World Cup Qualifiers: Brian Kerr yesterday provided the clearest indication yet of the uncertainty over his future as Ireland manager, conceding he is seeking clarification from the FAI chief executive, John Delaney, on his position when his current contract expires at the end of this World Cup campaign.
"The chief executive has said that he doesn't want to talk about it (the possibility a new contract) publicly but I'm endeavouring to find out about it privately," said Kerr with a hint of exasperation as he named his squad for the last two games of the qualifying campaign, against Cyprus and Switzerland on October 8th and 12th.
Asked to elaborate he declined and said he didn't wish to speak any further about the matter.
But after comments in May to the effect he didn't want the contract issue "hanging over" him and in June that he did not want to be left "dangling" this was the clearest hint yet that is precisely what he feels has happened.
It has been widely believed for some time that Delaney would prefer not to renew Kerr's contract at the end of this campaign unless the team has qualified for Germany next summer.
If Ireland do qualify, Delaney will have little option, whatever his views on the matter, but to put a new deal in front of the manager.
What yesterday's remarks appear to confirm, however, is that while Delaney has repeatedly said he will not discuss Kerr's position publicly, there have been no talks in private either.
It seems the manager has been given no indication whatever of where the FAI stands or what, if anything, he must do to keep his job as he prepares for the two games of crucial importance.
The logical conclusion is that this might yet prove to have been Kerr's last squad announcement, though he remained outwardly confident yesterday that his team could take six points from the two games and so end up in a shake-up for either automatic qualification or a play-off spot.
"I'm totally focused on the job in hand," he said. "The fact is that if we win the two games it would put us in a good position to make the play-offs or win the group depending on other results.
"There are a number of permutations," he added. "It's very complicated in one way but very simple in another.
"The best thing for us to do is for us to win our two games and then see how it goes."
There were no huge surprises in the 22-man panel he named for the trip to Cyprus, though the timing of Kevin Doyle's first call-up at this level is, at the very least, a little out of the ordinary.
And David Connolly is also included after saying only last week he did not expect to be.
"I know Kevin going back a long way and I've watched his development very closely over the last few years," said Kerr of the former St Patrick's Athletic and Cork City player.
"He did well with the under-21s - he was our second-highest scorer ever - and he's done exceptionally well for Reading.
"Connolly," he said, "had a decent season last year and has made a bright start to the season. I just thought that he had slipped behind Stephen Elliott at one stage but he's an experienced player and Clinton (Morrison) is suspended for the first game so he's back in."
Morrison, like Andy Reid, who is also serving a one-match ban, is omitted from the list of 22 names for the Cyprus game and Kerr said it is unlikely either he or Reid will travel. Both are expected to join up with the squad immediately afterwards, however, as Kerr turns his attention to the visit of the Swiss.
Lee Carsley, who made himself available for selection again last week, misses out as he has only just started training again after a long lay-off. But with the exception of the injured Manchester United skipper, Roy Keane, all the recent regulars are there, including Graham Kavanagh and Matt Holland, who are the most likely candidates for the Corkman's jersey.
"I haven't decided who will play yet," said Kerr. "We have three changes to make to the starting line-up for the Cyprus game because of suspensions but I haven't made any decisions.
"Of course I have ideas about who I'd like to play or what team I'd like to put out but until I see everybody during the few days leading up to the games there's no point in getting too worked up about it."
Holland, he said, has done enough in recent weeks to suggest he will be fit enough for the central midfield role if selected despite struggling to regain his place in the Charlton team since the arrival on loan of Alexei Smertin.
"They've been doing very well without him," said Kerr. "But he's played in three games over the last couple of weeks and I think that's enough to show that he's ready."
(v Cyprus and Switzerland):
Goalkeepers: Given (Newcastle), Kenny (Sheffield Utd), Colgan (Barnsley); Defenders: Cunningham (Birmingham), Breen (Sunderland), O'Brien (Portsmouth), Dunne (Manchester City), O'Shea (Manchester Utd), Carr (Newcastle), Harte (Levante), Finnan (Liverpool); Midfielders: S Reid (Blackburn), Miller (Manchester Utd), Holland (Charlton), Kavanagh (Wigan), Kilbane (Everton); Forwards: Connolly (Wigan), Duff (Chelsea), Doherty (Norwich), Elliott (Sunderland), Doyle (Reading), Robbie Keane (Tottenham).
