'It's out of my hands now' - Kerr

Ireland v Switzerland / Manager's reaction: Tom Humphries finds Ireland manager Brian Kerr in resigned mood after last night's disappointment

It's always a wake when the Swiss come. Three years ago they sent Mick McCarthy to his grim end. Last night, barring an unlikely reprieve from the blazers, they dispatched Brian Kerr to the managers' mortuary.

In the little Lansdowne bandroom where the media presides over such occasions the mood was tense. Who would ask the first question? Who would ask the hard question? Would there be recriminations? We'd all once been friends after all.

The laughter which filled the Shelbourne Hotel three years ago wasn't long in turning to crying. Not that the Swiss can be blamed for it all. We Irish self-destructed as this campaign went on. Quietly we fell apart and little pieces of ourselves were left with useful leads in matches right through.

Brian Kerr deserved better than what he was given by some of his players. Why he didn't get that is a mystery which will remain in the vault of the dressingroom. Perhaps the modern player doesn't respond to people outside his own income group.

He came to the room for his final duty of the campaign, his face tight but defiant. A hush descended. Brian looked to be in the mood for a scrap but he held himself in check.

"Of course it's hugely disappointing" he said when pitched a question about his feelings. "I can't fault the team, they gave everything tonight. They played very well. We played with great desire and gusto and commitment. I told you we'd improve from Saturday's performance. It wasn't quite good enough though."

There was no appetite for jabbing the manager with stilleto blades. He was asked about the performance of Mr Merkel, the fussy German referee whose busy whistle drew down what boohs could be heard on the night.

" The ref didn't give us much" said Brian, in a voice which suggested that he was being asked to critique the band on the Titanic. "He gave a lot of soft free kicks in their half but it's not as if he didn't give a penalty that he could have given. There was nothing like that. I don't want to complain about him. I thought he favoured the Swiss defenders where Clinton was concerned, but there you go."

So at last somebody pulls the pin out of the contract question and lobs it. What's the future? "I've given it my best," he said. "I've given my full comitment in the last two and three quarter years. Overall our record has been quite good. Had the ground full for friendlies and competitive games. It's out of my hands now, as you know."

Next. A hard one. Liam Brady has said Ireland had no plan. Just chancing their luck for a win.

"There are a lot of critics out there. Some haven't tried it or been brave enough. Some have. They're all entitled to their opinion."

Back to the future. Is there one? "The association are clear about what I would like." Pause. Tick. Tick. Tick.

"I would have liked us to do better. I gave it everything I could to make that happen. It's been a fine line. There have been 12 matches in the group involving the four top teams. Despite what you say, Israel were half decent. Eleven of the 12 games were draws. There was one clear result. France got a wonder goal here. Whatever you say that was the critical moment."

"I look back and say we haven't had a break in the last few months at all. We never got that little bit of luck you need for something to go your way."

Silence. The rawness in his heart was evident. Somebody asked him sympathetically if it had been a big moment for him taking Robbie Keane off. Brian Kerr had half-raised Robbie.

"It was the same as any decision I make in matches. If I feel it's right then I make the decision. It's not about size or anything else. If I feel it's right that's what I'll do."

Not surprisingly it's not an evening for opening up to the press. So having tried a little tenderness we go back to the contract. Is it over. "Look," he says "I don't think it's fair. It's been discussed around the block. The only thing I said on the matter was turned and twisted on its head. I answered a question honestly. I don't care how many different ways you ask me about it. I won't say anything more."

No blood on the tape recorders than. No tears. He talks about the campaign ahead. Ireland looking to qualify for the next European Championship. Whoever has the job will be managing the fourth seeds in the group.

"Well the prospects are, that there is a lot of potential. We have evolved and changed since the World Cup. We brought in some young and new players, added to it in the front positions. I think the team has changed and improved to some degree.

"There's a lot of potential. The draws will be tough though because the groups will be very big. More teams. More matches. Some of the groups this time though looked tough at the start and then after a few games looked different." He stopped. Whatever you think of Brian Kerr he hasn't had it handy enough in the past while.

What was his message to the players. "My message to the players isn't one I want to share with you. The players are equally as disappointed as I am, the staff and the supporters. It's not too far to Germany. They wanted to go very much."

Had he thought of the night as a goodbye to Lansdowne as we know it.

"I haven't thought of it as a send-off. The support in last couple of games has been amazing, I don't know the situation as regards the stadium."

That's it, said Pat the PR man.

"We done?" said Brian. "Thanks very much."