McGeady row has clubs on full alert

SOCCER NEWS:NEWCASTLE UNITED and Bayern Munich are among those keeping a close watching brief on Aiden McGeady's situation at Celtic after it emerged that the winger had a heated row with his manager, Gordon Strachan, after last Saturday's draw with Hearts, writes Ewan Murray

Another Celtic player has confirmed that an argument broke out between Strachan and the Republic of Ireland international in the dressingroom on Saturday.

Earlier this season, speculation of a rift between manager and player emerged after McGeady was asked not to attend a video review session of an Old Firm defeat by Rangers.

Senior Celtic figures have played down the latest rift as a "football matter which will be dealt with internally". Yet the prospect of McGeady leaving Celtic, the club he joined from school, next month cannot be discounted.

McGeady had a day off yesterday, as did the rest of Celtic's squad, as Strachan and the chief executive, Peter Lawwell, discussed the matter.

McGeady and his father are now expected to hold discussions with Lawwell over the next 48 hours. A fine of two weeks' wages - about €33,480 - may be imposed on McGeady. The matter of selling arguably their biggest asset is made more troublesome for Celtic given the hero status afforded to McGeady by the club's supporters.

Rated at €11.2 million after signing a five-year contract in July, McGeady has attracted admiring glances from Newcastle since Kevin Keegan's second time in charge of the club, even if raising the necessary funds may prove a problem at St James' Park.

Sunderland had an inquiry for the 22-year-old rejected out of hand in the close season, but their interest is likely to have waned since Roy Keane, McGeady's former team-mate, departed the Stadium of Light.

A move to Germany may appear unlikely but McGeady is understood not to be averse to a transfer abroad. Of more immediate interest is whether he returns to the Celtic line-up for Sunday's trip to Falkirk. The second Glasgow derby of the season arrives just six days later.

Ironically, the man who opened the scoring for Hearts on Saturday, Andrew Driver, is a potential successor to McGeady if the latter is allowed to leave the Scottish champions.

Meanwhile, Manchester United forwards Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo last night escaped disciplinary action from Uefa, Europe's governing body, and the English FA for alleged violent conduct.

Rooney was accused of stamping on Aalborg's Kasper Risgard in the clubs' 2-2 Champions League draw last Wednesday but Uefa said it would not charge the player after studying video evidence of the incident.

The Aalborg midfielder said Rooney should have been sent off after "jumping" on his chest and leaving marks on his body. The 23-year-old could have faced a suspension for part of the knockout stages had Uefa decided to take action. "We will not open any disciplinary proceedings against Wayne Rooney," said a spokesman for Uefa.

Ronaldo was seen to aim a little flick at Tottenham's Michael Dawson after being tackled in Saturday's goalless draw at White Hart Lane. The referee, Mike Dean, who did not take action during the game, has looked at the incident but has not deemed it serious.

"We contacted the referee, who confirmed he didn't see the incident at the time," said an FA spokesman. "Having reviewed footage, he has also confirmed he would not have sent the player off for violent conduct had he seen it. On that basis, no further action will be taken."

David Gill, the Manchester United chief executive, believes the Club World Cup will grow into a major event in football's global calendar.

Although United received an enthusiastic welcome in Tokyo yesterday, there is little appetite worldwide for the seven-team tournament and the Premier League has not made life easy for the club, who have to be back for a visit to Stoke City on St Stephen's Day. But Gill feels the competition will increase its profile in time, in much the same way as the European Cup emerged to become the most important club competition on the fixture list.

"Who is to say what this tournament will look like in 40 years? Over time, I am sure it will be recognised as a competition of major significance. When the European Cup was set up no one thought much about it - as evidenced by the FA, who would not let Chelsea go into it. Football is improving throughout the world - particularly in Asia."

• Guardian Service