The Times says Brady is expected to play a key role in the Ireland managerial hierarchy after Giovanni Trapattoni is appointed as the new manager today. Brady, the Arsenal academy director, has been given the blessing of Arsene Wenger, his club manager, to combine his part-time international duties with those at the Emirates Stadium.

Brady played for Juventus under Trapattoni in the early 1980s, maintains a special relationship with him and is likely to be handed the position of his assistant.