Players at Shamrock Rovers have voted unanimously to take strike action if money owed to them by the club is not paid over the coming week, writes Emmet Malone. Representatives of the players are due to meet club officials before the end of the week in another attempt to resolve the situation, but if the talks fail then next Friday week's game against Drogheda United could be affected.
Rovers chairman Tony Maguire addressed players on Monday night in an attempt to persuade them to reject the option of strike action but could only repeat his previous promise that the roughly €40,000 due to the players would be paid when a deal intended to finance new work on the stadium at Tallaght is completed. That appears to have had little impact, with players fearful their hopes of getting their wages will recede further if the matter has not been sorted out by the time the season finishes at the end of November.
Keown not finished at Leicester
Martin Keown could still have a future at Leicester City after previously being told he could leave the club he joined from Arsenal in the summer on a free transfer after a bust-up with manager Micky Adams last month.
Adams resigned this week and caretaker boss Dave Bassett claims 38-year-old former England international Keown could feature in his plans.
Bassett believes Keown could play for Leicester at Coventry on Saturday. Bassett said: "I haven't spoken to Martin yet, but as long as we pay his wages he will be in contention for the first team. There was a disagreement between Micky and Martin and I don't know what went on."
Bassett has drafted in former Leeds boss Howard Wilkinson on a temporary basis to assist with coaching after the departure of Adams' assistant Alan Cork. Bassett said: "I needed someone to give me a hand and Howard was top of my list. He has got a wealth of experience and I have a lot of respect for him. I've known him for a long time and we've had a few battles when I was manager of Sheffield United and he was at Leeds United. I'm looking forward to working alongside him."
No surgery for Woodgate
Defender Jonathan Woodgate says he is relieved he is unlikely to need surgery for a long-standing thigh injury and should be able to make his debut for Real Madrid before the end of the year.
"I want to get back to playing as soon as possible and after what I've been told I think I will be able to do that sooner than any of us thought," Woodgate told Spanish sports daily Marca yesterday.
The 24-year-old centre back, who has been on the sidelines since tearing a muscle in his thigh in April, was flown to the US for specialist treatment after suffering a recurrence of the injury in training last week.
Following a detailed examination of the player on Monday, doctors at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation said they believed he would be able to play before the end of the year, although they did not completely rule out the possibility of surgery.
In brief
Irish defender Jason Gavin has been told to find a new club as he is not guaranteed first-team football at Bradford. The former Middlesbrough centre half has made just two appearances for Bradford this term in the League Cup and LDV Vans Trophy.
Manchester City have been dealt a blow with the news that combative midfielder Joey Barton could be sidelined for six weeks through injury. Barton is out of City's clash with Chelsea this weekend after undergoing an operation to his knee.
Michael Carrick is poised to make his long-awaited Tottenham debut after recovering from persistent ankle and knee injuries. Carrick, a £3 million recruit from West Ham at the end of August, has managed only two reserve team games since joining Spurs. He is hopeful of making the senior squad for the first time when Spurs go to Portsmouth next Monday.
Charlton striker Jason Euell has been cleared by FIFA to play for Jamaica. Euell originally had his claim turned down but FIFA's players' status committee changed their decision following new documentation provided by the Jamaican authorities.
Hamburg have declared an interest in signing Aston Villa and Germany midfielder Thomas Hitzlsperger. Director of football Dietmar Beiersdorfer told the Hamburg Morgenpost newspaper: "It would be negligence not to have such a talent on our wish-list." The 22-year-old could be available on a free transfer in the summer when his contract with Villa expires.
