Givens stabilises rudderless Republic

The Republic of Ireland's temporary manager, Don Givens, may unconsciously have made the case for a fellow member of the Irish coaching hierarchy with his firm handling of a depleted squad in Greece this week. Brian Kerr, highly successful with Irish teams at Under-16 and Under-18 level, has been winning increased support either as Mick McCarthy's successor, or to work alongside a more experienced old pro such as Joe Kinnear.

One of the arguments against Kerr is how he would cope with millionaire professionals, as opposed to enthusiastic youngsters. Givens, the Under-21 coach, faced a similar task in stepping up for the goalless draw against Greece on Wednesday, but acquitted himself well. From the moment that he put the phone down on an argumentative David Connolly of Wimbledon, to his refusal to risk a morale-sapping third successive Irish defeat even in a friendly of little apparent significance, Givens impressed with his firmness of purpose.

Greece's coach, Otto Rehhagel, made nine substitutions before an hour had been played; Givens stuck with 10 of his strongest available XI until the finish, sending on only one late replacement as a defensive manoeuvre to earn a draw.

It will hardly have endeared him to West Ham's Gary Breen, who had flown out on his own hoping for a game but found himself sitting in the dug-out for 90 minutes. But courting favour with the players was not high on the agenda for Givens, who insisted afterwards that "avoiding defeat was paramount".

He appreciated the players' commitment on a poor pitch, and believes their interests will be best served by having a new man in place before the next friendly, now confirmed for Hampden Park against Scotland on 12 February. That would allow a settling-in period for all concerned – with or without a certain Roy Keane – before the European Championship double-header away to Georgia and Albania next spring.

Three officials of the Football Association of Ireland – currently without a chief executive as well as a coach – have begun to consider the matter, with what one of their number, Milo Corcoran, calls "a blank sheet of paper". Givens does not wish his name to be on it, but those of Kinnear and Kerr will be, along perhaps with Kenny Dalglish, John Aldridge and Wim Jansen. The notion that Sir Alex Ferguson and Manchester United might fall out if results do not improve – giving Ferguson the option of 10 internationals a year and more time in Ireland to be nearer his racehorses – seems less plausible.