Former Arsenal and Juventus star Liam Brady is to join his former coach Giovanni Trapattoni at Ireland.
Brady, a 52-year-old Dubliner, said Thursday he had accepted Trapattoni's offer to join the Italian supercoach's new management line-up when he takes over the Ireland reins this summer.
The ex-midfield star, who won two Serie A titles with Trapattoni, said the new job would enable him to carry on as Arsenal's Head of Youth Development.
''The (Arsenal) board and (coach) Arsene Wenger are happy about this opportunity which will allow me to carry on my work with Arsenal,'' the former midfield wizard told reporters.
''Trapattoni needs someone who knows Irish players well and I'll give him a hand,'' said Brady, who played more than 70 times for his country.
Brady will join his former Juve team-mate, Italy great Marco Tardelli, in the set-up which the current Salzburg manager is readying for Ireland.
Brady played two seasons for Trapattoni's Juve, in 1980-81 and 1981-82.
Arriving in Turin from London in summer 1970, Brady swiftly made a mark with his trademark pinpoint passing and close control - as well as his ability in picking up the language and speaking articulately, at the time a rare distinction among foreign players.
He famously scored the penalty that secured the Turin giants' 20th scudetto despite knowing he was already being shown the door in favour of Michel Platini.
In his long career for Arsenal (1973-1980) Brady had the misfortune of playing in distinctly average teams and only won one top-class honour, the 1979 FA Cup.
However, he is remembered as one of Arsenal's all-time greats, playing 307 games for the Gunners and scoring 59 goals - as well as setting up many more with his sweet left foot.
During his time at Arsenal Brady was nicknamed 'Chippy', not for bearing grudges or his noted ability to chip the ball but because of his fondness for fish and chips.
He won 72 caps for Ireland and scored 9 goals but never played in a major tournament because of injury and suspension.
After leaving Juve, Brady played two years for Sampdoria, two for Inter, one for Ascoli and three for West Ham but never hit the peaks of his Arsenal and Juve years.
He retired from international football during qualification for Italia 90 and went into managing, having two largely unsuccessful spells at Celtic and Brighton.
Brady rejoined Arsenal in 1996 as head of its youth sector and his youth sides have won major honours including the FA Youth League and the FA Youth Cup.
He was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame in 2006 in recognition of his influence on the English game.
Last year Brady was one of several managers linked to the Ireland job.
Seven-time Serie A winning coach Trapattoni said last month he would be taking over at Ireland.
Trapattoni, 69, has been given a two-year contract starting from June when he leaves his present club Red Bull Salzburg.
Trapattoni, whose glittering managerial career includes spells at Juve, Inter Milan and Bayern Munich, takes over from Steve Staunton who was sacked in October after Ireland failed to qualify for Euro 2008.
Ireland hopes he can help steer it to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa - from a qualifying group in which the Irish have been drawn against Italy, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia and Montenegro.
Trapattoni led Italy to the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004 but both campaigns ended in disappointment.
After Euro 2004 he coached Benfica to the Portuguese title before a brief spell at Stuttgart.
He joined Salzburg in July 2006 on a two-year contract.
Trapattoni - known in Italy by the nickname Trap - took over Italy in 2000 after a distinguished career in club management that included 20 titles and cups.
He won six Serie A titles with Juventus and one with Inter Milan.
He also coached Bayern Munich to the German league title.
Trap is a colourful character known for his high-energy touch-line coaching, a habit of sprinkling holy water on his bench and his exuberant displays at press conferences.
One protracted outburst in broken German during his time at Bayern was turned into a popular Internet video dubbed the 'Trap Rap'.
Trap's larger-than-life persona contrasts with that of Brady, a soft-spoken man who has always been regarded as one of soccer's natural gentlemen.
During his playing career for AC Milan, Trapattoni won two first division titles, one Italian Cup, two European Champions' Cups, one Cup Winners Cup and one InterContinental Cup.
He played 17 matches for Italy, scoring one goal.
A top-class defender schooled by AC Milan's legendary Nereo Rocco, Trapattoni's most notable performance came for the national side.
He virtually marked Pele out of the match when Italy beat Brazil 3-0 at the San Siro in May 1963.
