SOCCER:HAVING SORTED out the detail of his contract with the FAI, Liam Brady will join his old friend Marco Tardelli at Reading's Madejski Stadium for this afternoon's Premier League game against Manchester City where Giovanni Trapattoni's two newly appointed assistants will run the rule over up to five Irish internationals.
Over the remainder of the season, Brady will serve as a guide to his former team-mate as they assess the squad Trapattoni will have to work with during the forthcoming World Cup campaign.
The FAI yesterday confirmed Brady's appointment to Trapattoni's backroom staff has been made official after the Dubliner met with its chief executive, John Delaney, in order to agree the terms of his employment.
Brady has agreed a two-year deal with the option of another two. It will not affect his position at Arsenal where both Arsene Wenger and the members of the board have agreed to his involvement with the international set-up on a part-time basis.
The extent of the Frenchman's support means Brady will be able to travel with the Irish to Portugal at the end of the season for the week-long training camp after which the team play their first games under Trapattoni - against Serbia and Colombia.
"I was a senior international player for 16 years from when I was 18 until I was 34," said Brady yesterday, "and I am really looking forward to working with Giovanni Trapattoni and trying to qualify for the World Cup finals.
"I had a meeting with Giovanni Trapattoni last week during which he clarified my role and I am very happy with what he expects of me.
"He wants me to work with the players, which is what interests me most, and also to be on the bench and in the dressingroom during games. He sees me as someone he can talk to along with Marco Tardelli. I will also be part of the scouting network and will be going to as many games as I can to monitor the players in the squad and also track the progress of up-and-coming players," he added.
For the three men it will be an unlikely reunion a quarter of a century after Tardelli and Brady played in the midfield of a Juventus side managed to huge success by Trapattoni.
Brady's appointment was welcomed by Delaney yesterday.
"Liam is one of the greatest players that this country has ever produced and he has a tremendous amount to offer. He has an important role to play and I think it is a very good appointment by Giovanni," he said. "I'd like to thank Arsene Wenger and Arsenal Football Club for their co-operation in allowing Liam to link up with the senior international team and combine it with his role as head of youth development at Arsenal," he added.
