Newslines: Leeds get tough with Smith

LEEDS: Alan Smith has been warned in no uncertain terms that he will be transfer-listed unless he remedies his disciplinary problems.

David O'Leary summoned Smith yesterday for an hour-long meeting in which the Leeds manager made it clear he would not tolerate any more of the behaviour that once saw him describe the striker as "in danger of becoming a thug".

Leeds are still monitoring Robbie Fowler's position at Liverpool, where new contract negotiations have failed to materialise.

Mark Viduka may quit international football after failing to reach the World Cup with Australia.

"I'll probably go back to concentrating on club football," he said.

Leeds colleague Harry Kewell, however, aims to become captain of the Socceroos.

RANGERS: Dick Advocaat is making Michael Ball sweat over his Ibrox future. The former Everton defender's Ibrox career hangs in the balance following his heated exchange with Advocaat during their 2-1 Old Firm defeat at Parkhead.

Advocaat stated after the game that he would have showdown talks with Ball but yesterday insisted he will make the 22-year-old wait until today to find out whether he has a future at the club.

STRIKE DEAL: The English players' union (PFA) says its deal with the football authorities over television revenue will be worth £175 million sterling over 10 years.

Gordon Taylor, chief executive of the PFA, gave details of the agreement at the union's annual general meeting yesterday.

GEORGE BEST: George Best was yesterday released from a Limassol clinic in Cyprus after recovering from a viral infection. Best was taken to the clinic on Thursday suffering from a fever and a gastrointestinal tract infection.

CELTIC: One of Celtic's famous Lisbon Lions, winger Jimmy Johnstone, has been diagnosed with the life-threatening motor neurone disease.

The 57-year-old, widely-known under his nickname of "Jinky" played in the Jock Stein-managed side which in 1967 became the first British club to lift the European Cup.

ROMANIA: Gheorghe Hagi yesterday resigned as coach of Romania. The country's most famous footballer received heavy criticism when Romania failed to qualify for the World Cup by slumping to a 3-2 aggregate defeat against Slovenia in this month's play-off tie.

BOHEMIANS: Former under-21 international defender Colin Hawkins should move a good deal closer to completing his return to the National League this afternoon when he is scheduled to finalise a three-year contract with last season's double winners, Bohemians.

The 24-year-old has never fully established himself as a first-team regular since leaving Inchicore for Doncaster Rovers and having grappled with a few defensive problems over the past few weeks, Bohemians boss Pete Mahon has agreed a fee believed to be in the region of £20,000 for the centre back.

LIVERPOOL: Liverpool are hoping to dissuade their club captain Jamie Redknapp from a summer move to Tottenham Hotspur by opening contract negotiations with the former England international.

OXFORD: English soccer chiefs have fined Oxford United manager Mark Wright £1,750 sterling and banned him from the touchline for four matches after he made an offensive remark at a black referee.

The former Liverpool and England defender, who has also been suspended by his club, was alleged to have made two offensive remarks to match officials during the third division match between Oxford United and Scunthorpe on October 20th and was charged with misconduct, the FA said.

LEICESTER: Middlesbrough striker Brian Deane is expected to complete his long-awaited move to Leicester later this week. The two FA Premiership clubs have agreed an undisclosed nominal fee.

MANCHESTER UNITED: Former Manchester United star Paddy Crerand has been charged with assault following an alleged road rage incident near his home, police said yesterday.

The incident occurred after Glaswegian-born Crerand allegedly became involved in a row with another driver near his home in Sale, Greater Manchester, on Friday.

EVERTON: Everton have opened negotiations with their Portuguese defender Abel Xavier, whose contract expires in June.

Xavier, a £1.6 million sterling recruit from PSV Eindhoven in 1999, has only played a bit-part role in recent weeks having failed to regain a place after being concussed in the 3-1 defeat against Newcastle last month.