Ex-Town boss and skipper Jim Magilton has been appointed Northern Ireland’s elite performance director on a four-year contract.
A statement on the IFA’s website says that the 44-year-old, who has recently been working as a pundit on Qatari TV, reads: "Magilton will be responsible for all elite player development for boys and girls and will lead and drive on the identification and development of talented young players and the building of a talent pipeline for future sustainable success on the pitch.
"He will also oversee the Association’s coach education programme, which will continue to be managed by Nigel Best.”
Magilton, capped by Northern Ireland 52 times during his playing career, is delighted to have been given the role: "I am very pleased and indeed honoured to have been offered this opportunity to join the Irish Football Association as elite performance director.
"Player identification and development is a key part of the modern game and I am looking forward to getting started in my new role and to working with all the young players in Northern Ireland.
"We must work collectively and strategically to ensure we cultivate the most talented players — both boys and girls — at all age groups in Northern Ireland and I believe that by doing this we can create a talent pipeline which will help to build successful and sustainable international squads of the future.”
IFA president, Jim Shaw added: "As president of the Irish Football Association, I am delighted to announce the appointment of Jim Magilton as the Irish FA’s first ever elite performance director.
"This role is fundamental to the development of football in Northern Ireland and I believe we have found the right person to oversee the identification and development of all our elite young players.
"I also believe that this appointment highlights the Irish FA’s commitment to elite player development and it is about laying the foundations for the next generations of Northern Ireland internationals.”
Northern Ireland manager Michael O’Neill, to whom Magilton was assistant boss in his former job at Shamrock Rovers, said: "I would like to take this opportunity to welcome Jim on board. I have known Jim for over 20 years and I know that he will be a huge asset to the Irish Football Association.
"His experience as a player and a coach along with his knowledge and his ability to manage and implement coaching structures, will ensure that all our elite young players are identified and developed and in turn will bring through generations of international players for all our national teams.”
Magilton’s new role could be good news for Town with the Blues academy keen to target the best Northern Irish talent. Earlier this year http://www.twtd.co.uk/ipswich-town-news/22677/town-run-rule-over-best-northern-i sponsored a visit by Northern Ireland’s U15 squad.
Elsewhere, former Blues defender Troy Brown has joined Cheltenham Town on a two-year deal after leaving Aldershot following their relegation out of the Football League and administration.