareth]

In today's Irish Indo there is an article called "COMMENT: Touchy Kerr out of his class" stating that he is wrong to declare all out war on journo's and soccer pundits and could learn a thing or two from Eriksson.

It states "What isn't in doubt is the folly of Kerr's charge against the 'pundits.' Most notably they are thought to include John Giles, Liam Brady and Eamon Dunphy. All of them, unlike Kerr, wore the green shirt.

Giles and Brady would go straight into any elite of the Irish game. Dunphy took on Jack Charlton at the peak of his popularity as a World Cup and European Championships' qualifying coach."

Firstly so what if they wore the green shirt. Giles couldn't manage ****e and Brady no better. Dunphy was a substandard player who has forgotten that soccer is more than just the elite vs the elite. So what relevance is it that Kerr has not wore the jersey. Eriksson is swedish and certainly didn't wear the english jersey!! Kerr is as passionate about Ireland as any manager before and his media snub is just in my eyes. We are in the final week of a qualifing campaign, and maybe we should rally behind the team. Kerr bashing at this point serves no point other than lowering moral and that does not need lowering.

The Comment in this paper smells of "How dare you attempt to snub and insult us journo's". Ironic in my eyes really.

[thejollyrodger]

im going to email those idiots at the indo now and tell them to stop printing that anti kerr muck. im sick of reading it.
WE HAVE TO SUPPORT BRIAN KERR AND THE IRELAND TEAM !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Tired&Emotional]

..with u on that one....have had enough!

[kingp35]

Yeah although I am certainly not a fan of Kerr now is not the time to bashing him or the players. We have to get behind them and support the team. If teh players and manager are constantly being criticised this will only cause disruption within the camp and lower the teams morale. The time for this kind of thing is after we got knocked out but so far we are still in with a great shout so the team should be getting supported.

[eirebhoy]

I opened another thread on this but the Indo were told that yesterday's press conference was cancelled when there was no such thing. :)

[thejollyrodger]

I emailed Hoganvin2@yahoo.ie at the indo and sent him this. Im really quite sick of the indo in the last few weeks. They are well out of line.



Me and most the lads at foot.ie are sick to death reading the muck that you and those other idiots (like Mc Dermott) at the irish independent are writing. You, as a newspaper have sunked to a new tabloid low and I think its high time you stopped getting on kerr's back and got behind the team.

As an Eircom League supporter I'm well aware of Brian Kerr, his personality and his shortcommings. We all knew about Brian Kerrs technical vision of Irish football when he got the job and what that entailed. It remainds a mystery to me of the general ignornace of your newspaper about Brian Kerr and football in general.

Instead of writing pages and pages of personality drivel on your pathetic newspaper why dont you just concentrate on the football and analyise that. We have one of the most important games coming up tomorrow and all you can do is complain that you hacks cant get an interview with certain players or Kerr said something that you's idiots dont like. So what if Kerr isnt the best PR man in the job. Grow up, stop looking for all these little small things and stop trying to get kerr out of the job. The public knows what kerr is doing, 7 out of 10 are backing him, its time you did too!!!!.

FORZA SHELS FORZA IRELAND !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Dodge]

BTW what kind of journo has an @yahoo.ie address? Amateurs, bunch of ****ing amatuers

[Superhoops]

BTW what kind of journo has an @yahoo.ie address? Amateurs, bunch of ****ing amatuers
Vincent Hogan is the most perceptive Irish sports journalist around. He also writes for other publications, Time Out, for example, and it is not unusual for journalists who write for more than one publication to use something like an @yahoo.ie or @hotmail.com e-mail address. At least you have e-mail access to journalists such as Vincent Hogan, more than can be said for many.

[deadman]

fully agree, hogan is a cut above the masses

[deadman]

Also ... that comment piece was writen by James Lawton who would have very close connection with John Giles. Lawton, in general, is one of the best soccer, or sports writers around but my guess is that he would never write something about irish football without first discussing it with Giles.

[Tired&Emotional]

Maybe but how the "masses" have gone even lower.....it's all relative

I've let him know what I think of his "journalism.."

[Stormin Normin]

Most of the carryon in the papers is on foot of Kerr **** stirring in the press over the last month or so re his contract. His recent carryon in either snubbing or arsing about with the media is only exascerbating the situation. Kerr has handled the whole situation badly and continues to do so. I would guess laso that his credibility with many of the players is shot at this stage.

BTW Hogan is a decent journalist who will generally respond to fair criticism. The mail jollyrodger sent him is a load of immature drivel. Fair enough criticise him if you want but try and do it with facts rather than childish abuse.

[pete]

Can't these journalists get their own mail address? mail@vincenthogan.org or similar?

:rolleyes:

[Tired&Emotional]

Most of the carryon in the papers is on foot of Kerr **** stirring in the press over the last month or so re his contract. His recent carryon in either snubbing or arsing about with the media is only exascerbating the situation. Kerr has handled the whole situation badly and continues to do so. I would guess laso that his credibility with many of the players is shot at this stage.

BTW Hogan is a decent journalist who will generally respond to fair criticism. The mail jollyrodger sent him is a load of immature drivel. Fair enough criticise him if you want but try and do it with facts rather than childish abuse.


Would you say it is childish of "the media" to respond to Kerr's "recent carryon in either snubbing or arsing about with the media...." in the way that they have had the knives out for him lately?

[thejollyrodger]

Most of the carryon in the papers is on foot of Kerr **** stirring in the press over the last month or so re his contract. His recent carryon in either snubbing or arsing about with the media is only exascerbating the situation. Kerr has handled the whole situation badly and continues to do so. I would guess laso that his credibility with many of the players is shot at this stage.

BTW Hogan is a decent journalist who will generally respond to fair criticism. The mail jollyrodger sent him is a load of immature drivel. Fair enough criticise him if you want but try and do it with facts rather than childish abuse.

maybe your him. I dont think its childish abuse. Its meant as a cop on letter. The stuff the indo writes is childish immature drivel. This is not England. I always thought everyone in Ireland would get behind the team manager etc no matter what the perviced problems are and sort them out at an appropriate time.

Kerr is from our own league, its not properly developed and the clubs arent playing at the highest level. Surely some of that can be taken into account when dealing with kerr and some lee way with his press relations. The meida did it with Jack, they did it with Mick, why cant they do it with Kerr.

[Noelys Guitar]

Kerr has surrounded himself like McCarthy before with all types of spin doctors (Drury!) and hangers on. I don't remember any complaints when Gerry McDermot in the same Indo was spinning the "unnamed" Champions league team crap. Where did that come from other than through Kerr or his agents who have being speaking for him. And then writing that the FAI should be ashamed that the Swiss had extended Kuhn's contract and Kerr's contract had not been. Kuhn had gotten the Swiss to one WC already. They are unbeaten in this group (which I believe will end tomorrow DESPITE Kerr). We have not beaten one mid-standard team in a competive game under Kerr's management. That is a fact. Kerr is the manager and the buck stops with him despite his recent interview to radio 5 trying to switch the blame elsewhere. What Giles, Dunphy, the Indo, I or you say does not infleunce this Irish team as Kerr has stated himself. He is in charge. If a player is not playing well he has the option to drop him.

[Donal81]

Lads, let's not get out of hand here. Gerry McDermott and Vincent Hogan are not gutter press scum. Journalists, by their nature and by their profession, have to ask questions and have to give space to questions being asked by others.

I don't read the Indo much but I've come across their opinion columns on Kerr. I disagree with them and support Brian Kerr and this team. But, in fairness, have a lot of fans on this forum not started to question Kerr? Some have questioned him from the start. That's not exactly 'getting behind the team' is it? If a journalist gives light to these questions being asked by fans, what's wrong with that?

My own view is that there is a collective paranoia amongst Irish soccer journalists not to repeat the mistakes made during the Charlton years, when even the best journalists became cheerleaders and stopped asking hard soccer questions. After 1994, for example, no one questioned the sense in Big Jack staying on as manager and no one wondered had we progressed in the four years since Italia 90. Since 1996, they've been quicker to ask questions and no longer in awe of the players. Certainly, I think they're terrified at the notion of just going with the flow, terrified at not asking questions for fear of being accused of not being behind the team.

Sometimes this manifests itself in brash opinion columns, sometimes it comes out as good, proper sports journalism. I'm not defending rubbish hacks mouthing off about Kerr just to mouth off and make names for themselves. But some of these journalists getting abuse here are decent, have been around for a long time and are just doing their job.

On another point, the ridiculous amount of coverage given to Given's non-injury goes to show what happens when you don't communicate properly with the media. They have to fill space to satisfy the public. If there's little or no info from the Irish camp, they have to fill it with rubbish, annoying everyone in the process, from the journos to the fans to the players and to the manager.

[eirebhoy]

Emmett Malone said on Setanta yesterday that if the Irish media just got behind the team for the sake of it then they are not doing their job properly. I agree with this but McDermott went a bit far. He mentioned Kerr's wage packet at times it wasn't needed to be mentioned. He had to give Kerr stick in every article.

Anyway, Saturday's Irish Times confirms that it was the FAI behind this media bashing. They must have mentioned it about 4 or 5 times in their first 2 sports pages.

[Tired&Emotional]

Donal81, people may have their opinions, some even from the begining of BK's reign but the point (I think) a lot people are trying to make here is the manner in which BK has been lambasted by the media (some more so than others) when the campaign is not yet over and we could still qualify....."Your country needs you" is the message......

The medical staff thought Given's injury warranted an x-ray so i don't think it was "ridiculous...coverage"...

[wws]

this is all a ball of smoke that will amount to nothing after the game tomorrow,
win and kerrs got the fai, the meedia and all the rest by the balls - their hearts and minds will soon follow

lose and hes deservedly fckd out on his ear


it all comes down to one game, and on reflection thats as much as any of us could have possibly hoped at the start of this campaign

[hoops1]

If anyone has a vendetta agaisnt Kerr its Paul Hyland in the Herald.
Just read his article last night trying to undermime the manager and yet he
cant remember or name the player who supposedly made the comment.
Convenient dont you think!
No I am as critical as anyone when it comes to footballing matters
but when it gets personal thats when the line has been crossed!
They are trying to make a Graham Taylor out of Kerr which is disgusting
as Kerr is a decent football man far superior to anything Taylor ever was.
I urge anyone who wishes to vent there fury/anger/disgust/frustration to do so against this FROG EYED WEASEL a dose of his own medicine might make
him more thoughtful about his attacks in future

[wws]

Kerr has surrounded himself like McCarthy before with all types of spin doctors (Drury!) and hangers on. I don't remember any complaints when Gerry McDermot in the same Indo was spinning the "unnamed" Champions league team crap. Where did that come from other than through Kerr or his agents who have being speaking for him.


eh? He has an agent, I think you'll find he's not alone in the football world on that score - most Irish players you can name would be represented by the same agent I'd guess.....:rolleyes:

[Stormin Normin]

And what was Kerr's agent up to last week? Rubbishing the players as a means of justifying Kerr's poor record. Very clever indeed!

Some of the stuff in the papers is scurrilous. The Herald is probably the worst of them. However in the same way players have to deal with criticism from the press and from fans Kerr should be able for this also. It goes with the territory. He appears to be losing the plot and with that he will lose the respect of the players.

And No Jolly I'm not Vincent Hogan.

[thejollyrodger]

I would laugh my heart off if Ireland managed a win tomorrow night and then went on to beat the team in the play offs. What would the indo & hearld write then ?

I still think some of the criticism is more personality than football. Its reached epic proporations for a small country with a very small number of players.

I rate the Irish Times analysis and accept the point that they have to critise. But by in large their criticism is about football, decisions made, preperation, training, methods, tatics etc. The indo is pumping out page after page after page on having a go about kerr the person. I wouldnt be surprised if they started putting turnips on his head on the back page.

(Thats good to hear Stormin Normin:))

[Donal81]

Donal81, people may have their opinions, some even from the begining of BK's reign but the point (I think) a lot people are trying to make here is the manner in which BK has been lambasted by the media (some more so than others) when the campaign is not yet over and we could still qualify....."Your country needs you" is the message......

The medical staff thought Given's injury warranted an x-ray so i don't think it was "ridiculous...coverage"...

"Your country needs you" is the kind of phrase that would send any half-decent journalist running for cover. Journalists are not (or should not) be cheerleaders and we shouldn't expect them to be. We should expect them to be decent, ethical writers asking hard questions. I support this team and hope everyone roars them on tomorrow night but if I was a journalist covering the Irish team, I'd have to put that aside as much as possible and be a professional. The last thing we need is jingoistic rubbish imported across the Irish Sea, 'get behind our boys' horsesh!t. Let the fans get behind the boys, let the papers and journalists do the reporting.

The Given injury was dead in the water very quickly, it certainly didn't warrant the amount of coverage it got.

[Dodge]

If a player is not playing well he has the option to drop him.

Not if there isn't a single half decent replacement. Its a dfinite vendetta by O'Reilly's group of papers. I don't know who's driving it but these articles have very little to do with football. if at thstart of the campaign people were told we needed to beat Swiss at home in last game to claim 2nd, I'm fairly sure most would've taken it. Granted there's been up and downs but that's football. The whoole matter is disguting

[wws]

And what was Kerr's agent up to last week? Rubbishing the players as a means of justifying Kerr's poor record. Very clever indeed!



he's also an agent of some of those players is he? if he is he was just stating a personal opinion about the current crop of ireland players rather than 'spin doctoring' on behalf of another client

its an opinion I agree with, how ppl can talk up some of our premiership makeweights and than dismiss cyprus players who are in some cases CL players is beyond me

[Tired&Emotional]

"Your country needs you" is the kind of phrase that would send any half-decent journalist running for cover. Journalists are not (or should not) be cheerleaders and we shouldn't expect them to be. We should expect them to be decent, ethical writers asking hard questions. I support this team and hope everyone roars them on tomorrow night but if I was a journalist covering the Irish team, I'd have to put that aside as much as possible and be a professional. The last thing we need is jingoistic rubbish imported across the Irish Sea, 'get behind our boys' horsesh!t. Let the fans get behind the boys, let the papers and journalists do the reporting.

The Given injury was dead in the water very quickly, it certainly didn't warrant the amount of coverage it got.

Think you misunderstood: this is not a call to arms for the journalists!

As for Shay's injury.....".. let the papers and journalists do the reporting. ":D

[Donal81]

Think you misunderstood: this is not a call to arms for the journalists!

As for Shay's injury.....".. let the papers and journalists do the reporting. ":D

Sorry if I misunderstood, could you clarify what you meant?

And as for Given's ankle, nicely done, sir! :D

[deadman]

with all this kerr-indo-bashing furore maybe people missed David Kelly's entertaining: Under-fire Kerr has to be retained as Irish manager.

in today's indo

@

http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/stories.php3?ca=94&si=1485574&issue_id=13121

what was humphries' line ... if we are to be more than cheerleaders with typewriters ....

[Tired&Emotional]

Very tongue in cheek or wha'?!! Entertaining yet still having a pop!

Donal81, I think what I was trying to say was that the "meejia" should let BK succeed or fail first before giving him a hard time and at the very least be constuctive in critisism. I don't think all the negativity helps the cause because it inevitably filters thru to the team etc.

However having said that i can see how Kelly's article in the Indo, in general, defends the right to report and I do take your point about being impartial and professional....I would be too in that position...

[tetsujin1979]

he's also an agent of some of those players is he? if he is he was just stating a personal opinion about the current crop of ireland players rather than 'spin doctoring' on behalf of another client
List of the players he represents here: http://www.drurysports.com/getpage_clients.html
Football:

Brian Kerr (Republic of Ireland Manager)
Chris Hughton (Republic of Ireland Assistant Manager)
Packie Bonner (Technical Director, FAI)
Noel O'Reilly (Republic of Ireland Head Coach)

Liam Miller (Celtic)
Colin Healy (Sunderland)
Graham Barrett (Coventry)
Thomas Butler (Sunderland)
Michael Doyle (Coventry)
Alan Lee (Cardiff)
Patrick Cregg (Arsenal)
Gerard Nash (Ipswich)
Stephen O'Donnell (Arsenal)
Michael Reddy (Sunderland)
Jonathon Hayes (Reading)
John Paul Kelly (Liverpool)

Obviously this page is out of date

[thejollyrodger]

thats a great letter that fella from killkenny. I totally agree with him even though I would like to use more colourful language to describe the irish media witch hunt.

[Reddladd]

Just heard a clip of an interview with Kerr on Radio 1 and he said he has people going to watch 4/5 of our potential play-off opponents i.e Slovakia, Czech, Russia etc. He's obviously confident!

[Lionel Ritchie]

For which he'll doubtless be linched in some quarters -then if we make the play offs but he hadn't sent anyone he'd be linched for not preparing.

This is part of the reason some in the FAI want him gone apparently - liberal with their purse strings to make sure opponents are watched.

[Dodge]

thats a great letter that fella from killkenny. I totally agree with him even though I would like to use more colourful language to describe the irish media witch hunt.
Is that rhyming slang for Paul Hyland?

[TheJamaicanP.M.]

For which he'll doubtless be linched in some quarters -then if we make the play offs but he hadn't sent anyone he'd be linched for not preparing.

This is part of the reason some in the FAI want him gone apparently - liberal with their purse strings to make sure opponents are watched.

In fairness to Kerr he has every reason to be liberal with the purse strings. Other managers would have cost the FAI a lot more in wages.

[TonyD]

Is that rhyming slang for Paul Hyland?

:D :D Yes, Paul Hyland is indeed a Witch Hunt. He is also, I believe, a first class Merchant Banker. I hope he reads this forum btw, to see what high esteem the public hold him in. I'm not just basing my opinion of him on his disgraceful and vicious campaign against Brian Kerr, in general he writes absolute drivel about football.

On the media in general, of course they have the right to criticise, and some of the comment has been balanced, some of it on the other hand has been disgusting. Apart from Hyland, Cathal Dervan has been the main offender I've read. And it goes back a long long way with those two. What gets me most about the abuse of the last week is that so much of the comment has focussed on how Kerr has dealt with the media, not how he actually does his job. I've never subscribed to the rubbish theory that it's a major part of the managers job to jolly the media along, particularly the whole " it's the only chance he gets to talk to the fans" nonsense. I'm a fan, and I couldn't care less if the manager never talks to the press. Let's be honest here, that is a smokescreen thrown up by the media whenever they feel they're not getting enough copy to make their job easy.

[thejollyrodger]

you've lost me dodge.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/put-kerr-in-charge-of-underage-development-29987545.html

Pat Fenlon thinks Brian should be put in charge of underage development.

[Stuttgart88]

Of course it's criminal that relations between FAI and Kerr are what they are. Time to move on chaps.

[tetsujin1979]

Of course it's criminal that relations between FAI and Kerr are what they are. Time to move on chaps.
who's fault is that? Kerr's spent the better part of the last nine years badmouthing them every chance he gets

[Stuttgart88]

Probably both sides are to blame.

[Olé Olé]

List of the players he represents here: http://www.drurysports.com/getpage_clients.html
Football:

Brian Kerr (Republic of Ireland Manager)
Chris Hughton (Republic of Ireland Assistant Manager)
Packie Bonner (Technical Director, FAI)
Noel O'Reilly (Republic of Ireland Head Coach)

Liam Miller (Celtic)
Colin Healy (Sunderland)
Graham Barrett (Coventry)
Thomas Butler (Sunderland)
Michael Doyle (Coventry)
Alan Lee (Cardiff)
Patrick Cregg (Arsenal)
Gerard Nash (Ipswich)
Stephen O'Donnell (Arsenal)
Michael Reddy (Sunderland)
Jonathon Hayes (Reading)
John Paul Kelly (Liverpool)

Obviously this page is out of date

Interesting list of players there. Always do take an interest in mapping the progression in retrospect when I see a list like that. Solid amount who have played LOI but nobody who has popped up more than a couple of times in the PL and a decent amount who have retired from the game prematurely, at least at a professional level (Thomas Butler, Gerard Nash, Michael Reddy, John Paul Kelly, Graham Battett) for different reasons.

[osarusan]

Kerr's spent the better part of the last nine years badmouthing them every chance he gets



Much of what you describe as badmouthing, I saw as legitimate criticism.