Brian Kerr believes that Shamrock Rovers will only get better in Europe if they are playing teams of a higher quality on a weekly basis in the League of Ireland.
Tonight, Rovers' European campaign came to an end with a spirited 1-0 defeat away to group winners Djurgarden. Despite being the only side to take points off the Swedish giants in the group stage, Rovers finished rock bottom with just two points from six games.
The Hoops certainly didn't disgrace themselves in the group stage and plenty of the games were tight affairs. However, despite performing decently, former Ireland manager Kerr believes a lack of competition in the Premier Division, which Rovers have now won three times in a row, is holding the Tallaght club back in Europe.
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"Compared to what they are playing on a regular basis in the League of Ireland, it is a big step up," said Kerr, who was appearing as a pundit on Virgin Media this evening.
"This was the best performance by Shamrock Rovers tonight, but overall, for them to have a chance of emerging from the group, which was their target and Stephen Bradley said they weren't in the group just to play the matches.
"The League itself has got to be better. There's got to be more competition in the league. Maybe that might not be the case often enough for them.
"They need a stronger squad. They need to not be selling off their best young players as quickly as they are.
"But they need to have more competition on a weekly basis in the League of Ireland so when they go to play these teams, it's not such a step up."
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