Kerr grateful for chance to shuffle pack

Republic of Ireland manager Brian Kerr followed his side’s 1-0 win over China by launching a vigorous defence of the decision to play what appeared to be a meaningless friendly.

If this game had been played prior to Saturday’s World Cup qualifier against Israel in Tel Aviv it would have served as a beneficial warm up.

But this was a case of ’after the Lord Mayor’s Show’ as a 35,000-strong Lansdowne Road crowd watched nothing more than a routine outing from players with seemingly the bigger weekend picture on their minds.

There was a distinct lack of intensity and, but for scorer Clinton Morrison, few will say this was a fixture they will look back on with any degree of relish.

As Kerr himself remarked: “I thought the game was all right, but there were a lot of mistakes, misplaced passes and a number of mis-kicks, simply down to how poor the pitch was.”

However, he added: “It gave us the opportunity to look at players who have not had chances, yet have been very honest in their commitment.

“We made six changes to the starting line-up, while we got another three players onto the pitch who didn’t play on Saturday.

“I think we used the squad well, which keeps everybody happy and feeling they are in with a chance of playing and considered as a worthwhile person within the group.

“Clinton’s confidence will have improved, while Stephen Elliott at 21 has another game under his belt, as has Paddy Kenny, along with Alan Maybury who had not played since the [friendly] game in Holland.

“Andy O’Brien played with Richard Dunne for half a game when we’ve not had a chance to play that combination before.

“Then there was Liam Miller who had a good second half despite the fact he has not been playing an awful lot of football, but he gave us a bit of dash when he came into the game.

“So, from my personal point of view, there were a lot of positives, and from the players’ point of view, you can see the spirit and morale is there in the squad.

“I appreciate it’s hard to maintain your enthusiasm when you come into a group knowing only a small number can be used in games. Look at the last squad for the friendly with Portugal when we picked 27 and 26 showed up, which surprised me.

“This time out we’ve used lots of players, with nobody anxious to return to their club, even though some of them knew they would not be playing in this game. That shows the spirit we have.”

Morrison was the game’s biggest beneficiary, scoring an exquisite 82nd-minute winner to again show Birmingham manager Steve Bruce he deserves another chance in the side.

Although relegated to fourth-choice striker at St Andrews following the transfer window signings of Walter Pandiani and Robbie Blake, Morrison has now scored four goals in his last six games for Ireland.

After his remarkable strike against Israel, Morrison followed that with a stunning chip over advancing China goalkeeper Li Leilei 21 minutes after his arrival as substitute.

Between now and the next two qualifiers at home to Israel and away to the Faroe Islands in early June, Kerr could do with Morrison back in the City side to maintain his fitness and form.

“He is on a good run, although I would like him to be playing more often than he is,” said Kerr.

“I said on Saturday night that I didn’t think he was as sharp as he could be and like he was before the transfer deadline when Birmingham signed Pandiani and Blake. Clinton was then playing regularly with [Emile] Heskey and I thought his form then was the best I had seen him in for his club.

“But since then he has not played much and I don’t think that helps because reserve matches are not of a high enough level and of good enough preparation for international football. But I am not in control of that and I wouldn’t try to tell Steve Bruce what to do or who he should play. That’s his job.

“He is the expert on Birmingham City and their needs, but certainly Clinton is making a good case for himself by scoring in nearly every game he plays for us.”