The following year Kerr guided Republic of Ireland to an unprecedented double by winning both the under-16 and under-18 European Championships. 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. In 1999, Ireland were knocked out of the World Youth Championships by hosts Nigeria on penalties in the quarter final. He again qualified Ireland for the 2003 World Youth Championships before taking up the position of manager of the senior national side.