Kerr has reason to be cheerful

AS Aston Villa manager — before he became a villain — Ron Atkinson once said the best thing about international friendlies was the final whistle.

Brian Kerr may disagree but at several stages of last night's Irish victory over Portugal at Lansdowne Road, his thoughts must have roamed to a Tel Aviv Saturday in March.

As football husbandry goes, Kerr could have patrolled the sideline in an apron last night. The Republic could hardly go into their crucial Group 4 qualifier with Israel in finer fettle.

Andy Reid continues to blossom on the international stage, while Aiden McGeady and Liam Miller breathed in another gulp of experience on this elevated plateau. Roy Keane and Stephen Carr weren't even available.

Perhaps the most pleasing element, however, for the meticulous Kerr was the inability of the Portuguese to breach an Irish defence that has now conceded only one goal in 540 minutes of international play.

In spite of Clinton Morrison's laudable workrate and Robbie Keane's uncanny ability to sniff out the half-chance, the Republic does not possess a strikeforce of sufficient menace to afford mistakes in defence.

Andy O'Brien will enjoy watching his first international goal many times, but like any other defender, getting the fundamentals of his trade right will give him a greater professional buzz.

The manager was evidently pleased that a side of thrilling eccentricities was restricted to a handful of attempts at goal two of which came in the opening exchanges as Ronaldo and Jorge Andrade missed opportunities most of which came from long range.

With the possible exception of goalkeeper, Shay Given, and the afore-mentioned attack, Kerr has genuine options in a number of areas; Carr and Richard Dunne will push hard for a starting berth in Tel Aviv, Roy Keane will clearly return in midfield.

The cunning of Damien Duff on his 50th cap last night underlined his versatility too. Of course, some may argue that Kerr's side was geared up for the debacle that was the Euro 2004 qualifier defeat in Berne two years ago, but much has changed in the interim not least the manager's feel for his brief.

"There's a good resilience about us now, we can take a bit of pressure," Kerr reflected after last night's win, which stretches the Republic's unbeaten home run to 15 games.

"We may have finished with a pretty inexperienced side on the pitch, but we managed to stop them getting into their rhythm." Which, of course, is not completely true.

Luiz Felipe Scolari's side wore black and white in recognition of an anti-racism campaign, but at times their approach was similarly colourless.

The unwelcome cocktail of a bumpy pitch, a wet evening and a howling breeze was not to the liking of Barcelona's Deco, for one only the occasional spat between Duff and Ronaldo brought the visitors anywhere close to a state of animation.

It took a daisy-cutter from Hugo Viana with five minutes remaining to remove Shay Given from his armchair.

Contrast such indifference with the attitude of the side in green. Kerr has stitched together a unit with an attitude of defiance; one with a blue-collar ethic that reeks of their absent talisman in Manchester.

It has stood them in good stead to date, but in the Israelis they will meet a side of some substance and ambition. Though France may have that perfumed air about them, there is an argument to be made that the two form teams in World Cup qualifying Group 4 will meet in Tel Aviv on March 26.

As an exercise in maintaining good habits, last night was another useful night for Brian Kerr. This Republic side has moved well beyond the realm of scalp-hunting, so defeating Portugal is, in itself, of minimal relevance.

Kerr has bigger fish to fry in a hotter kitchen. Only then will his careful husbandry be truly tested.