Republic of Ireland v Brazil: Mary Hannigantalks to Daryl Murphy who would love to face his boyhood heroes, Brazil.

While some of his more senior Republic of Ireland team-mates, most notably Richard Dunne and Shay Given, might have been expressing a certain degree of exasperation in recent days at the delay in choosing a new manager, Daryl Murphy's thoughts this week are solely occupied with the hope that, at some stage in the proceedings, he'll get to share the Croke Park pitch with his much beloved Brazil.

It's not that the 24-year-old from Waterford isn't curious about the identity of the man who will succeed Steve Staunton, but as a relative newcomer to the international set-up he has more patience than most.

"I haven't really heard anyone saying anything about it," he said. "There probably are some players who just want to know who the manager will be, but they're going to take their time and get the right man for the job. As Don (Givens) said there's no point rushing it just to get someone in for the sake of it. So we're just waiting patiently to see who is going to be chosen."

Would the players welcome the appointment of Giovanni Trapattoni? "Oh yeah, I'm sure. His record speaks for itself, he'd be a fantastic manager to have, but hopefully in the next 10 days we'll know who it is and we can kick on from there." Terry Venables? "I rate both of them very highly, they're two great managers, I don't think it really matters."

No "Daryl Murphy slams FAI" headlines here. Besides, since the departure of Staunton, who gave Murphy his international debut against Ecuador last May, he's been busy trying to convince his club manager he's worth keeping on the Sunderland pay-roll. He is, he's sure, making progress on that front.

"Yeah, things have been going quite well for me the last few weeks. I'm playing regularly and playing for 90 minutes, so I'm quite happy. There was a period there, a couple of months ago, when I was told there were a couple of clubs interested in taking me on loan, so it's something I had to think about. QPR came in with an offer for me and I think at the time the club accepted it, so I was trying to get my head around that one and decide what was best for me to do.

"But the gaffer (Roy Keane) called me in to his office, sat me down and told me he wanted to keep me at the club, he was going to give me a run in the team and it was up to me to prove I could stay there. I just played as well as I could, as I have always done for Sunderland, so I think he realised maybe I do have something to offer."

No more than the rest of his Sunderland team-mates, this season has been a trial for Murphy, although his goal against Birmingham City a week ago helped the team to just their sixth win of the campaign, giving them renewed hope that relegation could be avoided.

He was signed for the club by Mick McCarthy from Waterford United in the summer of 2005, making his debut as a substitute against West Ham in October, before his full debut later that month. "Against Arsenal at Highbury," he smiled. "It was a big shock, I was only told the Friday . . . so to make your full debut at Highbury, against a very good Arsenal side, was a big thing for me."

Arsenal won 3-1.

Three years on and he remains a Sunderland player, surrounded by so many Irish team-mates. The latest? Andy Reid. "He's a great signing, he brings a lot of quality to the side, and more competition for places."

Are you, he's asked, a Brazil nut? He smiles, forgivingly, and as good as admits that, yes, he's nuts about Brazil. "Ah you have to be, the football they play is unbelievable, the skill, the goals, everything, it's how football should be played. I remember watching them when I was growing up, watching the World Cups. I did have a Brazil jersey as well, wore it playing on the street. It was probably 1994? I was 11. I remember Romario, he stood out, he was absolutely fantastic."

If I got a chance to come on against them it would be absolutely brilliant."