LIAM BRADY is returning to Arsenal as head of the club's youth development programme. The move means that the 40 year old former Brighton manager has pulled out of the consortium that has been trying to take control of Brighton.
Brady, who began an illustrious playing career at Highbury, left Brighton by mutual consent last November after 23 months in charge following disagreements with chairman Bill Archer over the way the club was being run.
Takeover talks between the consortium and Archer and co owner Greg Stanley collapsed last month, with Brady blaming Archer for denying them access to the club's accounts.
Brady demonstrated a keen interest in nurturing young talent during his spell at the Goldstone Ground and established a fund raising campaign for Albion's youth development programme.
A delighted Brady said I am looking forward to the responsibility of recruiting and developing talented young players for the club.
I have had first hand experience of coming through the Arsenal ranks, and on the last 30 years Arsenal's success has been possible because of the major contribution of players produced by their own youth policy.
The Double winning side in 1971, the team I played in of the late Seventies and the tremendous success achieved over recent years owed much to the homegrown talent in the ranks.
"It will be my job to make sure that players who can make that sort of contribution continue to be produced and hopefully achieve even greater success."
Meanwhile, recent reports that Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Shay Given has signed a three year contract with Blackburn have been denied.
The 20 year old Given's adviser is his father, Seamus, who said. "Shay still has a year of his current contract to run, but there is no question at all of him having signed anything new.
"The club has offered him a new contract but we have both been too busy to discuss it.
Czech star Patrik Berger has signed for Liverpool, but must now wait up to two weeks before the transfer is confirmed. The 23 year old midfielder jetted into Anfield yesterday to hammer out personal terms with Roy Evans.
Negotiations for a £3.25 million deal were wrapped up by mid afternoon and Berger underwent a medical, but the club must now apply for a work permit because he comes from a country outside the EU.
Liverpool manager Evans is confident that the deal will go through before the European Cup Winners' Cup deadline. He's a Liverpool player subject to the medical and obtaining a work permit.
"It is a long, drawn out exercises but it is nice to get the player to sign from my point of view."
Meanwhile Evans is delighted with the performances of his other Euro `96 stars, England's Robbie Fowler and Steve McManaman.
Both played in a 1-1 draw with a Norwegian national XI in Oslo on Wednesday. Fowler scored the goal which tied the match, although Liverpool lost 5-4 on penalties.
Meanwhile Republic of Ireland international Jason McAteer has aggravated an ankle injury, which forced him out of the match, but he should be staying with the party for the next leg of their preseason tour in Ireland.
Newcastle minus world record signing Alan Shearer stormed to a 5-0 victory over the Singapore All Stars in the National Stadium yesterday.
Shearer watched from the sidelines as England colleague Les Ferdinand opened the scoring before French international David Ginola added two more one a penalty. Reserve striker Paul Kitson, a second half substitute, netted the others.
