Brian Kerr, the highly successful manager of the Republic of Ireland youth teams, has been appointed the Football Association of Ireland's new Technical Director. The appointment ends a two-year search for a suitable candidate.

Kerr's existing role as manager of the underage teams will not be affected. "We have been searching for a person with an international reputation, high technical ability and a knowledge of the Irish football scene. We have the ideal man," said FAI chief executive, Bernard O'Byrne. "In addition to Brian's appointment we will be appointing four or five regional development officers in the near future who will ensure that the grassroots of the association will be increasingly well served by the technical and coaching department of the association. This is a very exciting development for the FAI."

The choice is likely to be a popular one after Kerr's run of success with the Irish under-20, under-18 and under-16 teams since his appointment to that post in February of last year.

Kerr, 45, did not apply for the job, but said he'd been offered it some time ago and has finally decided to take it.

He has been given no job specification, but his brief basically will be to enhance the coaching structure of the FAI throughout the country.

"How the job is done is open to myself," said Kerr. "I'll obviously have to put a plan in place for the further development of the coaching structure to ensure that we continue to bring players of a desired quality through for the international teams.

Kerr hopes that he can persuade other well known football people around the country to get involved.

"I think there are lots of people out there who are capable of doing work and perhaps haven't had the opportunity and encouragement to come on board," he added.

"There is a lot of experience around the game in Ireland that's maybe not being used