Kerr in the Times

[Jerry The Saint]

Some would say Crowe has too!

Certainly not physically faded.

[paul_oshea]

I have to admit that I'll wake up tomorrow morning with a tinge of regret that I'm not Ireland manager for the first match in Croke Park - especially considering I spent so much of my childhood going there.

i thought i read here before from the pats lads he was anti-"gah", why would he say this if thats the case? One thing I will give kerr is he was a real proud irish man first and foremost dub even. I am sure it would have brought a tear to his eye to be manager there tomorrow.

great article, not the usual bitter-tinted stuff from him.

[geysir]

Looks like article is the result of an interview. I think better will come.
The only gripe expressed is about the squad selection of some reserves.
There may be flaws with the merits of some of the newcomers but no observation made of the positives with other newcomers like McShane, Hunt, Kelly and Douglas, who have earned their squad place on merit not promise.
That's the way it goes.

He has a sound point about video analysis.

[Dodge]

i thought i read here before from the pats lads he was anti-"gah", why would he say this if thats the case?

Doubt you did in fairness. Any chance of backing it up?

[gspain]

Everyone who's ever played for him at Pats or underage level has always commented on Kerr being brilliant man manager. Its just the Prima donnas that had a problem with him

Actually I think he had no problems with the senior side until John Delaney became CEO. I think the pressure of not being Delaney's man took its toll and led to his mistakes.

[Billsthoughts]

I think you will find most well educated people are "anti gahh" to some degree

[wws]

Germany top the group..............

one reason - "following video analysis of the Czech Republic Ireland game the german staff and players are confident they can hurt the Czech defence...."

now Im not saying they'll win because of it but at least they are working on HOW to win - and kinda explains why they're light years ahead of us....of course light years behind Brian Kerr but we sacked him for being too clever....

[Kingdom]

That article is definitely the result of an interview, you can tell it a mile off. Good result for The Irish Times though. And as for video preparation . . . .

And as for video preparation what? Explain!

[Ceirtlis]

The points made about the squad selection in that article are spot on.

[drummerboy]

Kerr tried to be more professional about preparation, ie less drinking on international week and studying videos. Unfortunately this didn't go down well with the prima donnas. Richard Dunne was in one of the papers today having a pop at Kerr.

[paul_oshea]

of course light years behind Brian Kerr but we sacked him for being too clever....

....and of course for being too good a manager as well and getting us to two championships

[Jerry The Saint]

....and of course for being too good a manager as well and getting us to two championships

Yep U-16 and U-18 in the one season. Unprecedented.

[Kingdom]

There has to be a closer to the truth opinion on Kerr rather than the tone here off

St Pats: Kerr is God
Rest of Loi: Kerr is cod

Was he bringing the professional setup the position needed?
Yes
Was he bringing a good backup staff? Yes.
Were the players not responsible or responsive enough? Yes.
Was he undermined by a cnut with a Mammy's Boy haircut?? Yes.
Was he too rigid in his beliefs and tactics for the Irish Superstars? Yes.

A good man who has kept his integrity intact and been quite professional when it would/could have been understandable to give outspoken interviews. Its a pity that some of the players he depended on were ones he probably considered his mates. The likes of Duff Keane and Dunne, the youth players so to speak. They let him down then and their subsequent comments in Irish papers since the genius that is gingernuts has taken over has let them down now.

[tetsujin1979]

Some of Kerr's points smack a bit of bitterness, not that I can really blame him.

The Irish squad selection was baffling.

Not really, other than 3 or 4 players who more than likely wouldn't start, it's pretty much the squad I would have gone with

There should be criteria for inclusion in an international set-up. Being an outstanding talent obviously helps but every player must earn the right to be called in.

Jon Macken?

A few years back, after hearing of Caleb Folan's family connections, I went to a Leeds United youth game to see would he be worth selecting for the under-19s. He wasn't and has done precious little since to change my opinion.

Improved so much since then he's gone from scoring in League 1 to scoring in the Premiership

When Folan pulled out the opportunity arose to bring in another physically imposing - and more importantly experienced - striker like Alan Lee, Clinton Morrison or even Gary Doherty. If they were to go another way, David Connolly is scoring goals in the English Championship and has some international pedigree. Andy Keogh has not been consistent at a high enough level for long enough.

Out of those 3, I would only really count Alan Lee as a target man, which is what Andy Keogh was called in to be. Robbie Keane and Stokes both play similar roles as out and out strikers, Keogh and Doyle are going to be the target men in the squad. Is he considering Gary Doherty as a striker, even after he won player of the season at Norwich playing as a centre half?

Again, Darron Gibson has potential but what has he done to earn a place over Liam Miller among others?

Agreed, Miller should be in the squad, but I wouldn't start him

The logic is flawed and unfortunately consistent.

As consistent as a late Gary Doherty subsitution

See Sean St Ledger and Alan O'Brien.

St Ledger hasn't played for the senior team yet, and isn't doing too badly at Preston. I wouldn't have been upset to see him in the squad. Maybe Staunton has learned his lesson with O'Brien? He's limited, but Duff, Hunt and McGeady give us plenty of options on the left.

[paul_oshea]

Was he undermined by a cnut with a Mammy's Boy haircut?? Yes.

LOL, for a sec i thought i was thinking wrong then i thought of " a mammys boy haircut" and i couldnt stop laughing. quality, brilliant sum up. what about a mammys boy attitude as well "mammy i am going to run the world one day" ok maybe not the world but he has started with the FAI

[citizenerased]

I think you will find most well educated people are "anti gahh" to some degree

Thats wrong, cos i know for a fact stephen Hawking is a big Meath fan, so there!!

[Paddy Garcia]

I don't recall Mick making similar criticisms after he had left. It's a shame really. Dead right on the analysis though.

The Folan comment looks like justifying his own (poor?) judgement, and IMO it was a decent selection. There are lots of other far more questionable ones.

Anyway what would we give for Kerr now, or Mick for that matter...or Jack.. or ........!!!

[Jerry The Saint]

LOL, for a sec i thought i was thinking wrong then i thought of " a mammys boy haircut" and i couldnt stop laughing. quality, brilliant sum up.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_De...ministrator%29

[bigmac]

That article is definitely the result of an interview, you can tell it a mile off.

Most "columns" are the result of interviews - often includes a little byline - as told to ...

Mainly this keeps the NUJ at bay who don't like non-journalists being employed in the print media.

[fergalr]

Why? The GAA wont ever do it, but they should have the option surely?

Nothing wrong with the last line. He's not saying our stadiums are better at the moment, he's saying hopefully they'll improve to a point where the GAA wish to use ours...

Folks - are you not following the Tallaght land-grab saga? Is it not obvious now that a GAA pitch does not fit into a footie stadium?

If you really want the GAA to play in your local footie ground then be aware that they'll want to come in a knock down two sides of the ground first.