A round-up of other soccer news in brief...
Van Nistelrooy wants Dutch return
RUUD van Nistelrooy wants to return to international football and is targeting a place in the Netherlands squad for the 2010 World Cup finals, the Real Madrid striker yesterday.
Van Nistelrooy announced his retirement from the international scene after Euro 2008 saying he wanted to focus on his club career, but the 33-year-old former Manchester United player appears to have had a change of heart.
DAVID Trezeguet plans to leave Serie A club Juventus at the end of the season, the former France striker said yesterday.
“I’ve decided to end my adventure at Juventus in June,” the 31-year-old, who grew up in Argentina, said. “I spoke about it first to my family and we decided to return home. I don’t know (whether to France or Argentina). After 10 years here at Juventus I think it’s the right time to leave.”
Arsenal to appeal Eduardo's two-match diving ban
ARSENAL are to appeal against the two-match ban imposed by Uefa on striker Eduardo da Silva for diving in a Champions League match last week.
“We strongly believe that the decision taken is deeply flawed and not based on any forensic view of the video evidence available,” the Premier League club said yesterday. “There are obvious errors and inconsistencies in Uefa’s judgement and we intend to appeal.”
The Brazilian-born Croatia international was given the ban after Uefa’s disciplinary and control panel ruled he had tried to deceive the referee to win a penalty in the second leg of Arsenal’s Champions League play-off tie against Celtic.
Eduardo converted the penalty awarded by referee Manuel Enrique Mejuto Gonzalez after he tumbled to the ground despite there appearing to be no contact with Celtic goalkeeper Artur Boruc.
His successful spot-kick gave Arsenal a 1-0 lead on the night and they went on to win 5-1 on aggregate.
Le Tissier admits to betting scam
FORMER England international Matthew Le Tissier has admitted his role in an attempted betting coup while playing for Southampton 14 years ago.
Le Tissier, a cult hero with the Saints, has revealed in his new autobiography that he agreed to try to kick the ball out for an early throw-in to aid a spread bet in exchange for around €14,000. However, Le Tissier failed in his mission.
“Spread betting had just started to become popular. It was a new idea which allowed punters to back anything from the final score to the first throw-in,” Le Tissier wrote in his autobiography Taking Le Tiss.
“There was a lot of money to be made by exploiting it. We were safe from the threat of relegation when we went to Wimbledon on April 17th.
Le Tissier smashed a long pass that he hoped would go out, but instead Neil Shipperley – unaware of the bet – managed to keep the ball in.
Hesselink joins up with Hull
HULL City have signed Dutch striker Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink on a two-year deal, the Premier League club announced yesterday.
The 30-year-old former PSV Eindhoven forward was a free agent after leaving Scottish Premier League side Celtic at the end of last season after spending three years at Parkhead.
Because he was a free agent the usual transfer restrictions, such as the window, did not apply in the move.
The Dutchman made his international debut in 2000 but has been out of favour for the 2010 World Cup qualifiers.
Meanwhile, Hull goalkeeper Boaz Myhill has signed a new three-year deal at the KC Stadium.
The 26-year-old Wales international, who has played for the Hull in all four English professional divisions, is now committed until 2012.
Myhill joined Hull from Aston Villa six years ago.
Ferguson turned down Scotland
ALEX Ferguson rejected the opportunity to manage Scotland on a part-time basis for the second time in his career before George Burley was appointed to the role last January.
A direct inquiry was made by the Scottish FA’s board after Alex McLeish departed for Birmingham City, with a view to appointing Ferguson while allowing the 67-year-old to continue with his job at Manchester United. However, it quickly became apparent that Ferguson was not willing to return to international football and it seems certain one of Scotland’s finest managers will never work in the country again.
Ferguson was part of the Scotland coaching staff when they qualified for the 1986 World Cup. He stepped into the manager’s position on a caretaker basis after the death of Jock Stein and led the Scots in Mexico. l Guardian Service
United tell fans to lay off Wenger
MANCHESTER United are to ask their own supporters for ways to help eradicate the “disgusting” chants that are aimed at Arsene Wenger whenever Arsenal visit Old Trafford.
Wenger was subjected to a chorus of “sit down you paedophile” during Arsenal’s 2-1 defeat on Saturday and United are so embarrassed that the club’s chief executive, David Gill, is to raise the matter as a lead item with a panel of influential supporters.
The club’s official fans’ forum is due to hold its first meeting of the season in October and Gill, who will chair the event, will “appeal for ideas as to how to curb it”, according to a club spokesman.
United received a complaint from an Arsenal supporters’ group after the match but are uncertain about how to tackle the problem when there are so many people taking part.
