Brian Kerr feels Troy Parrott is too 'lightweight' to lead the line as a centre forward for Ireland, despite some impressive moments and touches during their 2-1 win over Bulgaria in the UEFA Nations League.
Parrott earned the starting spot ahead of Evan Ferguson and Adam Idah on the back of impressive recent form for his club AZ Alkmaar, and showed his quality in the first half when assisting Finn Azaz for Ireland's first goal.
Ireland had fallen behind early on in Plovdiv after a measured finish from Petkov but Parrott's moment of finesse helped Heimir Hallgrímsson's side back into the game, putting the ball on a plate for the Middlesbrough man to head into the net.
Parrott linked up well with the impressive Azaz on a number of occasions but former Republic of Ireland manager Brian Kerr feels he 'struggled' as a lone centre forward. Kerr feels he's more suited to a role as part of a duo up top.
"He's a bit lightweight for the centre forward position for me," Kerr said on Virgin Media Sport.
"He has bundles of skill, great control and awareness."
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Brian Kerr on Troy Parrott's performance tonight. #COYBIG | #NationsLeague pic.twitter.com/P5J38OT9N5
— Virgin Media Sport (@VMSportIE) March 20, 2025
"But when the team is forced to play the ball a bit long, and you're needing him to win a header or a flick on...his best bit of play was setting up the goal for Azaz.
"His movement...taking steps backwards towards the endline then having to control it to give the volley back in (was brilliant)," said Kerr.
"It was mixed for me as to whether he was better than Evan Ferguson might have been or Adam Idah but I would think he's probably playing with somebody else up front, rather than being the main man tonight," Kerr added.
Kerr noted a more direct tactical approach from Hallgrímsson's side, with Caomhín Kelleher and the centre backs less inclined to pass the ball around among themselves, according to Kerr.
"I'm not so sure that there's a definitive identity to how we're playing, but there is a good mix to the game which I think we're all crying out for," he said.
20 March 2025; Finn Azaz of Republic of Ireland, right, celebrates with teammate Troy Parrott after scoring their side's first goal during the UEFA Nations League B/C Play-off 1st Leg match between Bulgaria and Republic of Ireland at Hristo Botev Stadium in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
"It was interesting today, there wasn't too much knocking the ball around the back. A lot of long ball, knocking it forward from the back, particularly from Caoimhín Kelleher and sometimes the centre backs, and Parrott struggled in that, because he's not a main man centre forward, to win the ball and hold it up.
"But they found a way to win the match, and the two goals weren't from set pieces, they were two very good goals in the game."
Parrott felt he 'did well,' telling RTÉ's Tony O'Donoghue that being happy on and off the pitch is contributing to the good run of form that has seen him score 17 goals for his club this season, across all competitions.
"I've had to sit on the sidelines for quite a while so to be able to get a chance to play is good," he told RTÉ Sport.
"It's a good feeling to be trusted to go out there and do a job. I'd like to think I did well so we'll see how it goes and on to Sunday (for the second leg).
"I'm just happy. I'm happy off the pitch, I'm happy on the pitch. The results are showing on the pitch so I hope it continues. (Confidence) is a big thing in football, it's a big ting for every footballer. It's about trying to continue the run that I'm on, keep playing well for club and country."
"I would have liked to score some goals tonight but an assist like that is just as good for me."
