Brian Kerr, Ireland's international soccer manager was born in Drimnagh Co. Dublin 50 years ago. His father Frank and mother Margaret were Belfast born. Brian's father was an outstanding boxer in his young days winning many Irish titles and indeed was one of the most stylish fighters of his age.

It was from his father that Brian Kerr got his extraordinary gift of handling and managing people. He is a tutor, an educator and a man with an extraordinary ability to relate to people. He understands their insecurities, tends to their fears and to makes them feel good about themselves. All these traits come shining through in this superb Terrace Talk Ireland interview. Not an outstanding player in his day, by his mid teens he was in charge of his first team.

His great friend and tutor Liam Toohy put him managing Shamrock rovers under 18. Man management is his genius and he guided St. Patrick's Athletic to two league of Ireland titles and Ireland's youths to two European championships: he also guided them to the world cup finals. Unparallelled achievements for any Irish man. After just five months in charge of the Irish senior side his record is five wins and one draw.

Brian Kerr is married with four grown daughters and Irish soccer can count its lucky stars that a man like him came along at a time when stability was so badly needed following the Roy Keane/Mick McCarthy affair. The bitterness of last year is gone, the sense of lost opportunity is receding and at the heart of it all is this wonderful Dubliner with passions and emotions for the game of soccer that only very few are blessed with.

Topics discussed in this interview
Memories Of Kerry, Brian's Father, Working with the youths, dealing with the media, the Roy Keane saga. Dealing with players, an Irish soccer stadium, the importance of the Special Olympics, Brian's advice to parents. Encouraging kids, Mick O Dwyer & Sean Boylan, family life, Ireland's chances in the World & Euro CHampionships, the "men on the ground", dealing with fatigue & pressure.

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