Newslines: McClaren ponders offer

Steve McClaren is mulling over an offer from West Ham to leave Manchester United and become their new manager. McClaren held talks with West Ham officials yesterday and is now deciding his next move.

United are trying to persuade their assistant manager to stay, but events at Old Trafford over the last few days have pushed him closer to the exit. McClaren looks unlikely to succeed Alex Ferguson as manager in 12 months time.

The United board are thought to want a higher-profile manager and McClaren has yet to coach his own side. McClaren's contract expires at the end of next season and he knows he could be shown the door by whoever replaces Ferguson.

Injuries have forced Republic of Ireland manager Don Givens to makes changes in his under-21 squad for the European Championship game against Portugal at Tolka Park on Friday, June 1st, (kick-off 7.30 p.m.).

Stephen McPhail (Leeds United), Damien Delaney (Leicester City) and Richard Sadlier (Millwall) have all withdrawn from the squad to meet the Portuguese.

They have been replaced by Tommy Butler (Sunderland), Jim Goodwin (Celtic) and Keith Foy (Nottingham Forest) - all three were on a stand-by panel chosen by Givens when he originally announced his squad last week.

Dutchman Dick Jol will referee the European Champions League final between Valencia and Bayern Munich tomorrow, UEFA said yesterday.

The news will be of interest to Valencia defenders Fabian Ayala and Jocelyn Angloma. Jol booked Ayala by mistake for a foul on Nwankwo Kanu when Valencia played Arsenal in the first leg of the quarter-final on April 4th. UEFA subsequently transferred the booking to Angloma, which made Ayala eligible for the second leg.

Celtic star Lubo Moravcik faces a race against time to be fit for the Scottish Cup final after having stitches inserted in a gashed knee.

The Slovakian sustained the injury in training and was forced to miss Sunday's match at Kilmarnock. But it appears the problem is worse than first feared and he could be set to miss out on a dream day out at Hampden Park on Saturday.