FORMER IRELAND FOOTBALLER Andy Reid has slammed another ex-Irish international in Jason McAteer after his viral comments surrounding Brian Kerr this week.
This week former Ireland's former midfielder McAteer appeared on Bein Sports with Andy Gray, Richard Keys, and Nigel de Jong to cover Manchester City vs FC Copenhagen in the Champions League on Tuesday.
The topic between the foursome was regarding manager's gaining the respect of players, who have never played at the top level.
McAteer played under Brian Kerr, who was promoted as a Republic of Ireland Youth coach to the senior team in 2003.
Kerr won unprecedented double by winning both the under-16 and under-18 European Championships during his time with Ireland's underage squads. No Irish team had ever won a major trophy before. A number of the players involved would go on to win full international caps, such as Richard Dunne, John O'Shea and Robbie Keane.
His time with the senior side wasn't a successful one, but a lot of people have fond memories of Kerr's time with Ireland.
However, one of these people wasn't one of his players McAteer, who spoke on the topic.
RAMAT GAN, ISRAEL - MARCH 26: (ISRAEL OUT) Clinton Morrison of the Republic of Ireland celebrates his goal with manager Brian Kerr during the Fifa World Cup 2006 Qualifying Match between Israel and Republic of Ireland at the Israeli national stadium in Ramat Gan on March 26, 2005 in Tel Aviv, Israel. (Photo by Uriel Sinai/Getty Images)"I'll be brutally honest here," began McAteer, "I played for Jack Charlton who won the World Cup and Instantly had the respect of the whole dressing room," he told Bein Sports.
"Then Mick McCarthy came in who was a big figure in the Republic of Ireland, we looked up to him, we did what he wanted to do, and we ended up running through brick walls for him. We got success and we got to the World Cup.
"Then Brian Kerr took over and I've got to admit, and I'll say it now, I'm looking at this fella thinking 'What have you actually done?'
The 51-year-old was torn apart on social media for his stance towards Ireland's old boss.
One Twitter user said: "Says a lot about the personality & mentality of Jason McAteer. a player who won nothing in his career but yet seems entitled to believe he’s better or of a higher standard!! What coach would want a player with this mentality in your team!!!!
While another said: "Jason McAteer on Brian Kerr. "What have you won in the game? What have you done in the game?" That would be the same Jason McAteer whose sole medal is a tier two play-off final victory on a man that took tiny Ireland to under-16 and under-18 European titles."
One of the most high-profile sporting figures to take a swipe at McAteer was Andy Reid.
The former Tottenham Hotspur and Ireland player tweeted: "Very strange comments. There’s a whole load of us that worked with Brian from when we were kids and we’d have run through brick walls for him and Noel O’Reilly," began Reid's Tweet, "Even the ones that didn’t work with him from young respected him."
Kerr now works as pundit for RTE, and one would imagine he won't give McAteer's comments much notice.
Very strange comments. There’s a whole load of us that worked with Brian from when we were kids and we’d have run through brick walls for him and Noel O’Reilly. Even the ones that didn’t work with him from young respected him. https://t.co/aXwUsSxyOZ
— Andy Reid (@AndyReidXI) October 11, 2022
