Kerr surprised by ongoing Ireland saga

Former Ireland manager Brian Kerr has expressed his surprise that the saga over the return, or otherwise, of Stephen Ireland has been allowed to drag on this far by Martin O’Neill.

The seven-year international exile of the Cobh man is expected to continue until at least September when O’Neill unveils his final squad in Waterford today for the upcoming cluster of four friendly matches that begin on Sunday against Turkey at the Aviva Stadium.

Ireland, with whom Kerr had a disagreement in 2002 while he was managing the Irish U17s, has remained central to the narrative of O’Neill’s seven-month reign due to the player’s Premier League revival at Stoke City and the mixed messages he’s conveyed on his international future.

Such confusion and the consequent distraction from the task of achieving qualification is the reason why Kerr believes the matter should be resolved this week.

“I don’t know why it’s still not sorted yet,” he admitted yesterday in Dublin at the announcement that Sports Against Racism Ireland will host the European Street Football festival in August 2015.

“I know he said he wanted to get into the Stoke City team and have his contract situation resolved first but that’s all done. Why whatever was to take place with the (Ireland) manager hasn’t happened by now, I do not understand.

“Surely he should have said ‘I want to come back and play’.

“If he’s not in squad for these four matches, does he think he can come back in September? It’s just a pity from his own point of view that he’s wasted seven years.”

Another creative talent who Kerr reckons could make a contribution for Ireland during the upcoming Euro 2016 campaign is Aston Villa’s teen star Jack Grealish.

The former Ireland Youths boss liked what he saw of the 18-year-old during the U21 qualifier against Montenegro at Tallaght Stadium in March.

O’Neill insists the uncapped youngster, who made his Premier League debut two weeks ago, could be brought in from the cold today.

“I thought Grealish was great for the U21s and he looks a player to me,” said the man who oversaw the progression of Robbie Keane, Damien Duff and Richard Dunne through the international underage ranks. He’s probably somewhat similar to Damien Duff but plays more in the middle off the front man. What impressed me about him was his understanding of tracking back. He wasn’t one of these free spirits that just beat a couple of players.”

That O’Neill’s provisional expanded squad didn’t include any domestic-based players wasn’t a surprise to Kerr and perhaps explains his absence from League of Ireland games since the home campaign kicked off 10 weeks ago.

He said: “The truth is there’s not anyone jumping out to be in the squad. Not at standard the league is at the moment anyway. It’s not competitive enough or comparable enough for the level they are going in to play at (international). Back in my time when I called Glen Crowe and Jason Byrne into the squad, the league was very tough. There was a lot of experience whereas now the players are younger and just playing nice ball.”

After losing Joey O’Brien from his original squad, O’Neill is sure to confirm the withdrawal of others from all, or part, of the friendly programme.

Richard Keogh, Jeff Hendrick and Conor Sammon (Derby) as well as Kevin Doyle (QPR) will certainly miss Sunday’s first test against Turkey owing to their commitments with the Championship play-off 24 hours earlier.