Derry's team spirit 'not where it needs to be'

All-Ireland winner Kieran McKeever believes Derry's "team spirit" is "not where it needs to be" ahead of Sunday's quarter-final against Kerry but has backed the players to find another level.

Having claimed the Division One title in impressive fashion, Derry's summer was temporarily derailed following defeats by Donegal, Galway and Armagh, with Mickey Harte moved to dismiss suggestions of disharmony in his side following a vital win over Westmeath.

And while the Oak Leafers handled the pressure of the Castlebar cauldron to beat Mayo in a penalty shootout in last week's preliminary quarter-final, 1993 Sam Maguire winner McKeever believes further improvement is required.

"The players were together and there was cohesion with them [against Mayo]," said McKeever.

"The team spirit, I think, is not where it needs to be going into a game against Kerry or to get to an All-Ireland final eventually.

"We have to up it again. It's not where it was last year when we went to play Kerry in the semi-final when we were really together and buzzing. We have to move to another level but I think it's in the players."

While Derry have navigated a turbulent summer to reach the quarter-finals, Kerry's passage to the last eight has been much more serene.

The Kingdom, who relinquished their title to Dublin last year, beat Cork and Clare to conquer Munster before comprehensive round-robin victories over Monaghan, Meath and Louth sealed their knockout place.

McKeever admits that the smoothness of Kerry's journey - replete with a rest weekend while Derry were battling past Mayo - to this point makes it difficult to assess exactly where Jack O'Connor's side are.

However, the former All-Star feels Derry "owe Kerry one" after last year's semi-final, which the Kingdom won by two points after the Ulster side let slip a two-point advantage with four minutes remaining.

"I know we went down and beat them in the first game of the league but it's the championship that counts," said McKeever, who started at right corner-back in Derry's 1993 All-Ireland final win over Cork.

"Our players feel like they left that [semi-final] behind them."

McKeever, who said the return of Gareth McKinless and Conor Doherty to the half-back line was key in the Mayo game, also played down the Mickey Harte factor this weekend.

Harte masterminded famous Tyrone wins over Kerry in the 2005 and 2008 All-Ireland finals - as well as the 2003 semi-final.

O'Connor was in charge of Kerry for that 2005 decider, but McKeever can't see past encounters having much of a bearing come Sunday.

"That history's there and Kerry will know that history's there so maybe there'll be a little fear factor from them," smiled McKeever.

"It'll count so much but it'll not count for everything because Kerry are Kerry. They're coming to win and it'll all be whatever happens on the day."