Richard Dunne: Brian Kerr will give FAI the guidance and leadership they have missed

“If you are asking me to take over I would but there’s no chance of that happening,” joked Mick McCarthy on Virgin Media Sports.

KERRB YOUR ENTHUSIASM: Richard Dunne believes Brian Kerr will provide the FAI with 'the guidance and the leadership' that they have been missing for a long, long time.

Richard Dunne believes Brian Kerr will provide the FAI with 'the guidance and the leadership' that they have been missing for a long, long time.

Kerr was recently appointed as technical advisor to interim manager John O'Shea for Ireland’s upcoming friendlies against Belgium and Switzerland at the Aviva Stadium.

And speaking to Virgin Media Sport, Dunne, who played under Kerr during his spell in charge of the Boys in Green between 2003 and 2005 insisted he can bring a lot to the role.

“I think it’s brilliant. I think it’s the guidance and the leadership that the FAI have missed for a long, long time,” said Dunne.

“Brian is so knowledgeable, and he is someone who can look at it from a different viewpoint than John.

“John is going to be right in the middle of it all, trying to focus solely on the game whereas Brian can see the overall picture, he can help him out in that terms and just help him to take a step back and look at it more from a manager’s point of view than a young ex player coming into the role.”

Mick McCarthy, who was sitting alongside Dunne in the studio, also backed Kerr to make an impact during the upcoming international break and confirmed he won’t be returning for a third spell at the helm.

“If you are asking me to take over I would but there’s no chance of that happening,” joked McCarthy.

“What can he add? Somebody asked me that once and I said ‘well I’m not quite sure sometimes’ but age just does give you something.

“You see something sometimes; you can read something – I mean read it in the group and the squad – and you can hear it.

“He can bring something to it, and it might be just something crucial. Something in training, how somebody is. Brian will help him, there’s no doubt about that. I’m delighted for him.”