What the papers say

You have to worry about Scottish manager Craig Brown's confidence in his strike force, ahead of next month's Euro 2000 play-off…

You have to worry about Scottish manager Craig Brown's confidence in his strike force, ahead of next month's Euro 2000 play-off against England. The Daily Record reports that he is scouring the English league looking for a goal-scoring forward with Scottish roots. On Saturday, they told us, he was checking out Ipswich Town's Jamaican-born David Johnson.

As if proof were needed of what full lives we live here at Planet Football we've been browsing the East Anglian Daily Times on the internet these past few days and spotted that Dublin-born Brian Launders has been sacked by Colchester United for "serious misconduct". Details of the charge haven't as yet been revealed but Launders' agent Barry Silkman, who described the decision as a "disgrace", has been in touch with the Professional Footballers' Association who, in turn, have promised to take up the player's case. More from the East Anglian Daily Times next week. Elsewhere The Sunday People reckons Chelsea manager Gianluca Vialli has ear-marked Sheffield Wednesday's Benito Carbone as the replacement for Gianfranco Zola, who, they claim, will be returning to Italy next season. The same paper links Manchester United with a move for £12m-rated Feyenoord defender Bert Konderman while everyone reports that Marc Overmars is considering leaving Arsenal.

Didier Deschamps' faith in Chelsea's Champions League-winning hopes also makes the news. The man who's already won the European Cup with Juventus and Marseille, said: "I am a long way away from winning it with a third club".