Carr calls time on Ireland career

WORLD CUP 2006 FALLOUT: While three of the men being touted as possible successors to Brian Kerr as Republic of Ireland manager, should there be a vacancy for the position, were in the news over the weekend Newcastle United's Stephen Carr was announcing his retirement from international football.

Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson firmly ruled himself out of the running to succeed Kerr, insisting his current job would be his last in football. "When I'm finished here, I'm finished," he said, "believe me, you don't leave Manchester United and go anywhere else, club or country. There won't be another job."

Bobby Robson, too, dismissed speculation he had been approached by the Football Association of Ireland, although he made no comment on whether he would be interested in the position.

"I have no reaction to the stories," he told BBC Radio, "it is pure speculation. As far as I am concerned the FAI have a very good manager in Brian Kerr at the moment and I wish him well."

Meanwhile, Martin O'Neill, another of the names being linked with the Republic of Ireland job, was at the centre of claims by the News of the World yesterday he is "secretly being paid a staggering £500,000 a year by Celtic" for a consultancy role which began when he resigned as manager of the club five months ago.

O'Neill, who chose to leave football, temporarily at least, to spend time with his wife Geraldine, who has suffered from serious health problems in recent times, is said to have negotiated the two-year package with the club, which is £19.5 million in debt, prior to his departure.

Celtic refused to deny the claims yesterday, a spokesman simply saying that "we cannot comment on individual contracts".

After the retirements of Kenny Cunningham and Roy Keane another player who won't be available to Kerr, or his successor, is Carr who, at 29, announced that he too was retiring from international football.

"I have made my decision, and there is no going back for me now," he told the Newcastle United website yesterday. "I just feel the time is right to call it a day with Ireland.

"It was disappointing for the squad, the manager, and the whole country that we didn't qualify for the World Cup. I would have loved to have represented my country in Germany next summer and maybe called it quits after that, but it wasn't to be," he said.

"I think it's time for me to stand aside now and let some of the younger lads coming through have the opportunity to play for Ireland.

"I'll be 34 the next time the World Cup comes around and at that stage of my career I wouldn't feel as though I could do myself or Ireland justice in the competition should we get through."

Carr, who missed the last World Cup through injury, made his debut in 1999 against Sweden in Dublin and won the last of his 41 caps against Switzerland last week.

He called on the FAI to keep faith with Kerr and offer him a new contract. "Brian has done a fantastic job and I sincerely hope he is allowed to continue as manager," he said.

"I hope the FAI give him their full backing and a new contract because he deserves it.

"It was difficult for him to take over from Mick McCarthy after the 2002 World Cup, but he has brought some good players through and is very popular with the squad.

"I think people should lay off him and support him as the squad regroups.

"Obviously some of us have stood down since last week but that has absolutely nothing to do with Brian. I've had a good time under him and I hope the FAI give him a new deal.

"The Republic can now start planning for the 2008 European Championships, and I wish Brian and the squad all the very best."

The Dublin-born former Tottenham player continued: "Failing to qualify for the World Cup was a huge disappointment for me personally. I missed the last World Cup because of injury, and this time we ended up finishing fourth in the group so we didn't go through."