Aware that his appointment might invite conjecture, Gianluca Nani turned to Alan Curbishley and joked that he had only been an amateur coach. The West Ham United manager sarcastically responded that he had been accused of being that over the past week.

Curbishley was at pains to point out yesterday that his authority was not affected by the appointment of Nani as the club's first technical director. The Italian signed a three-year deal and will leave his post as general manager of Brescia, the Serie B club, at the end of the season.

West Ham's shift to a continental structure is a bold break for a club that became known as “The Academy”. The likeable Nani, 45, described his role as marrying the club's tradition of nurturing home-grown players with finding the best young foreign players, such as Kaká and Adriano - the Brazil forwards whom he is reputed to have spotted.

“I am here to build something, not to break things,” Nani said. “I am not here to get a medallion. We have to bring the club to its potential. To get the best players. Maybe it could be another Paolo di Canio. We will make mistakes. We are in a global market. But that doesn't mean we will break what is the best academy in England, maybe in the world.”

Part of the £3.5 million budget he has at Brescia was based on wheeling and dealing, but he can expect eight times as much at Upton Park.

He has watched West Ham several times on video and identified the areas that can be improved upon, most notably in attack.

West Ham defined Nani's role and power after examining how sporting directors operated around Europe. His remit will be broadly between that

of Nicky Hammond, who negotiates deals at Reading, and Damien Comolli, who has been more hands-on at Tottenham Hotspur. But West Ham are keen to avoid the internal conflict that led to Martin Jol's dismissal at White Hart Lane in October.

Curbishley, who was part of the recruitment process, said that he will have the final say on transfers, after asking Nani to provide the options. Curbishley's readiness to embrace the move to the continental system was largely because he was left with little choice. He said that the club's present scouting network was inadequate.

“I need to have my eyes opened up to players,” Curbishley said. “There is a void at the club and we are in a position to compete at the moment.

“I don't want to be in a position where we don't know about players. I will pick his brains, his network and advice. I don't think there is going to be any interference [after that].

“I don't envisage any problems because I will have the final say. I don't think he has got a managerial bone in him.”

Nani has a good depth of knowledge of players in South America, and is reputed to have discovered Kaká, two years before AC Milan did, but when he tried to buy the Brazil forward, São Paulo increased the price at the last moment. Similarly, Brescia could not afford Adriano when he spotted the forward playing in a youth tournament in South America.

After studying for a law degree, he worked as a sporting events organiser in Spain but took on his present role soon after marrying Silvia Corioni,

the daughter of Luigi Corioni, the president of Brescia. He has gained a reputation as a strong negotiator.

Nani's arrival at Brescia coincided with that of Roberto Baggio, who helped the team to seventh place in Serie A in 2001, but they were relegated after the retirement of the former Italy forward in 2004.

Nani will also be expected to oversee the development of the proposed new stadium and training ground.