Sport

Smith's good to go

Soccer Shorts: Alex Ferguson has confirmed he wants Alan Smith to go to Cardiff on loan to improve his match fitness - but the…

Sat Nov 11 2006 - 00:00

Soccer Shorts: Alex Ferguson has confirmed he wants Alan Smith to go to Cardiff on loan to improve his match fitness - but the striker is undecided.

Cardiff contacted Manchester United yesterday to ask if the former Leeds player was available on loan and received a favourable response from Ferguson.

Smith (26) has made only four appearances this season and has not reached the level he was at when he broke a leg and dislocated an ankle against Liverpool in February.

Ferguson said: "Because we are no longer in the League Cup I thought a short-term loan would have been ideal for him to get games. I put that to him and he has spoken to Cardiff but I think he is uncertain about what to do - he's not sure whether to take it or not.

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Dennis Wise, Leeds' new manager, would also like to take the player back to Elland Road.

Richards gets call

Manchester City's Micah Richards and Tottenham's Michael Dawson are the only uncapped members of Steve McClaren's 28-man squad for England's friendly with Holland in Amsterdam on Wednesday next.

ENGLAND (squad v The Netherlands): Robinson (Tottenham), Kirkland (Wigan), Foster (Man Utd); Neville (Man Utd), Neville (Everton), Richards (Man City), Ferdinand (Man Utd), Terry (Chelsea), King (Tottenham), Carragher (Liverpool), Brown (Man Utd), Dawson (Tottenham), A Cole (Chelsea), Bridge (Chelsea); Lennon (Tottenham), Wright-Phillips (Chelsea), Gerrard (Liverpool), Lampard (Chelsea), Carrick (Man Utd), Parker (Newcastle), Jenas (Tottenham), J Cole (Chelsea), Downing (Middlesbrough); Rooney (Man Utd), Crouch (Liverpool), Defoe (Tottenham), Bent (Charlton), Johnson (Everton).

Le Guen backed

Rangers chairman David Murray has offered his full support to under-fire manager Paul Le Guen. The former Lyon boss has come in for increasing criticism after recent results which have left his side trailing Celtic by 15 points in the Scottish Premier League.

Murray said: "At the start of the season, 18 out of 24 journalists tipped Rangers to win the league and it was widely acknowledged that Paul was a great appointment. And I have no reason to change my mind about that.

"I will evaluate the situation at the end of the season, but I do not see any need to panic."