More soccer news in brief.
Sunderland can do better - Quinn
SUNDERLAND chairman Niall Quinn has said his ambitions for the club is for them to finish in the top half of the Premier League next season.
Since the appointment of Roy Keane as manager 20 month ago, Sunderland have been promoted to England's top division and avoided relegation with two games of the current Premier League season remaining.
Although Quinn is very pleased with the progress made, he told the Sunderland Echo he plans for the club to achieve more:
"Step one was to get the club out of the Championship and rebuild the connections with the fans.
"Step two is to stay in the Premier League, consolidate and try to kick on. We have completed most of that now.
"Step three is to challenge those clubs around mid-table - clubs that have been comfortable for most of the season."
In brief . . .
• RODDY Collins will not be unveiled as Livingston FC general manager after he pulled out of the move: "Having spent the past 24 hours deep in conversation with my wife and immediate family and having given the Livingston offer the attention and thought it deserved, I regret to announce that I will not be taking up the role of general manager at Livingston.
• RANGERS have ruled centre-half David Weir out of their plans for tomorrow's Uefa Cup semi-final second leg against Fiorentina because of a groin injury.
• IF Liverpool, as expected, make an offer for the Newcastle United reserve goalkeeper Steve Harper this summer it will be resisted by United manager Kevin Keegan.
Ronaldinho price too high
INTER Milan President Massimo Moratti said yesterday Ronaldinho was expensive and the club were unlikely to try to outbid city rivals AC Milan to sign him from Barcelona.
"The price of Ronaldinho is a little high," Moratti told reporters.
"We are following the affair but I don't think we are the most interested. Others have officially said they are. There is no derby (to sign him)."
Barcelona President Joan Laporta said that the player was worth at least €40 million.
AC Milan agreed personal terms with the Brazil forward earlier this month but the transfer has stalled over the Spanish club's asking price.
Laporta said in an interview Barcelona had received several bids for the twice former World Player of the Year, including from Premier League sides but AC Milan had shown the strongest interest.
"He has never created the slightest problem and I'm sure he will return to how he was before, as soon as he is well."
SFA won't punish Boruc for blessing Pontiff
CELTIC goalkeeper Artur Boruc will not face any action from the Scottish FA after celebrating the 3-2 win over Rangers on Sunday by revealing a T-shirt bearing the slogan 'God bless the Pope'.
An SFA spokesman confirmed that referee Craig Thomson did not include any mention of the post-match incident in his report.
The Celtic goalkeeper's choice of garment could still be mentioned in the report from the Scottish Premier League's match delegate Willie McDougall.
Fifa rules state the "competition organiser" should apply sanctions to the player involved in the event of a "political, religious or personal statement" being exposed on an undershirt. The rules also state the player's club should face action, which could come from Fifa or the SPL.
An SPL spokesman said the league are awaiting the delegate report from McDougall: "We have not received the match delegate's report and it may not come in for a few days."
Ireland lose out to Spaniards
THE Irish women's under-19 side were defeated 3-1 by a strong Spanish team to end their European Championship final hopes in Madrid yesterday.
The loss means Spain will travel to France for the Uefa Championship finals this summer.
Spain were a goal up after 16 minutes but the Irish responded well after the break and Lifford's Lynn Marie Grant scored an equaliser, heading in a free-kick from Grace Murray, to give the Irish a lifeline with over half and hour of the game remaining. But the Spaniards scored twice on the break late on through Marta Torrejon and Patricia Martinez to seal their victory.
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND:Bradley (Raheny), McGilp (Cabinteely FC), Murray (Dundalk City), Quinn (Peamount), Hacket (Stella Maris), Grant (Lifford), O'Gorman (Stella Maris), Russell (Salthill Devon), Roche (Dundalk City), Murray (Raheny), McDonnell (Dundalk City) Subs: Parkes (Wilton United) for McDonnell, (52 mins), Ryan (Stella Maris) for Roche ( 69 mins), Madden (Arsenal) for Russell (83 mins).
Ronaldo makes a wrong call
POLICE are investigating claims by AC Milan striker Ronaldo that a transvestite prostitute sought to extort money from him following an altercation in Rio de Janeiro.
Police said Ronaldo, who is recuperating from a knee injury, contracted the services of three transvestites - believing them to be women - and took them to a motel. However, Ronaldo is then said to have tried to get out of the situation after one of the men went in search of drugs.
