Kerr looks to youth with one eye on Tbilisi
The match between Georgia and Russia before a restricted audience of just 11,000 fans is certain to have a huge bearing on the qualification process for next year's European Championship finals in Portugal. Kerr will be rooting for Georgia as any loss of points for Russia can only be to Ireland's benefit.
The Irish team manager is on record as regretting the fact Georgia cannot fill their stadium with the same number of fanatical fans as helped create a hostile environment when Ireland visited in March. It must be admitted that UEFA have been lenient in permitting 11,000 spectators attend after the excesses of their fans, and particularly the one who threw a pen-knife, at the Ireland match.
Kerr will despatch the former Scottish international Joe Jordan to Tbilisi to bring back a report on the form of two of the teams jousting with Ireland for qualification from Group 10 of the tournament. He will also have representatives at matches involving Ireland's other two rivals who are involved in friendly matches Albania against Bulgaria and Switzerland against Italy.
Ireland have played three matches under Kerr a friendly win over Scotland, victory in Georgia and a draw against Albania in the European Championship. He stayed very close to the World Cup team selection in all three matches and promised limited experimentation against Norway.
Circumstances have conspired to deny him total freedom in his team selection as he attempts to build on the achievements of Mick McCarthy and further advance Ireland's cause. The retirement of goalkeeper Dean Kiely and injuries to team captain Kenny Cunningham, John O'Shea, Stephen Carr and Matt Holland will inevitably reduce his options. Already he had lost three players before yesterday's training spin at Tolka Rovers Gary Doherty, Andy O'Brien and Gary Kelly.
The most serious of the problems presented to him was, undoubtedly, that which followed the premature retirement of Dean Kiely. He is, at 32 years, young for a goalkeeper and it is difficult to avoid the conclusion his decision was influenced by his modest return of just eight caps in three-and-a-half years with the squad.
It was always clear to him he was second choice at best to Shay Given. Kerr refuted this, however, and dismissed speculation that a row within the Irish squad had influenced his decision. He said he had spoken to Kiely last Tuesday and asked him to consider a number of points but he returned on Friday to confirm his decision to opt out. Kerr said: "He played against Scotland and had he played in this match against Norway he would have played in 50% of the matches I've controlled and whatever frustrations he had at not playing enough games it was nothing to do with me.
"But I would just like to knock on the head one suggestion that is going around there was no blazing row with anybody at a training session or after a training session with any player or any staff member.
"Dean seemed totally at ease and happy with things since the new regime was put into place but he has said he just wanted to concentrate on his club career. The points I made to him were that goalkeepers go on to 39 and 40 years and combine international football and league football.
"I told him I believed him to be an excellent goalkeeper and the call between himself and Shay is tight, they are two very, very good goalkeepers. The disappointment is that Alan Kelly and Dean have both gone in a short space of time and both are very experienced goalkeepers.
"It just goes to show the importance of investing in our youth and in developing our young players so they are ready to take over when something like this arises. Nick (Colgan) is playing regularly in Scotland and Joe Murphy showed huge potential at underage level and we've just got to get them experience now as quickly as possible."
Colgan, a regular first team player with Hibernian, has played twice, against Denmark and Scotland and seems certain to be given some playing time against Norway. Murphy has been kept out of the West Brom team by the superb form of Russell Hoult after making a very good impression when he went straight into the team following his transfer from Tranmere when Hoult was unavailable. It would seem sensible to let him share the goalkeeping duties with Colgan against Norway.
However, Kerr said: "We want to try and win the match and I'm not going to experiment hugely.
"We'll be forced into one or two changes anyway but I had planned one or two changes from the team that played in our previous three games. We've been trying to build up some stability and team morale. Mick's team at the World Cup was very settled whereas now it is a different team and we are trying to build again that we have consistency about the team. But there is competition for places and I need to see some players."
Kerr values these friendlies just as his predecessor Mick McCarthy did and Ireland's approach is to take them very seriously indeed. "Louis Van Gaal said some years ago international friendlies should be scrapped but I think they are vital for managers. How else do you get to see new players and give young players their opportunity ?"
Kerr called up Manchester City's Richard Dunne and it will be interesting to see whether he will include any of the younger set in his team: Colin Healy (Celtic), Stephen McPhail (Leeds), Alan Quinn (Sheff Wed), Alan Lee (Rotherham) and Glen Crowe (Bohemians).
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