End to words, time for action

IT could have been Armageddon but instead it turned out to be a small earthquake in Chile, with not many dead.

Claud Cockburn's famously black definition of an underwhelming newspaper story came to mind in Limassol yesterday, as Brian Kerr faced the media for his first full press conference of a highly-charged week.

With the penultimate World Cup qualifier looming, football ought to have been highest item on the agenda but, after days of deteriorating relations between the press and the manager, it was going to take some time before we got into

serious discussion about how Ireland are going to go about extracting three vital points this evening in Nicosia.

Instead, the manager, however much he might have disliked it, was firmly in the spotlight. And, with a balance of poise and defiance and doubtless even a bit of tongue-biting he ensured there would be no premature death by laptop, no "storming out" headline for today's papers.

"I don't feel under any extra pressure," he said.

"I've had the same pressures for every team I've managed since I started managing. Each game, I've always wanted to win it, and prepared the team to win the game the best way I can. That's the way I am about this one. It hasn't changed."

It was pointed out there was more interest in him, this time around.

"There is from you," he replied, "but for me it's the same approach, the same preparation and the same thought processes."

Then came the first serious tester. On TodayFM's Last Word earlier in the week, Kerr's agent Fintan Drury defended the manager and criticised negative media coverage, remarking his client was "working with a squad which, while talented in certain places, is not the most talented within the last 15 or 16 years".

Those comments prompted the inevitable question: did Kerr agree with his agent's evaluation and was he confident there was enough talent in the squad to win the games against Cyprus and Switzerland.

Kerr swallowed hard and answered: "I don't know anyone else's assessment. I know my own assessment, and the squad for these two games is capable of winning these two games. That's what we feel, we're confident about it and prepared for it, but we have to win the first one first."

So his agent wasn't speaking for him? Kerr's answer was decisive. "Nobody speaks for me, I speak for myself."

Was he irritated by the speculation about his position?

"It doesn't bother me. I've a job to do and I'm concentrated fully on that job, which is planning for these two games, making my assessment of the players, ensuring they are in good nick and once we get together we are tactically prepared."

Damien Duff reportedly said the players had underachieved in the group did the manager agree?

"It's not been for the want of effort, graft and commitment. We haven't had the results either I or they would have liked. We've had a few unlucky breaks here and there, we've not had that slice of luck you sometimes need.

"Maybe we will get it in the next two games, but I wouldn't be in any way critical. They've given their best, though it hasn't been quite good enough in one or two games.

"I'm disappointed we haven't got more points so far, but if we get enough at the end, that's the most important thing."

Hadn't he snubbed the media by cancelling a scheduled press briefing last Tuesday?

"I didn't snub anyone. On the agenda I wasn't down to do a press conference on Tuesday. I was down to do Wednesday after the training session, which is what I did before we got to the airport."

It's pointed out to him that the briefing was actually down on the official media schedule.

Kerr shot back: "You obviously got the wrong schedule."

(FAI sources insist the Tuesday press briefing had been agreed with the manager in advance).

As Kerr attempted to steer the conference back to the match, he was pressed further about the media coverage and their interest in his contract situation.

"I thought we'd come to talk about the game. I don't actually see much of it (the coverage). I see very little, so it doesn't bother me. I'm not in control of the speculation.

"I was asked one question (about the contract) when I gave the squad announcement and I gave an honest answer, and I don't wish to talk about that issue any more. We are concentrating on winning the two games. If we win the two games, then bob's your uncle and we are all laughing."

He managed his first grin of the session. "Even yourselves."

Had he had any joy, he was asked, with his endeavours to talk to the FAI "endeavouring" being the word Kerr used discussing the subject.

"I won't talk about it any more," he repeated.

"I answered you the last time. I'm here to talk about the game, the team and the preparations for this game."

With hindsight, then, was it a mistake to answer the original question?

Kerr looked exasperated.

"To answer a question with an honest answer? Why should an honest answer be a mistake?"

By now, even the most straightforward question must have seemed loaded, as when he was asked if these few days were the most important of his career.

"No, every individual match has been important to me.

"The first match as international team manager, and every one of the 30 or 31 since, has been important as far as I'm concerned. In this particular group it's crucial. We've lost one game and we can't afford to lose another.

"But we know what we need. If you look at all the groups around Europe, with the exception of those that include Ukraine and maybe Portugal, all of them are looking tight finishes for first and second place.

"That's normal. That's the way it works, with ours probably one of the tightest of all, and that's always going to be the way with Irish teams."

At last, Kerr was talking about the subject he was happiest talking about the not insignificant matter of tonight's game.

Stephen Reid had sat out the previous day's training with a swelling on his ankle but Kerr said he was hopeful he would be fit for selection though the Blackburn man's niggling injury may mean a start on the right side of midfield for Liverpool's Steve Finnan.

On the other flank will be Duff, assuming the Chelsea man is not bothered by the lingering effects of a cut on his leg which he sustained when scoring against Liverpool at the weekend.

However, Duff has trained fully every day and should be fine.

Kerr said Stephen Carr was feeling "a bit of soreness around his knee" but, again, he expected him to be alright.

Up front, Kerr said Gary Doherty was in contention.

"I know we can rely on him. He's done a decent job for us when he has played and got a couple of crucial goals."

But Kerr also spoke highly of Stephen Elliott, and with David Connolly as another option and, indeed, Duff Robbie Keane's strike partner won't be known until shortly before kick-off.

However, in the absence of Roy Keane, Graham Kavanagh seems a certain starter in midfield.

"He's done very well this season," said Kerr.

"I've been at three of Wigan's games since the start of the season. He's looked in top shape. He has waited a long time to get into the Premiership, just as he has waited to get into the international team."

Though, there are circumstances whereby Ireland could drop points tonight and still not be out, Kerr sees it as a must-win game.

"We can't rely on a result in the Israel-Faroes match, which would have a bearing on things," he said.

And though, again, automatic qualification is still a possibility, the real target now is a place in the play-offs.

Kerr said: "When you start a group your ambition is to win the group, but you have to be realistic when there's two games to go. We would settle for second place."

Soon after, Kerr was finally able to escape the microphones.

At long last, it's the turn of his team to do the talking.