Soccer: Newslines

Republic of Ireland defender Phil Babb last night completed his move from Anfield to Sporting Lisbon when he agreed personal terms and signed a three-year contract with the Portuguese league champions.

Babb was in Lisbon along with fellow Irish international Alan Mahon yesterday to complete the deal, and although the 29-year-old managed to complete the formalities last night it was unclear whether the former Irish under-21 skipper's signing would be sorted out before today as a result of some internal problems at the club.

The unrelated dispute was said to have cost several directors, including the chairman, their jobs yesterday and the difficulties temporarily held up talks with the two players, both of whom were out of contracts at their English clubs, and their agent.

In spite of the delays, however, Mahon, whose performances at Tranmere Rovers over the past couple of seasons had marked him out as a rising midfield star, looks certain to be playing his football at Sporting next season which means that he, like the former Liverpool defender, will have the opportunity to compete in the Champions League.

The move represents a huge boost to the careers of both players with Babb anxious to rebuild his reputation after a couple of years during which he has become a fringe figure at both club and international levels.

Cherry Orchard confirmed yesterday that it has become the latest Irish football club to receive backing from a major English club. Over the next two years the Dublin club will receive equipment and cash worth an estimated £100,000 from Premiership outfit Manchester City, while the two clubs are currently working on a plan to develop their links at coaching level.

"It's the way things are going," said Cherry Orchard secretary John Cleaver at the launch, "and we see a lot of potential benefits for our club from this link up. It's initially for a two-year period, but if it works the way we think it will then it will just grow from there," he added. John Wilkes, the former manager of the club's senior team, is to oversee the new coaching structures at the Ballyfermot club and it is expected that he will be visiting City to study their youth development policies over the coming weeks.

Brazil yesterday pulled out of the race to stage the 2006 World Cup - handing the tournament on a plate to South Africa. Brazil's withdrawal almost certainly ensures that the 24-man FIFA executive will award the tournament to the African continent for the first time when they meet in Zurich on Thursday.