SOCCER SHORTS

Today's other stories in brief

Given backs under-fire Dunne

NEW Manchester City goalkeeper Shay Given has given his backing to fellow Republic of Ireland international Richard Dunne, describing the centre-back as a “fantastic” player.

Dunne has come under-fire this season and is currently suspended after being sent off against Wigan last month. But Given is more than happy to link up with his international team-mate after moving from Newcastle over the weekend.

“Dunnie is one of the best centre-halves I have ever played behind,” Given said. “He is a fantastic player. We go back over a few years with the Irish squad and know each other well. The partnership between the centre-half and the goalkeeper is an important one and hopefully we will improve as well.”

Meanwhile, Republic of Ireland international defender Stephen Kelly was in the process of completing a loan move from Birmingham to Stoke City yesterday.

A deal between the two clubs for the transfer of the 25-year-old full-back until the end of the season had been agreed in principle ahead of Monday’s deadline but the English FA granted an extension in instances where the extreme weather in parts of Britain had prevented moves being completed and Kelly’s fell into this category.

Cuper names experienced Georgia squad for Ireland

GEORGIA coach Hector Cuper has named his 22-man squad to face the Republic of Ireland in the World Cup 2010 qualifier in Croke Park next Wednesday. The Argentinian has been able to call on the experience of captain Kakha Kaladze of AC Milan, Levan Kobiashvili of Schalke 04 and Zurab Khizanishvili of Blackburn Rovers.

Since Ireland’s 2-1 win against Georgia in Mainz, Germany, Cuper’s team have been beaten 2-0 in Italy and were held to home draws by Cyprus and Bulgaria to lie second from bottom in Group 8.

GEORGIA (squad v Ireland): Goalkeepers: Giorgi Loria (Lokomotivi Tbilisi), Zurab Mamaladze (FC Zestaponi), Roin Kvaskhvadze (FC Zestaponi). Defenders: Kakha Kaladze (AC Milan), Zurab Khizanishvili (Blackburn Rovers), Lasha Salukvadze (Rubin Kazan), Davit Kvirkvelia (Rubin Kazan), Giorgi Shashiashvili (Sturm Graz), Alexandre Kvakhadze (WIT Georgia Tbilisi), Ucha Lobzhanidze (FC Zestaponi). Midfielders: Levan Kenia (Schalke 04), Levan Kobiashvili (Schalke 04), Zurab Menteshashvili (FK Ventspils), Levan Khmaladze (Dinamo Tbilisi), Davit Odikadze (Gyor ETO), Luka Razmadze (WIT Georgia Tbilisi), Murtaz Daushvili (FC Zestaponi). Forwards: Alexandre Iashvili (SC Karlsruhe), Davit Siradze (Terek Grozny), Levan Mchedlidze (US Citta di Palermo), Georgi Merabashvili (Dinamo Tbilisi), Beka Gotsiridze (Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk).

Platini backs Blatter's call

UEFA president Michel Platini has backed Fifa counterpart Sepp Blatter’s call for the football competition at the 2012 London Olympics to be contested by under-20 squads. Blatter believes the age limit should be lowered from the current under-23 level, which caused club-versus-country rows in the run-up to last year’s Games in Beijing. A number of players went against the wishes of their clubs to compete for medals including Barcelona’s Lionel Messi . . . Newcastle have confirmed midfielder Nicky Butt has signed a contract extension until the end of next season . . . Although signing Jo on loan from Manchester City Everton failed to add Schalke’s Kevin Kurányi to their squad before the deadline . . . Liverpool’s Swiss defender Philipp Degen is expected to be sidelined for four to five weeks by a metatarsal injury . . . West Ham have signed goalkeeper Peter Kurucz on loan until the end of the season from Ujpest FC, according to the Hungarian club . . . Martin O’Neill insists sorting out the future of Aston Villa midfielder Stiliyan Petrov is his “top priority”.

Beckham 'wants to stay' at Milan

DAVID Beckham wants to stay at AC Milan after his loan deal finishes on March 9th, the Serie A club’s chief executive, Adriano Galliani, said yesterday. “We are working to keep him and I think he would like that too,” Galliani told Gazzetta dello Sport. “Milan will do everything to have Beckham even after March. It is clear that it’s our wish to have him until the end of the season or on a permanent deal.”

For technical reasons his loan is until June so Milan can talk to Los Angeles Galaxy outside the transfer window.

Fifa receive 11 bids for World Cups

FIFA has received a “remarkable” 11 potential bids to host the 2018 and 2022 World Cups following the withdrawal of a possible offer from Egypt, world soccer’s ruling body said yesterday. Fifa said it had received formal expressions of interest from Australia, Belgium and The Netherlands, England, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Qatar, Russia, Spain and Portugal, and the United States.

FIFA said on Monday that Egypt had expressed interest in bidding for the 2022 World Cup but the sole African candidate was missing from yesterday’s final list. Samir Zaher, president of the Egyptian FA, said that the association had never been interested in bidding.