Kerr in limbo as FAI keep silent over new deal

[Peadar]

Whelan, Ireland, O'Brien, Garvan, Potter, Doyle, McShane, Kelly, Stokes, McGeady, O'Dea etc.

I doubt any of them will be better than what we already have.

[Stuttgart88]

I think we have reasons to be optimistic for 2010. We have a number of promising players Whelan, Ireland, O'Brien, Garvan, Potter, Doyle, McShane, Kelly, Stokes, McGeady, O'Dea etc.

That's the great thing (or worst thing!) about being an Ireland fan: perpetually speculating about the young player pipeline. I'm quite excited by the above but I've been predicting great things for years now

I yearn for the day when the domestic league (as envisaged by Genesis) can produce / retain more players for the international squad or, as totalfootball advocates, the continent becomes a popular option for our young players to ply their trade. Then I think we may have fewer disappointments, and maybe more positive surprises.

[colster]

I thought it was fine up until he went long ball myself.

regardless of having a Quinny type or not we're STILL knocking long balls ...and it's tactically bankrupt in international football as it is on the school pitch.

I didn't mean it as a desirable thing. I meant that knocking long balls to Niall Quinn is a lot more productive than to Morrisson, Keane or even Doherty? Use of the long is still useful but not majorly so. I.E. it shouldn't the sole mode of attack.
We're forced into it at the moment through a lack of nous in midfield

[colster]

That's the great thing (or worst thing!) about being an Ireland fan: perpetually speculating about the young player pipeline. I'm quite excited by the above but I've been predicting great things for years now

I yearn for the day when the domestic league (as envisaged by Genesis) can produce / retain more players for the international squad or, as totalfootball advocates, the continent becomes a popular option for our young players to ply their trade. Then I think we may have fewer disappointments, and maybe more positive surprises.

If Ireland are to progress at all we need a top league. If an Irish team can make it into the CL it could make all the difference. I think we'd need an Irish Abramovich for that to happen.

[Lionel Ritchie]

I didn't mean it as a desirable thing. I meant that knocking long balls to Niall Quinn is a lot more productive than to Morrisson, Keane or even Doherty? Use of the long is still useful but not majorly so. I.E. it shouldn't the sole mode of attack.
We're forced into it at the moment through a lack of nous in midfield

Ah yeah, we should have it in our bag of tricks alright when you've got boys like the Doc on the bench -but too often in this tournament we've tried it when ...to go all Dunphy for a moment ...the softer word strongly spoken might've been the way to go i.e. get it down on the grass and pass it.

That said I think Morrisson's quite good at holding the ball up ...not quite in the Viduka league at it but very handy that way none the less.

For opposition like Cyprus though -I've said already I'd personally go with Connolly -not because he's flavour of the month but because he's the right kind of player for the task in hand -notwithstanding the reluctance to put him on with Keane.

[ccfcman]

The great paper that is the Indo, gave Kerr a week, relative to his future results in yesterday's Paper :S

[thejollyrodger]

The Indo is a big pile of horse sh1t most of the time... some of the stuff they write is pathetic. They couldnt analyise a tiddle winks competition. Personally I think the FAIlure is all about personalities and little about football. But I do agree that a manager should only be given a contract to the end of the current campaign. We cant afford to miss any other major competitions again.

[shakermaker1982]

If we finish 3rd or 4th then I think it's time to look elsewhere. Maybe Martin O Neil would give it some consideration. Other than that there aren't too many options for us, how he copes with the two BIG games next week is gonna be the making or breaking of him. Good luck to him, if we beat the Swiss and Cyprus then he's the man for me !!!

[thejollyrodger]

Did anyone notice that Liam Brady more or less did a U turn on Kerr in a space of a week.

He said a week or two ago that failure to get us to the world cup meant that Kerr should pack up his bags. This week he is bluring the line and making excuses for Kerr. Personally I think he is changing his tack in case Roy Keane ( who delaney loves) gets the job. He would rather see Kerr in the job than Roy.

That is what I make of his rant in the Tribune. It just goes to show how fickle the papers are. The indo has it in for Kerr while the Irish Times backs Kerr.

The Irish Times probably backs Kerr because of the Judas act they did out in Saipan and all the back stabbing at Mac Carthys after the world cup (not that Im complaining, I thought Mick had brought the team as far as he could)

[Qwerty]

I didn't see last weeks article but I don't read today article as being in any way pro-Kerr, it is quite anti-Kerr saying effectively that Kerr has failed to prepare the team mentally and much of that may be down to the return of Roy Keane who has not made the expected impact. I don't realy know how much of it is true but the simple fact as I look at it now is that we really have not made progress over this WC campaign and the last EC campaign, it's all or nothing now for Kerr.

One thing in the article I do agree with is this: Because during this qualifying campaign there hasn't been the same sort of team spirit and positive attitude that characterised the Irish displays in Japan and Korea. No real belief, not enough enthusiasm, not enough urgency. For a football nation that has always had to punch above its weight, those traits are a must if success is to be achieved.

[Stuttgart88]

I was in Dublin on Saturday & saw Liam Kelly's article in the Indo. It was a ****ing disgrace.

Kelly said that Kerr was allegedly unhappy at the contributors to the Official Programme at one point & that Sven Goran Eriksson would hardly get involved in such a matter. What ****ing relevance does Sven have in Kerr's context? He's hardly the benchmark to which we should aspire to. My blood is still boiling after that comment.

I read Paul Hyland's article on Thursday (I picked it up in the shop but didn't buy it, honest) & he suggested Keane's next move could be to partner Martin O'Neill in the Irish job. Pure speculation with no foundation. God, how I'd love to get paid for writing whatever comes into my head about Irish football.

[Lionel Ritchie]

Agreed Stuttgart. there's been some ferocious muck in the papers over the weekend. John O'Brien and Dion Fanning were little better but that Liam Kelly article was garbage.

Picking stuff out of thin air about MON or RK about to step in (in flagrant disregard for the facts ...ie MONs wife is ill and even under the best of circumstances -it's by no means a given he'd take the job as he played for Northern Ireland and is a legend to them AND there are better paying jobs waiting for him should he decide to go into managment again.)

More utter nonsense yesterday about how Delaney wants BK out and is "determined to get his man" (Robson -yes Brian Robson ...fcuk I 'd take Bobby first)

I hope BK gets us to the WC and gets a new contract. If he doesn't I think he owes the FAI an offer of his resignation and it's up to the FAI to accept it or offer Brian another go.

[Stuttgart88]

(Robson -yes Brian Robson ...fcuk I 'd take Bobby first)

I'd fcuking take Robson & Jerome before Bryan Robson.

He's in a well paid job now anyway, whereas he was on the dole last time the job was available.

Peter Reid remains a worry. Big Joe is waiting in the sidelines though.

[wallis]

At a time when you would think Ireland would be rallying around the team , drumming up support for a final push and creating a 'feel good' atmosphere for the task ahead we are once again subjected to tabloid bull$hit.

Trying to outdo each other with more and more damning stories with zero substance and no point to them other than to cause turmoil

Ignore them - we will beat Cyprus , we will beat the Swiss and then its play off time.

Meanwhile, heres some music......