Hoddle gives Hughton green light to join Kerr

Neil Silver

Kerr, who will be unveiled today in Dublin as the successor to Mick McCarthy, wants Hughton to assist him on a part-time basis similar to the way Steve McClaren worked with England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson.

Former Republic left back Hughton who starred in Euro 88 is currently the highly-respected first team coach at White Hart Lane, but will be allowed to work with Kerr if an official approach is made.

Hoddle said last night: "I won't stand in Chris' way. I am due to speak to him, and we would need to clear it with the board, but I have no objections Kerr was in London yesterday

finalising his contract with officials from the FAI. The 49-year-old Dubliner and his adviser Fintan Drury had talks with FAI president Milo Corcoran, treasurer John Delaney and acting general secretary Kevin Fahy in a hotel close to Heathrow Airport.

Kerr was officially informed over the weekend he had got the job, pending contract, and met the three-man panel deciding the job to negotiate the most prestigious and richest contract of his career.

Kerr, who has earned the respect of Irish players and officials alike during his previous roles as technical director and head of the under-age teams, is expected to be handed an initial three-year contract which would run to the end of the 2006 World Cup qualifying campaign, although that could be extended depending on results.

Kerr will receive a salary less than that earned by McCarthy, but there would be massive bonuses for qualifying for a major tournament final.

After all the furore which involved McCarthy during and after the World Cup finals, the FAI will insist Kerr is not permitted to have a newspaper column or write a book while Irish manager.

Kerr is expected to make a direct approach to Manchester United captain Roy Keane and ask him to return to the team for the remainder of the Euro 2004 qualifying campaign, and sources close to Keane have indicated he would be willing to return, which will be a massive boost for Ireland's qualifying hopes.

Player and official reaction to Kerr's appointment has been positive. Defender Steve Finnan said last night: "The appointment may be a surprise to many fans but I know the lads who've worked with Brian at youth level think he is a very good coach.

"His record with the Republic of Ireland junior teams is outstanding and the fact he helped bring a lot of youngsters through to the senior squad also shows what he's about," he said. Republic of Ireland U21 coach Don Givens added: "He'll bring great enthusiasm to the job, he's very thorough in his approach to games, no matter at what level."

Asked whether he would make a success of the appointment, Givens said: "In the long run it always comes down to a little bit of luck.

"Sometimes between defeat and victory there can be a fine line, and with a little luck who knows Former Republic international Ray Houghton feels Kerr's knowledge of the younger players in the squad will stand him in good stead.

"He worked with the likes of Damien Duff and Robbie Keane, so he knows the younger players playing in the senior side. He is a very good coach and it is just whether he adjusts to the fact that these players are now men and multi-millionaires."

On whether he believed Kerr could convince former skipper Roy Keane to go back on his decision to retire from international football, Houghton reflected:

"I don't think even Bryan Robson would have tempted Roy Keane back, so it's a dead duck as far as I am concerned. I don't think he would be blamed if we don't get to Euro 2004 but he could be a hero if we do," he said.