SOCCER:A round-up of today's other stories in brief
Sam the man for West Ham
SAM ALLARDYCE is expected to be confirmed as the new manager of West Ham United as soon as the final details of his contract have been signed off, according to a source close to the 56-year-old.
It is thought that Allardyce will be paid a €1.4m a-year salary, plus a bonus of at least €1.14m by David Gold and David Sullivan, the co-owners, if he can return the relegated club straight back into the Premier League next season. Sullivan has said that Championship football will “blow a €45m hole” in the club’s finances, despite the parachute money West Ham will receive over the next two seasons.
Once Allardyce is appointed the future of the relegated club’s better players, who include Scott Parker, Robert Green, Matthew Upson, Carlton Cole and Thomas Hitzlsperger, should become clearer.
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Redknapp resolved to keep Modric
TOTTENHAM MANAGER Harry Redknapp has reiterated his stance that none of the club’s top players will be sold this summer.
Luka Modric was the latest Spurs player to be linked with a move from White Hart Lane, with Manchester United reportedly ready to part with around €28.5million for the Croatian midfielder, who has enjoyed a brilliant season at the London club.
Alex Ferguson could offer the midfielder Champions League football, and Tottenham can not.
Redknapp is determined to hang on to his most prized assets, however, and has warned that selling such players as Modric would undermine his long-term project of making the club Champions League regulars.
Redknapp said yesterday: “All of our key players are under contract. The chairman and I have discussed this and we have no intention of selling any of them.”
Europa League reward for Cook's Sligo Rovers
SLIGO ROVERS have become the first Irish club to be exempted from two rounds of a European club competition it was confirmed yesterday, writes Emmet Malone. Paul Cook’s men were handed a place in the third qualifying round of the Europa League as a result of Porto’s win over Sporting Braga in the final of the competition a couple of weeks ago.
Because Porto also won the Portuguese League, the club will be taking part in the Champions League next year and will therefore forfeit its place in Uefa’s second club competition. That has sparked a knock-on effect from which Rovers have benefited with the Irish cup holders getting bumped up from the second to the third round.
“We’re absolutely delighted to be awarded a place in round three. It’s a great reward for what the club achieved in 2010 and we’ll now being doing everything in our power to make sure the home match takes place in The Showgrounds,” said Sligo Rovers general manager Packie Lynch.
The league’s two entrants in the draw for the earlier rounds, which will take place on June 20th, are St Patrick’s Athletic and Bohemians who have been seeded in the first and second rounds respectively.
Shamrock Rovers, meanwhile, have also benefited from the success of others with FK Borac Banja Luka’s title success in Bosnia-Herzegovina resulting in the Irish champions being handed a place in the second qualifying round of the Champions League.
Knee injury for Balotelli
MANCHESTER CITY striker Mario Balotelli has suffered a knee injury while training with Italy, the Italian Football Federation have confirmed. The 20-year-old suffered a recurrence of a problem with his right knee minutes into a training game. He will be assessed by the Italy medical team ahead of Friday’s Euro 2012 qualifier against Estonia in Modena and a friendly with the Republic of Ireland in Liege the following Tuesday.
Nasri not going to United - Wenger
ARSENE WENGER has ruled out selling Samir Nasri to Manchester United this summer, despite discussions between Arsenal and the player remaining at an impasse over extending his stay at the Emirates.
Nasri, a €18m signing from Marseille in the summer of 2008, is entering the final 12 months of his contract with suggestions in France that United would express an interest in his availability, speculation fanned by comments from his national team-mate Patrice Evra, who has urged him to move to Old Trafford.
“One thing’s for sure: we’re not selling him to Manchester United,” Wenger told the French radio station RTL. “Are we still in discussions with Nasri? Yes, but we are still in disagreement over the financial contract on offer, which we haven’t settled. We are trying to extend his deal.”
Wenger is anxious to retain the 23-year-old but he is willing to listen to offers for Andrey Arshavin.
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Houllier set to leave Aston Villa
GERARD HOULLIER is poised to leave the post of Aston Villa manager, bringing down the curtain on a turbulent season both for him and the West Midlands club.
The Frenchman has endured a fractious relationship with supporters and key players.
Yet his greatest problem has been the heart scare he suffered on April 20th and, as expected, it has been decided, following medical consultations, that a return to front-line management is beyond him.
His departure will come by mutual consent; he has a good relationship with the Villa owner Randy Lerner and the chief executive Paul Faulkner, and they have handled the issue sensitively.
Villa will now look for a new manager and Lerner admires Everton’s David Moyes while Fulham’s Mark Hughes is also in the frame. Steve McClaren and Carlo Ancelotti are also being considered.
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