Kerr hopes for home comforts

Brian Kerr is hoping the “Lansdowne Road factor” will carry his Republic of Ireland team to within touching distance of next summer’s European Championship finals in Portugal.

Ireland started their Group 10 qualification campaign under former manager Mick McCarthy with successive defeats last year away to Russia and then at home to Switzerland, after which their qualification hopes were all but written off.

However, Kerr then succeeded McCarthy as team boss and 10 points out of a possible 12 in the four games since means Ireland’s destiny is now in their own hands.

Under Kerr, Ireland won in Georgia and drew in Albania, then won both return matches at Lansdowne Road in June. Tomorrow afternoon they face Russia at home before closing their campaign with a trip to Switzerland.

While any one of leaders Switzerland, Ireland or Russia can still win the group, the mathematics for Kerr is simple. If his team can win their remaining two games they will qualify automatically for Euro 2004.

Alternatively, if they can beat Russia by a bigger scoreline than the 4-2 defeat they suffered in Moscow, they will squeeze past them if the two nations finish level and results against each other are brought into the equation.

The Russia game is therefore huge, and Kerr is hoping home advantage will propel his team to the victory they will set out to achieve.

“This is a huge game but that’s only because we have done our stuff for the last four games,” said Kerr.

“The match in Georgia at the time was the biggest game because if we’d lost in Georgia that was definitely curtains.

“Most people thought it was after the first two games but that game would have been the real end if it had happened. In each of the four games, in their own way we couldn’t afford to lose them.

“The general consensus of the media has been that the teams in the group were even and there was no outstanding team on form, and that has proved to be the case during the campaign.

“We are definitely going to have a go and we know we want to win the game. We are playing at home, with a bit of wind in our sails at the moment.

“The last few home games have gone well and we have won the matches. The support has been really good and the crowd has been really behind the team.

“The team has changed, it’s a younger group of players and they haven’t quite got that experience yet but we are still going to go for it.”

Russian coach Georgi Yartsev was appointed only last week in the wake of the 2-1 defeat by Israel last month when the team’s performance was so poor it prompted the resignation of Valeri Gazzaev.

He has brought back some of the veterans who had been ditched by Gazzaev, including Celta Vigo captain Alexander Mostovoi, FC Porto midfielder Dmitri Alenichev and defender Viktor Onopko, who was released by Rayo Vallecano this summer.

Switzerland – the only team in Group 10 not to have changed their coach during the campaign – lead the qualifying race with 12 points. Next come Ireland on 10 and Russia on seven.

Kerr will be wary of the impact a new coach can have. Since taking over from McCarthy, his Irish team have won six and drawn one game, hauling themselves back into contention for Euro 2004 qualification.

He said of tomorrow’s opponents: “The same group of players are there and the manager played with some of the players he’s brought back in.

“He had a great career as a player and some initial success as a club manager. I don’t know what impact he’ll have but I am sure he’ll have worked hard to learn as much as he can about us and make sure he is on the ball.

“It is very hard to grade the difference between the Russians and say Georgia, but maybe the Russians have better individual players who have achieved more.

“Every game they have played so far they have had a go. We were beaten 4-2 in Moscow by this team. We had a lot of possession and a lot of chances but lost. We have got to look at what we have been doing and what we have achieved in the last few matches and look at trying to win this match.

“There is no danger our players will under-estimate them. We have spent some time with the players ensuring they understand the tactical variations that might be required if we decide to change something.”

Newcastle goalkeeper Shay Given has recovered from a sore knee and is fit to face the Russians, while skipper Kenny Cunningham will win his 50th cap.