Soccer Shorts

A round-up of other soccer news in brief

Robinho set to return for Hull match

ROBINHO LOOKS set to make his comeback for Manchester City against Hull on Saturday. The Brazil forward has not played for the club since August after suffering a stress fracture of the ankle.

However, he did join up with his country earlier this month and City first team coach Eddie Niedzwiecki believes that may have helped Robinho’s progress.

He said: “Robi is looking really good. We are pleased, after all the speculation when he went with Brazil, he didn’t play for them because he wasn’t ready.

“He had good training and good treatment with them and has come back to us looking sharper by the day.

“Things are looking very promising for him in terms of the weekend and he should be up for selection.”

Grant ponders offer to take over at Portsmouth helm

AVRAM GRANT has been offered the chance to replace Paul Hart as Portsmouth’s manager, and the former Chelsea and Israel head coach is seriously considering taking up the post, writes Jamie Jackson.

If the club’s director of football accepts the role, and makes his decision before the weekend, his first game would be Saturday’s visit of Manchester United.

Grant is keen to return to management and is thought to be flattered at the offer of a job for which he would seem ideally placed given his current role at Fratton Park. He was also technical director at the club from June 2006 until July 2007, when Harry Redknapp was manager.

Whether Grant accepts the position should become clear over the next day or so, though one potential stumbling block is that he is still waiting for the work permit he sought last month when rejoining the club. However, Portsmouth were confident last night that this would be resolved within 48 hours.

GuardianService

Song extends his Arsenal contract

ARSENAL have confirmed midfielder Alex Song has signed a new long-term contract. Arsene Wenger actually announced the move following Tuesday’s 2-0 Champions League win over Standard Liege, but it was only confirmed yesterday in a statement on the club’s website.

“As confirmed on Tuesday night in Arsene Wenger’s post-match press conference, Arsenal Football Club is delighted to announce that Alex Song has signed a new long-term contract with the club,” the statement said.

Song, 22, has established himself as a first-team regular over the past year, three seasons after joining from French club Bastia. The Cameroon international follows on from Croatian striker Eduardo and prospect Sanchez Watt, who recently signed new long-term deals.

Arsenal defender Kieran Gibbs broke a first metatarsal in his left foot during the Liege game and is expected to be out for two months.

Everton's move to Kirkby rejected

EVERTON’S PLANS to develop a new stadium on the outskirts of Liverpool look to be in tatters after the British government rejected the club’s proposals.

The development plan which would have provided a new 50,000 seater stadium for the club in Kirkby, on a site that would also boast the UK’s largest Tesco superstore, were approved by Knowsley Council in June 2008.

The project was scheduled to be completed by 2012, however the government inspector intervened two months later, and the development was put on hold pending a public inquiry.

But plans for “Destination Kirkby” have been rejected. A decision was expected to arrive on November 27th, but plans for the arena in Kirby town centre have now been completely scrapped, along with plans to create a major shopping development for Tesco.