Brian Kerr has revealed that the FAI sounded him out - via email - about becoming a ‘media watch dog’.
But in his reply to acting FAI boss Noel Mooney, the bemused former Ireland manager told him where to go.
Kerr said yesterday: “I replied to him by saying I don’t understand what a media watchdog is but it sounds like something from the Soviet era.
“I said I’d appreciate if you didn’t contact me anymore in relation to the FAI.
“I don’t really care if it’s public or private but he suggested that Gerry Adams and Ian Paisley had found common ground so maybe myself (and the FAI could).”
Responding last night, an FAI spokesman said: “The FAI can confirm that General Manager Noel Mooney recently made contact with Brian Kerr.
“(It was) after they had met briefly at a League of Ireland game, in an effort to bring Brian back into the football family .
“The GM contacted Brian, by a private email, offering to meet for a coffee to ‘understand your views on how Irish football can perform better’.
“We are disappointed that these private emails have made their way into the public domain.
“However, the Association is receptive to Brian Kerr being involved in its key objective of the promotion and development of football in Ireland.”
Kerr’s relationship with the old John Delaney-led FAI broke down beyond all repair after his spell as manager ended in 2005.
He is not the only prominent figure within Irish football to find themselves out of favour with the old regime.
Kerr said :“There are lots of other fellas, Eoin Hand, Padraic Nicholson, Declan McIntyre, John Fallon and lots more.
“At some stage someone in there has got to say, ‘Look, we’re sorry for the way you were treated. It wasn’t very nice given your contribution to football.’
“Not to me, I’m battering on. To a lot of people around who maybe weren’t able to get over it, in that it was such a blow to their life and career prospects.
“Some of the board may claim they were not aware of that. But they shouldn’t have spent so much time sitting on the planes with their blazers on.
“They should have went around the game and tried to talk to some of the people. Then they would have found out. Ignorance is not a good enough claim.”
Asked if he would be open to reconciliation with a new look FAI, Kerr said he had received two “haphazard” approached to attend the U17 Euro finals in Ireland in May.
Kerr explained: “One was from a fairly recently appointed person from the commercial office who didn’t understand the history of the situation.
“I told him I’d be going to the matches on my own steam. I wouldn’t be sitting in the posh seats and providing any solace to the FAI in their time of need.”
Interim FAI boss Mooney has been making attempts to smooth over relations with some key figures in the game, like Kerr.
If approached, Kerr said he would consider a role on the new Football Management Committee that sits beside the FAI board - but admits that’s unlikely to happen.
Brian Kerr is a guest analyst for Virgin Media Television on their comprehensive Champions League coverage where every game this season will be shown live.
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