Article in today's Indo makes a few references which over time will get filled out I suppose. I really want to know what went wrong for Kerr, was it his style or were the players reacting to the way McCarthy was dismissed and Keane's return? Was there a divided camp?
http://www.unison.ie/irish_independe...issue_id=13579
In Merrion Square, there is a view that an international manager - certainly an Irish international manager - must allow team spirit to develop....When Damien Duff said the team spirit in Ireland does not compare with Chelsea's, the old heads took note....The players will now have a responsibility. They allowed their resentment of Kerr to fester and manifest itself on the football pitch. They played, as Duff said, like a "pub team" in Cyprus...
It'sa fair point I think. I've often wondered what effect Keanes return had on squad morale, considering the feeling against him from some of the squad after Saipan. I've also been a bit disgusted recently to read comments from Graham Kavanagh and Richard Dunne referring to Kerrs lack of experience with so-called "top flight" football (for that read "English Football") If that's the attitude the squad had it's no wonder things went pear shaped. I've also read in the past about a divide between those who had played for Kerr at under age level and those who hadn't. It seems that there was an element of "Who does he think he is" and if that's the case then it would seem that Kerr had an uphill battle from the start. For me that says more about the players(Let's face it none of them have really set the football world alight have they ?) then it does about Brian Kerr and his abilities.
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