‘We still have a long way to go’

CAUGHT between the Wailing Wall and the Great Wall, Brian Kerr yesterday turned his face towards tonight’s friendly against China at Lansdowne Road — but the ghost of what might have been in Tel Aviv was still hovering at his shoulder.

Whether Israel's late equaliser comes back to haunt Kerr remains to be seen, but for now the Republic of Ireland manager is happy that his team has not shipped any lasting psychological damage to go along with the disappointment of Saturday night.

"There are lessons to be learned but I don't think there'll be any psychological damage," he said yesterday after squad training. "We know we have a good team, a good defensive record and that we're capable of scoring goals and keeping possession. We also know we need to improve in the final third of the pitch.

"I was asked recently how far did I think the team has come in terms of where I wanted it to be, and I said we've come a bit of the way but there's still along way to go. I know that's the case. There are a lot of areas where we can improve in and we can certainly improve in the attacking part of the pitch.

"But you have to take it step by step. We've taken a lot of very good steps. We're hard to break down and we like to play in the other half of the pitch. We've played with two up front in every game, home or away many countries play with one up front.

"I don't think there's any psychological damage that we will carry forward into the rest of the matches, but there may be a sense of being even more focused about achieving the goals from each game as well as the overall goal."

Kerr also reflected on his decision to choose Steve Finnan over Andy Reid on the right side of midfield, a call he admitted was a tight one.

"It's one you have to make. I mull over those decisions for a long time, I don't make them easily. I've never been one to pick the same team for two matches in a row.

"I don't go with the idea of not ever changing a winning team. I think you pick the right team for the right match and if it means changing things a little bit, you do.

"Andy's gained a lot of experience over the last year. He's changed clubs, moved up a league recently and that's given him a chance to play more competitively every week.

"But we have to get a balance in the side. And the decisions I've made are based on all the angles: on what I know about ourselves, what I know about the opposition and the form of the players. And I think that everybody that played on Saturday had justifiable reason to play, based on their current form."

Kerr was speaking after squad training in Malahide, in which everyone took part except Shay Given, who will be rested tonight. Sheffield Utd's Paddy Kenny will take his place in a 4-4-2 formation against the Chinese and there are also definite starts for Robbie Keane, Andy Reid, Graham Kavanagh and Richard Dunne.

The defender yesterday spoke of how training at Manchester City had improved under the strict approach of new boss Stuart Pearce and suggested the players would be happy to see him permanently appointed to the managerial position in the wake of the departure of Kevin Keegan.

But the Dubliner was much more immediately concerned with the prospect of a comparatively rare start for Ireland tonight, against a Chinese side missing Dunne's City colleague Sun Jihai through injury.

"It's nice to play," said Dunne. "It's been hard not being able to get in the team but the two lads have been playing great at centre-half, so it's not a case of I feel I deserve it. It's a case of waiting.

"Andy had to wait a long time for his chance, so he's not going to give it up easily. Now it's my turn to wait. I'd like to force my way in but I wouldn't like fellows missing games through injury or suspension.

"I'd rather get in there on merit. But you don't know what's going to happen, with refs booking so many players so easily these days. The game against China is a little chance to show Brian that if I'm needed I'll be ready."

Against the Chinese, Dunne could replace Andy O'Brien who, along with Stephen Carr and Shay Given, make up the Newcastle United contingent in the Irish team, Kerr suggesting yesterday that the club's imminent FA Cup and European commitments would be a factor in his thinking about tonight's line-up.

However, he did confirm that Celtic's Aiden McGeady, called up from the U-21 side which was beaten by Israel last Friday, won't start tonight.

"It's going to be steady progress for Aiden because there are other players ahead of him in the pecking order," said Kerr. "He won't start tonight but well see how the game is going in terms of bringing him on."

Asked about the value of playing China, who visit Dublin on the back of a 3-0 friendly defeat in Spain, Kerr replied: "In my managerial time we haven't played eastern teams at all, so it'll be another part of the learning process.

"If we do go on to the World Cup this time, we'll certainly be playing different, non-European teams. China's style would be a short passing game around the middle of the field with some fast players and quite a strong centre forward who occasionally they play long balls up to.

"The availability of teams in international weeks for friendlies is limited and you have to take what you can get. This is a respectable option."

Finally, the good news is that FAI President Milo Corcoran, who had a health scare in Tel Aviv, has fully recovered and will attend tonight's game in his official capacity, having flown in yesterday from Israel.

REPUBLIC OF IRELAND (probable): Kenny, Finnan, Dunne, Cunningham, O' Shea, Reid, Kavanagh, Kilbane, Duff, Morrison, Keane

CHINA (probable): Fei, Xin, Mingyi, Weifing, Wyaokun, Xiang, Yun Long, Junzhe, Zhaojuh, Jiaxi, li Yi.