Wednesday D-Day for Republic - Sport in brief - Evening Standard
       

Wednesday D-Day for Republic

The Football Association of Ireland have called a board meeting for Wednesday afternoon when they are expected to confirm Giovanni Trappatoni as the new manager of the national team.

FAI chiefs are due to meet with the three-man selection panel who were charged with finding Steve Staunton's successor - comprising Don Givens, Ray Houghton and Don Howe - at 4.30pm when the veteran Italian will be recommended as the new Republic boss.

Reports in Ireland claim the trio held talks with the 68-year-old on Sunday night in Austria, and that Trappatoni agreed to take over when his contract with Red Bull Salzburg expires in May.

FAI chief executive John Delaney will fly to the Alpine country before the board get together to agree the terms of Trapattoni's deal.

If the negotiations progress without a hitch his appointment will be confirmed at a press conference in Dublin after Wednesday's meeting.

"I spoke to Don Givens on Sunday night, and I spoke to him on Monday morning," Delaney told www.setantasports.com.

"I think we are entering the concluding phase in the search for the next Irish manager.

"They have done various interviews over the last couple of days - I am not going to say where they were or where they weren't because of the confidentiality that has been around most of the interviews and most of the meetings - but what I do know is that I got a call from Don to say could we organise a board meeting for Wednesday at 4.30pm.

"We'll have a press conference on Wednesday and I think we are entering the concluding stages in the search for a new manager."

According to the Irish Examiner, former Republic midfielder Liam Brady, who had a successful playing career in Italy with the likes of Sampdoria and Juventus, is set to join Trapattoni's backroom staff as a general manager.

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