To those who think Kerr should stay
In a post match interview Kerr implied that the team was developing in the right direction. IMO since the Paris game the team has been playing progressively worse and worse. Worryingly only our goal-keeper is improving.
Yes we need to develop new talent. Yes Kerr has a proven record for developing young players but surely that task is the under-21 coach's job! Kerr hasn't been able to transfer his youth experience and success to the management of the senior team.
He has shown far too much loyalty to certain players. You can't blame Keane for being picked but you can blame Kerr for picking him despite the fact that his current form is pretty dire.
There is less margin for error as an international coach. There are more do or die games and 70% of your performance has to be based on these games. In last night's do or die game Kerr failed. We needed goals, the off-form players he picked were not performing we had no shots-on-goal in the first half, at home against Switzerland!!! Not one shot on goal! Yet Kerr changes nothing! Incredible. Then he waits almost half-an-hour in the second half before swapping a striker for a striker. Then with 5 minutes to go another striker for a taller striker.
Developing young players yes, Kerr gets the thumbs up. How to use these young players? No a huge thumbs down. Embarrassingly so.
I understand Kerr's paid around 400.000 a year. His management of last night's game was abysmal. He has to be judged on the management of these key games. But even if we're more generous and judge him over the entire campaign we see overly cautious tactics lose us four points against Israel and almost two points against Cyprus!
I like Kerr, but I honestly don't think he's up to the job. I don't think he should be given time just because McCarthy and Charlton were given time. I don't think he should be given time just because the easy answer is to fire the coach and we don't want to be like the English or Italians.
The Irish job is one of the most generous in the world game. There have been only three coaches in the last 19 years. You have to make a real hash of it not to be given a second chance or third chance. I think Kerr has made a real hash of it. And unlike McCarthy, he shows no sign of learning from mistakes.
When Charlton left I felt the time was right and I felt he'd deserved a shot at Euro 96, I wouldn't have pushed him sooner.
When McCarthy left I felt the time was right and that he too had deserved his second chances. Again I wouldn't have pushed him sooner.
Now I think the time is right for Kerr. He hasn't earned the right to a second chance.
I think I'd like Aldridge to take the job.
