Today's other sports
Barcelona warn of changes
BARCELONA TECHNICAL secretary Txiki Bergiristain has warned the club will make a decision on the future of every player at the end of the season.
The Catalan club have endured a difficult season as they have repeatedly failed in their attempts to catch Real Madrid at the top of La Liga, and they have had to contend with persistent rumours in the Spanish press regarding the futures of coach Frank Rijkaard and star player Ronaldinho.
Rijkaard has repeatedly been rumoured to be leaving at the end of the year.
Ronaldinho has come in for strong criticism since he refused to play because of a thigh injury despite scans showing no damage.
On Saturday, Barca let slip a 2-0 lead to lose 3-2 to 13th-placed Real Betis and dropped to third in the table, seven points behind Madrid. And while Bergiristain insists jobs are safe for now, he warned on Sunday night the club will be looking to make some changes come May.
Keegan praised at boardroom level
NEWCASTLE MANAGER Kevin Keegan has been praised at boardroom level for the style in which he has steered the club away from relegation trouble and towards dreams of a return to the glory days.
It took two months for Keegan to record the first win of his second spell in charge, then victory over Fulham was followed by the 4-1 drubbing of Tottenham on Sunday. Keegan had noted a nervousness in his defence and responded by fielding three strikers to take the pressure off needing a clean sheet - the type of attacking philosophy his reputation has been built on.
Owner Mike Ashley was jubilant, along with other Newcastle fans at White Hart Lane, with Keegan's work coming together emphatically and echoing his first spell in charge when they challenged for the title. "We had a good start to the season up to October. Since then, we've had to fight for everything we've got," said chairman Chris Mort in the Newcastle Evening Chronicle.
"The results haven't really come. The football went a bit awry, but Kevin's got them playing again, and we saw that."
It has not been all-out attack, though, as Keegan has used Michael Owen as a support striker in the past three games. At times Owen has been as deep as his midfield team-mates.
Owen is relishing his role as a playmaker, although his poaching instincts has resulted in a goal in each game he has featured "in the hole" between Mark Viduka and Obafemi Martins. "Currently we're playing a certain way which the gaffer has decided and I've enjoyed it," he said.
Thomson denies cheating claims
RANGERS MIDFIELDER Kevin Thomson has defended himself against accusations of cheating following Saturday's Old Firm derby in the Scottish Premier League.
Thomson, who got the only goal of the game just before half-time on Saturday, was later substituted after injuring his left leg in an incident involving Celtic's Georgios Samaras.
The Rangers man appeared to begin his fall before any contact with Samaras had been made on the edge of the Celtic penalty area. Celtic were furious, but Thomson insists he was not looking to deceive referee Stuart Dougal.
"To call me a cheat and a diver is outrageous because that kind of thing is just not in my nature," said 23-year-old Thomson. "I've had a look at the incident again on TV and I can see why people are saying I was trying to win a foul. But that's not cheating."
Azerbaijan appoint Vogts
AZERBAIJAN HAVE named former Scotland manager Berti Vogts as their new coach.
The 61-year-old, who has also bossed Germany and Nigeria, succeeds Gjoko Hadzievski who was sacked following the team's poor display in qualifying for Euro 2008.
Azerbaijan finished bottom of Group A, winning just one of their 12 games.
Vogts, who is expected to sign a two-year contract, quit as Nigeria coach last month following the team's exit from the African Nations Cup at the quarter-final stage to hosts Ghana.
He managed Scotland for two and a half years until resigning in November 2004.
Azerbaijan have been placed in Group Four for World Cup 2010 qualifying alongside Vogts's native Germany, Russia, Liechtenstein, Wales and Finland.
