Former Republic of Ireland manager Mick McCarthy has expressed sympathy for the position Brian Kerr finds himself in after Wednesday's draw with Switzerland and disappointment that the result means Ireland have missed out on a major championship finals for the fifth time in six attempts since participating at USA94.

"It is a huge blow not to qualify," he said. "There has been the usual speculation which seems bizarre because three years on they (the media) are still attacking the manager and trying to get another one out. It seems a shame. I feel for them all because they have worked really hard to qualify, especially the players.

"They will be hugely disappointed. It's a big, big blow for the association financially and in terms of the kudos and stature it brings. It will also tell when the seedings come around for the next one. It has a very big impact when you don't qualify."

Having been the subject of extensive speculation regarding his own position from the time that Roy Keane took an early flight home from the World Cup, McCarthy said he felt for Kerr and suggested that the media's treatment of the manager may actually have had a negative impact on the team's displays towards the end of the campaign.

"Speculating over the Brian Kerr's position is unfair before the games. Brian knows, just like I know here and everyone else knows, that you'll be judged on results. What's important to people is whether you qualify for European Championships and World Cup and whether you get promoted or relegated or stay in a League. That's what we'll all be judged on.

"I just find the sad part about it is that prior to the Switzerland game three years ago and the Russia game there was lots of speculation surrounding me and my job and I didn't think it did the team too many favours. They have not learned from it. They are still attacking the manager and the players and everything else and perhaps it did have an impact on the performance."

McCarthy, whose own term in charge ended after Ireland started their campaign for a place at Euro 2004 with defeats away to Russia and at home to Switzerland, pointed to the Israel games as having been a crucial factor in the team's demise this time.

Speaking to journalists during the build-up to this weekend's game between Sunderland and Manchester United, he said that he had been impressed with the way the players had set about attempting to rescue the situation at Lansdowne Road on Wednesday but observed that it counted for little in the end given the outcome.

"Last night it was really ding-dong and in the circumstances you could talk about heroic failures but we all know there is no such thing, there is just failure if you get beat. It's unfortunate."

McCarthy, meanwhile, was extremely positive about the impact of Sunderland's young striker Stephen Elliott, who scored Ireland's only goal in Nicosia and made his sixth international appearance when coming on as a second-half substitute against the Swiss.

"He's made huge strides," said McCarthy. "His finishing, particularly in the championship, was terrific. His work-rate is great. He runs into the channels. He's a pest to defenders and he will get chances and score as was proved in Cyprus where he put away what was only half a chance. He'll have enjoyed that. He's capable of scoring goals.

"The pity of it is he would get to go to Germany next summer because if the players go and play in the World Cup it's very beneficial to their development as a player and as a person. They're in the spotlight for four or six weeks or even longer if they're lucky.

"They have to deal with being away, daily training, preparation, press and then playing in the best competition in the world. It really does help the players develop and it's another reason why it's disappointing that Ireland didn't make it this time."