Irish Weekend Review

Irish Weekend Review / Brian The Video

For those who are interested:

Weekend Review of Irish playersin action from the FAI.IE page.

Also, Matt Holland Review of Brian 'The Video' Scotland match preparation. Interesting.

closey


Birmingham City striker Clinton Morrison and Falkirk assistant player-manager Owen Coyle grabbed the headlines for the Irish operating abroad at the weekend with crucial goals in their team's respective English Premiership and Scottish FA Cup ties.

Morrison was on target at St.Andrews as Birmingham overcame a disappointing Liverpool 2-1 to collect three vital points while underdogs Falkirk are through to the Scottish FA Cup FA Cup fifth round with a 2-0 away win over Alloa Athletic.

Brum's striker Morrison was the idol of the travelling Irish supporters at Hampden Park a fortnight ago when he fired home the Republic's second goal in that marvellous 2-0 victory over Scotland in new boss Brian Kerr's first match in charge.

On Sunday, Birmingham boss Steve Bruce was delighted to see Morrison grab his sixth goal in 27 games for the Blues to add to those six goals he has scored for Ireland at international level since making his debut against Croatia under then boss Mick McCarthy in October 2001.

That victory steers Morrison and his Irish team-mates Kenny Cunningham and Jeff Kenna further away from the dreaded Premiership relegation zone. But it is not such good news for international team-mates Kevin Kilbane, Jason McAteer and Phil Babb at bottom of the table Sunderland.

Babb was on the bench, while Kilbane again going through a nightmare at the Stadium of Light, presented Middlesbrough with their third goal on 59 minutes. McAteer, continuing his return from injury, made little impression.

Waterford man John O'Shea again showed his tremendous potential when Manchester United and a somewhat subdued former Irish skipper Roy Keane scraped the Old Trafford side to a late 1-1 draw with neighbours Bolton Wanderers at the Reebok Stadium.

Perhaps the two happiest Irish internationals this weekend were Newcastle United 'keeper Shay Given and his St.James' Park team-mate Andy O'Brien. The 3-0 victory over a Leeds United side at Elland Road including Gary Kelly with Ian Harte on the bench will put Bobby Robson's side in the right mood for Wednesday's Champions League tie at home to Bayer Leverkusen.

Nottingham Forest, Roy Keane's previous team under Brian Clough all those years ago, kept alive their hopes of a return to the Premiership with an emphatic 6-0 victory over Stoke City with Irish Under 21 internationals’ Andy Reid and John Thompson again playing key roles.

Roddy Collins' Carlisle United at last seem to be coming good with a vital 1-0 victory away to Rochdale that will ease their Third Division relegation worries. Peter Murphy, Richie Foran, Brendan McGill and Darren Kelly all emerged with credit.

Up in Scotland, there is no stopping 36 year old former Irish striker Owen Coyle who scored his 18th goal of the season as First Division leaders Falkirk cruised into the fourth round of the Scottish Cup with a convincing 2-0 away win over Alloa Athletic.

Player-manager Coyle, appointed just three weeks ago, played just 12 minutes of football for Ireland when introduced as a late substitute by then boss Jack Charlton in the 1-0 victory over Holland in Tilburg just prior to the World Cup finals in America in 1994.

Maybe there is light at the end of the rainbow for Corkman Colin Healy who made only his fifth starting appearance in Martin O'Neill's Celtic line-up for the Parkhead club in their 3-0 comfortable Cup victory over Perth side, St.Johnstone.



MATT HOLLAND IRELAND REVIEW

16 February 2003


I was sitting in the dressing room at Hampden Park on Tuesday contemplating the training we had done and wondering about the news that Ipswich had gone into voluntary administration when Brian Kerr, the new Republic of Ireland manager, sat down next to me. "Matt, I want you to captain the side tomorrow," he said.

My mind cleared in an instant. I was to captain my country in an international, and never mind that it was a friendly, because we still take them very seriously. If any player had any doubt about that, Kerr's speech to the squad would have left him certain of their importance. Remember that they are caps, and when Kerr awarded last season's during the evening, he urged upon us the pride we should feel.

"Medals are proudly displayed on the TV," he said, "but after a while are moved to the spare room, then a box and finally shunted into the attic. Caps cannot be like that. Every single one is an honour and must be cherished." Covet each one because it may be the last and have pride were the sentiments he tried to convey to us.

Well the latest one for me was my debut as skipper and one of the proudest moments of my career. I would love to continue doing it, but Kerr has publicly stated that he has not yet chosen a permanent captain. However, even if this is my only time it will always be a massive moment.

And to win was perfect because we need to develop some momentum before next month's crucial qualifiers in Georgia and Albania. It has certainly helped that a lot of the lads worked with Kerr in the youth squads, and therefore his appointment has ensured an element of continuity.

In fact he picked much the same squad that Mick McCarthy would have, so apart from the different slant concerning Roy Keane in press conferences and a different coaching staff, it was business as usual. Chris Hughton, an excellent coach, has been brought in as an assistant and another Brian, Brian The Video, has come in to study all the opposition on tapes, but the biggest change has been the depth of analysis that Kerr demands. The tapes were used to study Scotland's favourite free-kicks and corners. How they try to build from the back. Who they try and get on the ball most frequently. What channels they attack down. What areas they swamp. We did tapes and videos before, but not so exhaustively.

Even individual players are thoroughly examined. The detail is huge but could give us an advantage and seems to be an important aspect of Kerr's coaching. Brian The Video has certainly got his work cut out in the next few weeks! As for Keane, he has retired so that is the end of it. A great player, undoubtedly the best we have ever had, but he won't be in Georgia or Albania and they are our most immediate issues.