Manchester United striker Teddy Sheringham has been voted England's Footballer of the Year, the Football Writers' Association said yesterday. Sheringham won the award by two votes from United colleague David Beckham. Arsenal's French midfielder Patrick Vieira was third. Sheringham, Roy Keane and Ryan Giggs have also been shortlisted for the Players' Player of the Year award.
Manchester United shares slid to their lowest level in three seasons yesterday as gloom continued to surround the English premier league champions after their exit from the Champions League this week. The shares dropped six per cent to a three-year low of 164p in trading yesterday, reducing the club's market value to about £430 million sterling. The shares later recovered some ground to stand two per cent down at 171-1/2p.
Meanwhile, the club yesterday agreed a coaching link-up with Norwegian side Oslo East.
English third division leaders Chesterfield are not to appeal over the nine-point penalty recommended by a football league panel as punishment for financial irregularities. The club were also fined £20,000 sterling eight days ago and originally said they planned to appeal.
Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger says he will not resort to lavish spending in the summer after his side went out of the Champions League earlier this week.
Wenger reacted to comments attributed to midfielder Patrick Vieira following Arsenal's defeat at Valencia on Tuesday when the French player suggested that his side need to bring several top stars to the club in order to succeed in Europe next season.
The UEFA Cup could be set for a major revamp, possibly into a league format. Mike Lee, the communications chief for European governing body UEFA, said yesterday the competition, which is now played on a knockout basis, was under review.
Asked if a league format could be on the cards in the early rounds, Lee said: "There is a certain amount of pressure which we think has some merit to it."
Liverpool have been quoted at 15-8 to complete a cup treble this season following their qualification for the UEFA Cup final on Thursday night.
Sepp Blatter said yesterday he intends to seek re-election as FIFA president when his current term of office ends next year. Blatter said he will formally announce his intention to stand at FIFA's Congress in Buenos Aires in July.
Cafu, Rivaldo and Roberto Carlos, three of Brazil's survivors from the 1998 World Cup final defeat by France, were yesterday not included by coach Emerson Leao in the squad for next Wednesday's 2002 World Cup qualifier with Peru. The three have been rested.
Real Madrid winger Luis Figo, who underwent an operation for a broken nose yesterday which he received following an elbow in his face in their 3-0 European Champions League victory against Galatasaray on Wednesday, wants to return to team action for tomorrow's Spanish first division match against Real Zaragoza.
Chelsea captain Dennis Wise yesterday urged team boss Claudio Renieri to sign Barcelona's Brazilian star Rivaldo to help turn the English Premiership side into a major European force. "Rivaldo would be the key man at Chelsea. I dream of seeing him playing alongside Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Gianfranco Zola," said Wise.
