Noel Mooney said he is willing to "beg" Brian Kerr to return to Irish football if that's what it takes.

But the interim FAI boss has reiterated his disappointment with Kerr over his public comments about an email exchange between the pair. The former Ireland boss said a mail from Mooney had asked if he could act as a media watchdog for the FAI.

But that was disputed by the sender, who asserted that he asked Kerr to have an internal chat about Irish football - as opposed to offering his view in his current role as a pundit. Last week, Mooney suggested in a podcast interview that Kerr was bitter towards the FAI.

At a book launch in Abbotstown yesterday, he was asked if he retained that view.

"We would love Brian Kerr to be involved in Irish football," said Mooney. "He is a treasure to Irish football. He has achieved so much.

"I don't see enough celebration (in the FAI) of the work he did here with the youth international teams.

"But at the same time, no matter what someone has achieved, they have to treat people they come across with respect as well.

"I reached out to him in the most genuine way.

"I have zero agendas. I just wanted Brian to come back in and have a cup of coffee. What it turned into then was extraordinary.

"It turned into a media story that it just didn't need to be. It doesn't matter if it's Pele, if they treat you like that you have to say, 'I don't agree with that'. I just don't agree with taking a private conversation by email (public). It's an unspoken rule.

"I'm disappointed that he is not involved in Irish football. Like, short of getting on my knees begging him to come in... I'll beg him, if you want, to get involved. I'd be very happy to do that. I'll beg him. I'll ring him, I would email him again and again.

"But I have sent a long note, and he decided it was more important to use that in a media story to bash me and to bash the FAI."

Irish Independent