Brady ‘feeling like his old self’ and raring to go

There was a time Robbie Brady was spoilt for choice. Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester City clamoured for his signature as he was identified as one of the brightest teenage talents in Irish football.

So keen were Liverpool, they flew a 15-year-old Brady and his dad, Shay, to the 2007 Champions League final to watch the match against AC Milan as part of their charm offensive. Brady would, however, disappoint the Merseyside club, choosing to follow his heart and sign for Manchester United.

“They were strong in the running but Man United felt like the right move for me,” said Brady, now 22.

“It came to a point when I had to pick someone. It was going on too long and my dad was getting numerous phone calls. I think he was getting annoyed by it all, so I had to pick one.

“I had a look at all of them and the way they did things but being a United fan and meeting my heroes, even now, tipped the scales for me.

“Man United was always my team growing up. I went to a lot of clubs on trial but something about Man United when I got there, just the place and the aura, did it.”

Brady, who cut his teeth St Kevin’s Boys Club in Dublin, now finds himself fuelled by frustration. Seven years on from moving to England, he has not lived up to the hype, particularly at the highest level.

He left Manchester United for Hull in January last year, when a €2.5m move was agreed after an initial loan spell with the then-Championship club. The energetic Brady quickly established himself as a favourite figure with Tigers fans, while helping the club return to the Premier League cemented his popularity.

Brady has been used by Steve Bruce, his manager, as a wing-back, in midfield and as a second striker. His Premier League career got off to a blistering beginning, with four goals in seven appearances before he was struck by a niggling injury that would ruin the remainder of his season.

A double hernia operation in November failed to clear the problem, leaving him to endure a stop-start schedule for the rest of the campaign.

It also put his Ireland career on ice, leaving him stranded on six caps, just as he appeared to be establishing himself as an international regular.

It is fair to say he’s hungry to play a more significant role this season.

“I’m looking forward to this year,” he said. “I was playing some of the games last year at 50 or 60 per cent. I couldn’t run to my full ability, I couldn’t shoot. I feel much more like my old self now so I’m just looking forward to having a good crack at it. The one wish is to be injury free and hopefully, I’ll have nothing more to worry about.”

While Brady exudes enthusiasm about the new campaign, his manager is understandably more cautious.

“Certainly, Robbie’s got the talent. The first thing he’s got to do is stay fit. If he stays fit, then his talent will allow him to make an impression – just like it did in the first few weeks of last season. We haven’t seen him since. It’s a big year for him, not just proving himself but staying fit. If he stays fit, Robbie Brady, with his talent, will be okay.”

Brady, though, who has a seven-month old daughter Halle, has no problem putting pressure on himself.

“There was always a bit of expectation on me but you just have to get on with it,” he said.

“I try not to think about it that way. I go out and play and hopefully, I can make everyone proud of me. My mum, my dad, my family and now my girlfriend and baby.”