Liam Brady commended Stephen Kenny for Ireland's style of play in Wednesday's World Cup qualifier defeat to Serbia but criticised the manager's team selection.
"For the style of play and composure on the ball, trying to play out from the back, I would be very pleased with that and he gets the thumbs up for that," Brady told RTÉ's Morning Ireland.
"Team selection, I'd be a little bit critical. I think inexperience let us down badly - one with the goalkeeper. I think he had a bit of a bad game.
"Although Stephen Kenny didn't have a great deal to select from but I'm just wondering whether (Gavin) Bazunu would have been the better choice. Young Travers looked nervous right from the start. (Dusan) Tadic nearly beat him at a corner kick when he was in a bad position.
"Young Bazunu is playing a lot of games for Rochdale. Travers is hardly playing. But I don't see them in training and things like that. I don't know their characters - I know Gavin Bazunu a little bit. He seems to have a very strong character. It's certainly something (Kenny) is going to look at."
Brady added that he would have chosen Shane Duffy at centre-back ahead of Ciaran Clark.
"And I think the leaving of (Shane) Duffy out of the team had a big bearing on the result," Brady said.
(Ciaran) Clark got done twice on headers. I don't think Duffy would have lost those and we didn't have any threat at corner kicks.
We had six corner kicks and no Duffy in the team. So on the style of play yes, on the team selection I'd be a little bit critical.
And I think Clark let us down on a couple of occasions that cost us dear. But they're a good side Serbia. Tadic was outstanding. Vlahovic playing for Fiorentina in Serie A was very, very good and Mitrovic came on, although he's having a bit of a nightmare for Fulham this year, he scored two very good goals.
In midfield, Brady said Jayson Molumby didn't perform and that Robbie Brady would have been his preference to start.
"I didn't see him, apart from making some fouls. I didn't see him," Brady said regarding Molumby.
"I thought (Josh) Cullen played well. He held his position well, he used the ball well and (Alan) Browne certainly started the game very well. He's a bright player and it was a welcome sight to see him getting on the end of (Callum) Robinson's cross."
On a real down note, Brady added that he does not believe this young crop of Irish players will reach the heights hit by some of their predecessors.
"These are lads who I don't believe will be playing at the top level of football," he said.
"We need to be realistic and (Kenny) has had a very hard time of it and I appreciate that and it's been very difficult for him. But let's hope we have a good World Cup campaign and really give that second spot a real good go, then we'll be the judge of Stephen Kenny at the end of that."
Picture credits: Sportsfile
See Also: Ireland Player Ratings As Kenny's Side Let Opportunity Slip In Serbia
