FORMER Ireland manager Brian Kerr has said the FAI asked him to work for them again... as ‘a media watchdog’.
The approach came in an email from FAI general manager Noel Mooney, the contents of which Kerr labelled ‘baffling.’
Kerr says Mooney compared Kerr’s FAI estrangement to that of Gerry Adams and Ian Paisley and suggested that ‘commonalities’ might be found between the association and Kerr.
Kerr, who has been sidelined by the FAI since his contract as manager wasn’t renewed in 2005, asked Mooney not to contact him again.
‘He suggested I may have a role being a media watchdog in the future, for the FAI. I don’t know what that is. I replied by saying it sounds like something from the Soviet era,’ said Kerr yesterday. ‘He suggested that as Gerry Adams and Ian Paisley had found common ground then maybe myself and the FAI could as well.’
‘I said to him I’d appreciate it if he didn’t contact contact me any more in relation to the FAI.’
Mooney’s contact followed what Kerr called two
Strange: Kerr and FAI have history ‘rather haphazard approaches’ from the FAI to attend the Euro U17 finals in May. ‘One was from a person from the commercial office who didn’t understand the history of the situation,’ said Kerr. ‘I told him I’d be going to the matches on my own steam. I wouldn’t be seating in the posh seats and providing any solace to the FAI. ‘Then there was a strange one. I got a call from John O’Shea, the tournament ambassador about would I like to attend any of the matches.’ After Mooney spoke to Kerr at Richmond Park at a match, he got an email from Mooney, asking for a chat over a cup of tea, to which he responded. ‘When I got the second one, I asked him not to contact me any more. It was off-the-wall stuff. The comments were just totally… how should I phrase it… they weren’t appropriate.’ An FAI spokesman said: ‘The FAI can confirm that general manager Noel Mooney recently made contact with Brian Kerr – after they had met briefly at a League of Ireland game – in an effort to bring Brian back into the football family. ‘The GM contacted Brian, by a private email, offering to meet for a coffee to “understand your views on how Irish football can perform better”. ‘We are disappointed that these private emails have made their way into the public domain. ‘However, the association is receptive to Brian Kerr being involved in its key objective of the promotion and development of football in Ireland.’ However, the statement did not address the specifics of the role. So would Kerr work for the FAI again in any capacity? ‘The game has moved on and there’s lots of good people doing great work in the FAI and with the teams. ‘There’s probably no role for me anyway. It’s not a significant matter.’ Niall Quinn has revealed that neither he nor any of his group of business colleagues who were offering to help the FAI were invited or encouraged by the FAI to apply to become an independent director. Quinn is now steering clear of the FAI which he feels remains ‘a discredited place’ but is willing to assist the League of Ireland clubs.
Brian Kerr and Niall Quinn are guest analysts with Virgin Media Sport for their comprehensive Champions League coverage.