BRIAN KERR formally parted company with the Faroe Islands’ national team yesterday as the Faroese Association confirmed that they had not been able to agree a new contract with the Dubliner.
Kerr’s contract with the organisation had ended with the conclusion of the team’s qualifying campaign at the start of September when they lost 3-1 to Serbia in Belgrade but the Faroese wanted the Irishman to stay on after a two-and-a-half-year spell in which he had overseen a number of notable successes.
While open to exploring opportunities to move on – the 58-year-old had said a couple of weeks back that if the IFA offered him the Northern Ireland job he “would probably take it” – Kerr had nevertheless shown no sign of wanting to leave unless he had another job lined up. In a radio interview broadcast on RTÉ on Sunday morning he talked about the prospect of being in charge when the Faroes play the Republic of Ireland during the next World Cup qualification campaign.
The former Ireland manager, who enjoyed considerable success during his time with St Patrick’s Athletic and then the Irish Youths, leaves the post with his reputation abroad enhanced.
He took the job in April of 2009 and since then the side beat Lithuania in the World Cup qualifiers and Estonia in the European campaign just concluded. They also earned a draw with Northern Ireland. His assistant John McDonnell departs with him.
