Kerr Gone

[drinkfeckarse]

Kerr for the U/21 job, O' Neill to take us forward in the senior job. The pressure is on Delaney now, if he looks for some muppet like Troussier or Graham he'll have the fans calling for his head.

[Hither green]

I think Kerr has a right to be disappointed, “declining FIFA rankings” is just an excuse. We were 14th when he took over and 14th just a couple of months ago prior to the defeats to Italy and France. The FIFA rankings are a load of cr@p anyway.

He couldnt have been expected to qualify for Euro 2004 so really he managed us for only one competition. It sounds like FAI haven’t anyone identified yet, sure we were terrible at times, but no manager cant be better than Kerr.

I agree about his reluctance to try new players though, very surprising considering his past. There are lots of good youngsters around the premiership who deserve a chance. Our squad always seemed so small and he seemed to prefer playing someone out of position than trying someone new.

[Stuttgart88]

When he took over we were first seeds, now we are fourth.
Agree with virtually all your post. In my mind Andy O'Brien played better than I'd have expected him to play under Kerr, but I can think of no other player who Kerr seemingly got the best out of. Many notably underperformed on a consistent basis.

But regarding the seeding: as far as I can work out, if Mick had even got 2 points from the first two games in Euro 2004 qualifying we'd be a third seed. It's not fair to blame Kerr for falling all the way to 4th.

[Tired&Emotional]

Listening to Brady & Giles on dunphy's show this morning. Anyone hear it?

It was the usual names being thrown about, Allardyce, Troussier etc. but they also discussed the possibility of Roy taking the job. Dunphy said he'd be mad to but Brady & Giles said he could do well......you can't substite UEFA badges for experience and Keano has plenty of that, he's learnt his football from two greats of the English game (Clough & Ferguson). He knows the game and what's is needed on the pitch, sure he does have the manager's job when he on the pitch.

I know he has no Management experience but he would't be the first to get an Intl. job eg Hughes for Wales and Beckenbauer for Germany.

What do you think?

[Tired&Emotional]

Should have this on other post, oops! Will cut 'n' paste..

[NeilMcD]

I was a big supporter of Kerr when he got teh job and I am gutted that we did not quailfy and equally gutted for kerr that he was not as successful as he hoped to be. Footbal is a cruel game and managers are more often than not judged on results.

Kerrs results were not up to scratch for the players that he had at his disposal. Not one win against decent opposition over 8 matches.

I think I said it in a previous post that performances have been pretty dismal also. Any manager that only had one good performance in 18 competitive matches is going to be in trouble. I really that he woudl come good and i was supporting him right up to the end but as I said before. If we finished 3rd or 4th then he had to go. The medias behaviour is just a side show and should not be considred. Our results and performances in games is what he should be judge on and I think to be fair to the FAI, they did do that.

[thejollyrodger]

The king is dead, long live the king :D

No major surprises last night... the only thing I wondered about was how long the meeting would take to tell us this. Kerr was a sitting duck after those two games against Israel.

To be honest I dont really care now that he is gone as long as we get a decent new manager. Kerr will find either a job with an Eircom LEague outfit or a tecnocrat job in UEFA. Plus the fella must be a millionaire by now so he will be alright.

Martin O Neill would be probably the best choice for the new job. I wouldnt like to see O Leary in the position because he hasnt proved himself with scant resources (in regards to the amount of poor players we have). The rest of them I wouldnt be too keen on, maybe that fella who managed japan and Quartar.

[NeilMcD]

Just a small point, how would Brian Kerr be a millionaire.

[tetsujin1979]

The pressure is on Delaney now, if he looks for some muppet like Troussier or Graham he'll have the fans calling for his head.
We're calling for his head right now.

[Donal81]

I don't think most fans wanted him to go. I don't think he got a fair shot. The results weren't as good as they could have been, obviously, but he deserved another chance. Success doesn't always come instantly - ask Mick McCarthy.

[thejollyrodger]

3 X €440,000 = €1.32 Million.

[colster]

I don't think most fans wanted him to go. I don't think he got a fair shot. The results weren't as good as they could have been, obviously, but he deserved another chance. Success doesn't always come instantly - ask Mick McCarthy.

The difference being that as someone else already said that McCarthy got to playoffs at least while introducing a load of young players. Kerr had a decent team yet couldn't get the best out of them.
I was a supporter of Kerr but the time has come to be realistic. The team didn't perform at all for him. Whether that's his fault or the players is not the point. The buck stops with the manager.

[Donal81]

The difference being that as someone else already said that McCarthy got to playoffs at least while introducing a load of young players. Kerr had a decent team yet couldn't get the best out of them.
I was a supporter of Kerr but the time has come to be realistic. The team didn't perform at all for him. Whether that's his fault or the players is not the point. The buck stops with the manager.

The buck of course stops with the manager and if Kerr was willing to take credit for any of the successes, he has to take the stick for the failures. And there were definitely failures and he was left with a lot to prove.

I just don't think he got a fair shot. Who's to know what's wrong with this team, what goes on in the dressing room? Who's to know what he could have achieved with a different team? A team that he could have moulded himself and not inherited?

This was a rash and hasty decision befitting the blazers of the FAI.

[wws]

is it true he only lost one competitive match?*

if it is the whole Ireland thing has lost all perspective and common sense - I sincerely hope Delaney gets his man now - because IRELAND inc will not qualify for the next championship, the current crop are not good enough and the next failure to qualify will cost Delaney his job

and it will be good riddance to bad rubbish

<*i know he lost another v swiss in the last campaign but that was tainted by the McCarthy era>

[colster]

The buck of course stops with the manager and if Kerr was willing to take credit for any of the successes, he has to take the stick for the failures. And there were definitely failures and he was left with a lot to prove.

I just don't think he got a fair shot. Who's to know what's wrong with this team, what goes on in the dressing room? Who's to know what he could have achieved with a different team? A team that he could have moulded himself and not inherited?

This was a rash and hasty decision befitting the blazers of the FAI.

I don't think it was a hasty decision. He hasn't got the best out of the players. He hasn't handled the press well. AFAIK he hasn't admitted to any failure on his part. On the Late Late he practically said it was all the players' fault. He said the non qualification for Euro 2004 was McCarthy's fault even though we were in contention up to the last game and didn't perform against Russia at home or the Swiss away. IMO The FAI have made a hard headed decision and a correct one at that.
The style of play has been nervy and cautious.
Can you honestly say there was any sign that Kerr could have improved the team and qualified for the European Championships or World Cup?

[Adrianovic]

I think no matter how you dress it up, Ireland probably should have been in the play-offs at least.

What Kerr could have done better has been talked to a death, i.e. the Israel games and Josh in midfield - so ultimately I think with a better manager we'd have made a better fist of qualifying.

I don't doubt Kerr is a nice man, and a genuine football man, but in my opinion he's not up to the job.

Let's hope we get a decent manager in, not a cheap option.

Ade

[Donal81]

I don't think it was a hasty decision. He hasn't got the best out of the players. He hasn't handled the press well. AFAIK he hasn't admitted to any failure on his part. On the Late Late he practically said it was all the players' fault. He said the non qualification for Euro 2004 was McCarthy's fault even though we were in contention up to the last game and didn't perform against Russia at home or the Swiss away. IMO The FAI have made a hard headed decision and a correct one at that.
The style of play has been nervy and cautious.
Can you honestly say there was any sign that Kerr could have improved the team and qualified for the European Championships or World Cup?

Look, I'm not dressing up the results and saying the last campaign was a roaring success. It was a failure and Brian Kerr's failure at that but the players deserve criticism as well. There was absolutely no excuse for not making the play-offs. Finishing fourth in the group - the first time in my memory - is unacceptable, this is true. But I don't think he deserved to go over it.

I don't know if Kerr would have improved the team but he deserved a chance to grow his own team. He's been let go now and I don't think it's fair, I don't think he had a fair crack at it.

[colster]

Look, I'm not dressing up the results and saying the last campaign was a roaring success. It was a failure and Brian Kerr's failure at that but the players deserve criticism as well. There was absolutely no excuse for not making the play-offs. Finishing fourth in the group - the first time in my memory - is unacceptable, this is true. But I don't think he deserved to go over it.

I don't know if Kerr would have improved the team but he deserved a chance to grow his own team. He's been let go now and I don't think it's fair, I don't think he had a fair crack at it.

He had a lot of time to grow his own team. The truth is that he changed the style of play and a lot of the personnel. Remember A O'Brien, A Reid, J OShea all became first team regulars under Kerr.
Anyway, IMO another Manager with the players at Kerr's disposable would have qualified. Remember most of the players that did well in the WC were still available to Kerr and he didn't get the same level of performance that McCarthy did.

[Rover 2 U]

The FAI should resign on mass if they now think 2 years after appointing the right man, that he is now the wrong man for the job. They got it wrong according to themselves and should do the decent thing and walk away now!

For the record, I think he should have been given just as much time as they gave the two Engerlish tossers before him! But that's just me!

[eirebhoy]

FAI Chief Executive John Delaney answered questions from the press on the decision to seek a new senior international manager following Tuesday evening's Board of Management meeting.

Question: Have you spoken to Brian?
Answer: We had a process whereby the Association conveyed the Board’s deliberation to Fintan Drury (Kerr’s agent). That was the process that Fintan, Brian and Chris Hughton and everyone else wanted in place. I’ve tried to contact Brian, Chris Hughton and Packie (Bonner) already tonight but they are obviously tied up in other phone calls or whatever. But it would be my intention over the next number of days to meet with Chris if I can, Brian and obviously Packie and Noel O’Reilly who have roles in the back room team.

Q: What was Fintan Drury’s reaction?
A: I would say very professional. Tadhg O’Halloran spoke to Fintan on the FAI’s behalf and it was very professional. He said thanks for informing them first.

Q: How long did it take to come to the decision?
A: It was a long board meeting with many items on the agenda. I would say at max an hour. There was no vote at all. There was a consensus decision to arrive at the decision we arrived at.

Q: Did the sub-committee (set up to look at the implications of non-qualification for the World Cup) make a recommendation?
A: Well the sub-committee gave a position to the Board which I am not going to go into because of confidentially. They were given a detailed report but it was up to the Board to debate the issue. There was no vote and there was a consensus arrived at.

Q: Have you spoken to Brian since the Switzerland game?
A: I met him after the game. Since then, no.

Q: How will the FAI look for a new manager?
A: Well I think the debate moves onto that now. The sub-committee is in place. We don’t have a qualifying match in terms of a World Cup or European Championship match until next August or so. So we have time. The sub-committee (Delaney, President David Blood and Honorary Secretary Michael Cody) is in place. We’ll probably meet tomorrow (Wednesday). We have a tentative agreement to meet as a three and will take it for there.

Q: Will Don Givens (Ireland Under 21 manager) step in as caretaker?
A: Any decision on whether we get a caretaker manager or go for an immediate appointment will be considered tomorrow. I’ll bring that to the Board and take it from there.

Q: Where possible replacements mentioned?
A: No, I think that will be up to the sub-committee. We can all start suggesting names — I certainly wont. The way we start naming names and denying names, it is a process of elimination. That is certainly something that I will not do. We will keep it within the sub-committee and bring it to the Board and do the business the right way.

Q: Do you have a personal idea of anyone who could take over?
A: Absolutely not.

Q: Will Brian be offered another role within the Association?
A: I think it’s not the time to be reflecting on issues of that nature. It has been recognised Brian’s commitment to the FAI, to Irish football. That is more a question for Brian who must consider the events of tonight. I will certainly wish him the best.

Q: What characteristics will be looking for in a new manager?
A: Well I think, as I’ve said, the sub-committee will look at it tomorrow in terms of what we want. We want a manager who will bring us success, that’s the bottom end of it.

Q: Do you regard the appointment of Brian Kerr was an experiment that didn’t work?
A: No I think Brian Kerr deserved to manager Ireland at some stage in his career. He got the opportunity. He deserved it based on what he did for Irish football and his commitment to the Irish game.

Q: Was it too early?
A: No, Brian is 52,53 years of age. He was underage manager and done very well at that. He had a big profile in the game at domestic level but when you look at it, it was probably the correct timing and he deserved a shot at it.

Q: Will there be a bigger salary available for a new manager?
A: Well it depends on who we get. I’m confident we can get a top class manager to manage this team going forward. It’s a question of the sub committee looking at it.

Q: But will be it be higher than previous salaries on offer?
A: I’m not going to get into wages. It was a decent salary and I think the salary that was before was also decent. We’re never going to match England and the Sven Goran Eriksson wages and we know that. But it’s a high profile job. It’s a good job and one we believe we can attract a top class manager going forward.

Q: Has anyone applied for the job already, or made their interest known to the FAI?
A: No, not officially and I think it would have been inappropriate. I think today was a decision about whether we continue with the management under Brian. That decision was made and the work starts tomorrow about finding a new manager.

Q: Was the recent spate of retirements from international football a consideration when deciding to seek a new manager?
A: No, I mean we looked at results and performances and they were the key aspects. I suppose the decline in our FIFA ranking and moving from a two to a four in the seeding ranking — they were the main aspects. Players change clubs, they play with each other at international level, against each other on Saturdays. I think Kenny Cunningham was quite honest about players and the views they have — they are used top managers coming and going and our job is to go out and get ourselves a manager, look forward to the European draw in January, see who we get.

Q: Do you hope to get a new manager in before the European Championships draw?
A: I think it’s a question of not timing, but who we get.

Q: In 2002, Bryan Hamilton was appointed to help look for a new manager, will a similar strategy be used this time?
A: The approach this time will be different. I think it will be more a head hunting role than the interview style role that was used last time. I think the head hunting role will be adopted. Whatever resources can help us to do that, we certainly will. But I don’t envisage another Bryan Hamilton type role this time around.

Q: Did Brian Kerr receive a pay-off?
A: I have to be consistent on this. I think it would be unfair of me to comment on issues of contract.

Q: Are any friendly internationals planned?
A: I think the most important thing for us is the appointment of a manager, I think the friendly arrangements will come after that.

Q: Packie Bonner and Noel O’Reilly were part of Brian Kerr’s backroom team but also had other roles within the FAI. Are their other roles affected by tonight’s decision?
A: Without getting into too much detail because I hate discussing individuals, but Packie is our Technical Director. I was with him last night in Castlebar going through a local football partnership and whatever time of the night it was. I am meeting Packie tomorrow on other issues so life goes on. Packie has a huge job to do and I’m fully supportive of what Packie does. The Technical Development Plan is something that we’re very much on the role to implementing. Packie’s job is as it is. Noel O’Reilly is a Regional Development Officer. We don’t play competitive internationals at Under 18 level but Noel is the existing manager.

Q: Has Chris Hughton’s contract with the FAI now ended?
A: Yeah, that’s right.

Q: Do you have a time frame on when you want a new manager to be appointed by?
A: I’m not going to speculate on it. Our next competitive game, depending on whether we are in a group of eight or seven will be next August or September. There is a window of time. It’s more important that we go out and get the correct appointment rather than say we must appoint somebody in a short period of time. This is about our long term future, this is a significant appointment for a period of time as well.

Q: Would you be happy to still be looking for a new manager next summer?
A: No I don’t think that would be too long but I’m not going to say to you that it’s going to be a week or two weeks.

Q: You suggest a long-term appointment. Will the next manager sign a contact that would take him up until the 2010 World Cup?
A: That will be negotiations with the individual. Terms and conditions will come down to timing and salary.

[pete]

It was obvious Kerrs time was up but I think he was treated unfairly by Delaney & some sections of the media.

Kerr wasn't a bad manager & he wasn't a great manager. I don't see him as a manager to get great performances out of average players which is clearly the requirement going forward.

I expect Delaney already had his own short-list & I also expect a lot more great granny rule players being unearthed going forward.

[Donal81]

He had a lot of time to grow his own team. The truth is that he changed the style of play and a lot of the personnel. Remember A O'Brien, A Reid, J OShea all became first team regulars under Kerr.
Anyway, IMO another Manager with the players at Kerr's disposable would have qualified. Remember most of the players that did well in the WC were still available to Kerr and he didn't get the same level of performance that McCarthy did.

Fair point mate but I still think he was treated fairly harshly. I don't think he deserved to go after one proper campaign.

[Donal81]

It was obvious Kerrs time was up but I think he was treated unfairly by Delaney & some sections of the media.

Kerr wasn't a bad manager & he wasn't a great manager. I don't see him as a manager to get great performances out of average players which is clearly the requirement going forward.

I expect Delaney already had his own short-list & I also expect a lot more great granny rule players being unearthed going forward.

I never thought I'd read business terms on foot.ie! Let's roll out the new players, ramp up the performance and win games going forward, it's important we don't drop the ball on this one.:) Sorry, I spend my working hours surrounded by it...

[Hither green]

Sounds like theyve not got the foggiest and we might not have a manager for some time. It's not going to be good if we dont have any friendlies until after that. We need to make the most of any windows in the domestic season

[pineapple stu]

But regarding the seeding: as far as I can work out, if Mick had even got 2 points from the first two games in Euro 2004 qualifying we'd be a third seed. It's not fair to blame Kerr for falling all the way to 4th.
While I agree it's not fair to blame Kerr 100% for the seeding drop (I think we were seeded first on different criteria too?), any two points would have moved us up to third seed. So you can pick McCarthy's two games, but also the draw in Albania and any one of the draws against Switzerland away, Russia and home and Israel twice when we lead, sat back and got what was coming to us. Kerr has to take most of the blame.

I agree that Elroy's post was pretty much spot on as well.

Did Delaney say anything at all of consequence in that interview above? Or is it just him saying "Sod off" to the media every time?

[OwlsFan]

This was a rash and hasty decision befitting the blazers of the FAI.

You're damned if you do. You're damned if you don't ? It was also apparently the decision of the whole of the Committee which included the Eircom League representative etc - is he a "blazer", whatever that means ?

The highest ranked team we beat under Kerr in a competitive game was Albania and I think that was a last minute goal by the much pilloried Doherty. Does that not say it all ?

However, the decision can only really be judged when we see the calibre of the replacement.

[pineapple stu]

The highest ranked team we beat under Kerr in a competitive game was Albania and I think that was a last minute goal by the much pilloried Doherty.
Think it was even an own goal while panicking at the sight of Ugly Ginger Pele standing five yards away from him. :)

[OwlsFan]

For the record, I think he should have been given just as much time as they gave the two Engerlish tossers before him! But that's just me!

McCarthy was not an Englishman. Born in England of an Irish father from Tallow, County Waterford. Irish passport and Mick McCarthy is a real English name ok. O'Leary and McGrath were born in England as well - are they English tossers ?

Charlton = 2 World Cups and a Euro 88 (1 and only time we qualified for that Championship) makes a tosser. I'd hate to see what's required to remove the "tosser" adjective.

Your attitude seems to be so long as he's born here, it doesn't matter how bad we are. This is the first time since 1986 we have not finished in the top 2of a qualifying campaign.

[Tired&Emotional]

Definition: "Blazer" - in context, a business-minded person running a non-business (per se) body/group eg. Football Association of Ireland run by non football people! imo!!

Delaney et al should have sacked themselves, can someone explain to me how this sub-committee is qualified to choose an Itl. manager...?!

[Condex]

The FAI should resign on mass if they now think 2 years after appointing the right man, that he is now the wrong man for the job. They got it wrong according to themselves and should do the decent thing and walk away now!

For the record, I think he should have been given just as much time as they gave the two Engerlish tossers before him! But that's just me!

We're dropped on your head when you were young by any chance!!!

[magic moments]

McCarthy was not an Englishman. Born in England of an Irish father from Tallow, County Waterford. Irish passport and Mick McCarthy is a real English name ok. O'Leary and McGrath were born in England as well - are they English tossers ?

Charlton = 2 World Cups and a Euro 88 (1 and only time we qualified for that Championship) makes a tosser. I'd hate to see what's required to remove the "tosser" adjective.

Your attitude seems to be so long as he's born here, it doesn't matter how bad we are. This is the first time since 1986 we have not finished in the top 2of a qualifying campaign.

You stole my thunder, spot on Owls Fan:)

[elroy]

Roy Keane will NOT take the job and should not be offered it either. We still have not got the whole saipan mess out of our system. Kerr was obsessed with preparation as a result and quite a few players from both sides of the Saipan debacle are still available.

Brady argued was bringing Keane back to the Irish fold a success and to be honest it could be argued either way.

You can look at the stats whatever way you like, yes Kerr won alot of friendlies, yes he only lost two games. But the fact of the matter is they were both huge games. No Irish performance bar the French away was anyway inspiring. Now I think back, only a lucky og against Albania kept our hopes alive in the previous campaign.

Even we Mick was under pressure, Ireland produced performances like the defeat of Yugoslavia at home, Croatia at home, we almost qualified for the WC with a team that was well past its sell by date....only for a lucky Nilis goal (it still hurts).

I think the general people do have a sort of bond with Kerr, perhaps because it was because he was Irish and seemed a nice guy, would be public be so forgiving if he was English? Maybe an unnecessary point but the truth is our next campaign is crucial we at worst need to bring ourselves back up to second seeds and right now I dont think Kerr would've being able to do it.

[Stormin Normin]

For pity sake what sort of shambles would Kerr have to preside over before his Eircom League supporting buddies would reckon he wasn't capable of doing the job?

Our overall win/loss record under Kerr might appear ok but if you look at competitive results and performances it is awful. Eoin Hand was pilloried during the '86 qualifying campaign but actually did better Kerr did in the recent campaign with wins over Russia and, wait for it, Switzerland during that campaign.

All Kerr (& the team) had to do to qualify us for Portugal was beat an awful Russia team at home and draw with an equally ordinary Switz team away to win that group. Failed miserably!

All that was required in this group was to beat Israel once and/or beat Switz at home. Failed miserably!

The players at his disposal are virtually all regular playing premiership players and all fairly experinced. Yet he got one good performance out of that group in 10 qualifying games. He also managed to get a couple of the worst performances I have ever seen from an Irish team.

No plan, no spirit, no passion! How bad do things have to get before Mr Kerr can accept that he simply is not up to managing at this level?

[OwlsFan]

Definition: "Blazer" - in context, a business-minded person running a non-business (per se) body/group eg. Football Association of Ireland run by non football people! imo!!

Delaney et al should have sacked themselves, can someone explain to me how this sub-committee is qualified to choose an Itl. manager...?!

Here are your "blazers":

The Board of Management will comprise of ten members and will be made up of the Honorary Secretary, President, Honorary Treasurer, Chief Executive, and the six chairpersons of the Development, International, Domestic, eircom League, Legal/Corporate and Underage committees.

As you will see, the majority are football people.

As for the sub-committee, that could be made up of anyone from ex-players, to current managers. It depends on whom the main committee delegates or nominates to be on the sub-committee I suspect.

Football is not rocket science. If Martin O'Neill is available, it doesn't take a sub committee or anyone immersed in football to know that he would be a good choice. I just hope the process doesn't take too long.

Did Don Givens get the heave-ho as well ?

[Tired&Emotional]

I didn't coin the term "blazers" meself, but I'm just "speculating" that this is what people mean when they use the term "blazers"! Maybe someone else might offer another suggestion in quests to answer questions?!

Do you know how many are on the sub-c besides the three "blazers"?

Football is not rocket science, eh?! ......Eureka! Then what's all the fuss about smart ars*?!!

[Marked Man]

3 X €440,000 = €1.32 Million.

So we're assuming he didn't spend any of his money to, let's say, live, then?

[mypost]

This is the first time since 1986 we have not finished in the top 2of a qualifying campaign.

Whoops!! :eek:

It's not the first time, as we finished 3rd in the Portugal qualifiers.

I find it amazing that so many people are taking the 4th place group finish so seriously. We came within one goal of a play-off, and within 3 points of the group winners, so we were hardly out of our depth. With more imagination, better tactics, and by playing decent football, we would probably have won the group. We had the players to do it, but not the coach.

One thing that hasn't been discussed is something I think should have happened after the last game. I think the players, and boss should have done a lap of honour around the pitch at the end of the game. Yes, we didn't qualify, but it would have been nice if they showed their appreciation for the support of the fans who supported them as well as they did during the campaign, especially those who forked out thousands of €'s to travel to Cyprus, Israel, and to Torshavn in the fog. Instead they sloped off to their dressing room feeling sorry for themselves!! :mad:

[Stormin Normin]

Mypost,

You're joking re a lap of honour?

I've missed one home game (competitive) in the last 20 years but have never come across anything like the reaction at the end of the game last Weds.

The silence at the final whistle was surreal. It wasn't down to disbelief or disappointment. It was a shake of the head response to the clueless, passionless performance we had just witnessed. It was a response to the clueless approach and management of Kerr in trying to win that game. Tactics, substitutions etc.

A lap of honour after that! You have to be kidding!

[NeilMcD]

So we're assuming he didn't spend any of his money to, let's say, live, then?


Also, he would be paying tax on that probably about 300,000 of it would have gone on tax.

[Macy]

Disgusted with this, even though I was expecting it. I've never seen a campaign of such vitriol as has been conducted against Brian Kerr in the last couple of weeks(with a couple of honourable exceptions) OK, things have gone wrong recently but his record has not been that bad. Two competitive defeats. You can bet one thing, whoever comes in will not have a fraction of Kerrs feeling for, or knowledge of, the game in this country. Just had to listen to Dunphy being all smug about it on Setanta, (this remember is the guy who said after Kerrs first game that he was the first real coach we'd had in 20 years) Well, they can all go and fook off. John Delaney, Dunphy, Paul Hyland, Cathal Dervan and the rest of them. Fook them all. Fook the FAI, and the national team as well. I couldn't give a toss who they appoint now, and I couldn't give a toss if they ever win another game. I'm sticking to my Club from now on.
Pretty much sums it up for me too. Factor in the FAI's treatment of the eL fans tickets and they can go fook themselves.

[mypost]

A lap of honour after that! You have to be kidding!

I'm serious. "Honour" is probably stretching it a bit but, as it was the end of the campaign, they should have thanked the fans in some way for their support throughout the campaign, at the end of the game. The same players don't think twice about doing it, at the end of their club season, good, bad, or indifferent. Or maybe they just don't care about the fact that 30,000 came to cheer them on, oblivious to their previous bad performances in the group. :(

[JoeSemi]

I'm serious. "Honour" is probably stretching it a bit but, as it was the end of the campaign, they should have thanked the fans in some way for their support throughout the campaign, at the end of the game. The same players don't think twice about doing it, at the end of their club season, good, bad, or indifferent. Or maybe they just don't care about the fact that 30,000 came to cheer them on, oblivious to their previous bad performances in the group. :(

Bang on mypost. The non-qualification hurts enough on the fans part(both in pocket and mentally) and a little appreciation wouldn't have been a lot to ask from the players. I think Holland and Given were the only two to make some sort of gesture to the fans. The fact they recognised the huge part fans played and sacrafices they made over the campaign speaks volumes for the two of them.

[drinkfeckarse]

.

As for the sub-committee, that could be made up of anyone from ex-players, to current managers. It depends on whom the main committee delegates or nominates to be on the sub-committee I suspect.




The sub-committee is made up of Delaney, Blood (President) and Cody (Hon Sec). All "blazers"......

[Tired&Emotional]

Cheers for that.....sums it all up really!

I think it's fairly obvious what list of potentials will apply for the job but for these guys to qualify themselves to choose the best one for the national team and all that goes with it is kerr-azy! They just dont know the game of football enough to know what's called for and when. Do they pander to the Indo. journalists cries?!?! They are accountable to no one but themselsves! Was part of the Genesis report a waste of time? Even Mick said nothing has changed re the relationship between the national coach and the FAI!!

As for the lap of honour.....I heard someone remark, tongue-in-cheek perhaps, that the team should have been sacked not the manager! Although I would say most of them not all!!

Fair play to Holland & Given for making some effort of appreciation ats...the rest should have made some effort....

[geysir]

I hope the next manager has at least half of the heartfelt dedication that Kerr put into the job. He set out his stall in the beginning to up the levels of preparation and promised his own focussed attention to the task. No tv punditry, no media shows etc. and accepted a salary which befitted a federation like Andorra. An absence of greed.

He is quoted as saying that the FAI's decision is short-sighted.
We ended up being a well beaten 4th. To look back at a missed goal here and there had some validity until we went into our last 3 games, but to continue that line is to gloss over a malaise which took deeper root in the last games. Maybe it is a manager’s prerogative to remain in some place of denial but I would have needed to hear more detail from him if he had any realistic explanations about our performances and his role. It would have been a big step to continue to have faith with a manager who did not acknowledge shortcomings but yet promised solutions in the future.

[paul_oshea]

and accepted a salary which befitted a federation like Andorra. An absence of greed.

thats crap! in euro 2004 the czexh manager was on 57,000. the greek manager wasnt on much more.

he did show dedication but the man lacked serious motivational skills, he couldnt get the best from the players available to him. we are looking for a manager with all of the above you mentioned plus the above!

[pineapple stu]

So we're assuming he didn't spend any of his money to, let's say, live, then?
Or ever earn any money in the rest of his life? For what it's worth, I'd say he's easily worth a million. It sounds a lot less than it is, really. Though it's not really a topic for speculation. Except for...does he get all his tax back under that scheme for domestic-based sportsmen?

[geysir]

thats crap! in euro 2004 the czexh manager was on 57,000. the greek manager wasnt on much more.

he did show dedication but the man lacked serious motivational skills, he couldnt get the best from the players available to him. we are looking for a manager with all of the above you mentioned plus the above!
You are touchy,take a deep breath. obviously there was colour added for emphasis, imo Kerr´s salary was modest enough by standards that exist in footbal. I might be totally wrong but the impression I get from the man is that he is not guided by financial rewards.
BTW your salary quotes for Karl Bruckner and Otto Rehhegel are somewhat understated.
Karl €110k Otto €700k+ according to this link
http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/euro2004/news/tm_objectid=14379993&method=full&siteid=50061&headline=sven-on-top-of-salary-table-name_page.html

[mypost]

Bang on mypost. The non-qualification hurts enough on the fans part(both in pocket and mentally) and a little appreciation wouldn't have been a lot to ask from the players. I think Holland and Given were the only two to make some sort of gesture to the fans. The fact they recognised the huge part fans played and sacrafices they made over the campaign speaks volumes for the two of them.

So what we're saying that only 2 of the squad actually give a flying fk about the fans. What does that say about the rest of them, eh?? :rolleyes: Probably too busy re-arranging their family holidays next summer from Germany, to more exotic places like the Caribbean, the Med, and America, while our fans watch Togo, USA, Angola, Saudi Arabia, and co, do what they should have been doing. And that's before you mention England.

If you were disappointed after last week, that's nothing compared to how you will feel when the tournament starts. You're cossetted now to an extent, with all the domestic action to keep you occupied, but when you watch the WC on your tv in the summer, that's when the disappointment of not been there, hurts the most. :( But the players will be happy, as they'll have their full summer break next year.

Re: Player appreciation: Our players showed their appreciation for the fans support at the end of the last 4 WC campaigns, including after the defeat in Brussels. The fact that the majority didn't show even a token of gratitude for the fans efforts during this campaign after the Swiss game, shows us what they really think of us these days, that they only really care about their money and their club's fortunes now. A kind of,
"Sure aren't they mad, paying out all that money to all those far flung outposts to watch us play, Fk 'em" attitude :mad:

[thejollyrodger]

So we're assuming he didn't spend any of his money to, let's say, live, then?

Hasnt he got expenses ? I was giving him the 32,000 to live on :p

well he isnt a millionaire but isnt far off it