Soccer Digest

Other soccer stories in brief

Keane under influence

Sunderland manager Roy Keane will adopt the firm but fair approach he received from Brian Clough and Alex Ferguson as he hones his management style.

The Corkman said: "I would always try to give the players the benefit of the doubt. The one thing I have learnt from Brian Clough and Alex Ferguson is I always thought they were fairly fair.

"If you made a mistake, they were quite happy to put their arm around you but, eventually, they would come down hard on you. That is all you want as a player. If the manager is fair with you, you have no complaints."

Meanwhile, Keane is battling a growing injury crisis after losing full back Stephen Wright for 12 weeks after undergoing surgery.

It is the latest in a series of blows for Keane, who has a major headache for Saturday's Championship trip to Ipswich.

Strikers David Connolly, Stephen Elliott and Daryl Murphy are out with thigh, ankle and hamstring problems respectively, while Jon Stead is rated at only 50-50 with a stomach strain.

Bellamy an 'upstart'

Newcastle coach Terry McDermott has branded Liverpool striker Craig Bellamy "a little upstart" after their tunnel bust-up at Anfield. The former Liverpool midfielder launched the attack after the pair clashed following Wednesday's Premiership game between the two clubs.

McDermott claims Bellamy, who left Newcastle after a fallout with then manager Graeme Souness, provoked the incident by repeatedly calling him names.

McDermott, who had been a member of Souness's coaching staff, said: "I was talking to the referee. It had nothing to do with anyone else and I take exception to little upstarts like him. I do not like it when people like to think they are bigger than clubs."

Mandaric standing down

Milan Mandaric is finally ready to step down as chairman of Portsmouth - and has announced that the Premiership leaders' home match against Bolton on Monday will be his last in the role.

The Serb-American businessman, who bought the club out of administration seven years ago and propelled it into the Premiership within four years, adopted the title of non-executive chairman two months ago when Alexandre Gaydamak agreed a price to take over the remaining half of his shares, having bought a £15 million half-stake last January.

Mandaric denied suggestions there had been a delay in Gaydamak handing over the final instalment of cash to take full control.

More scandal in Italy

Sampdoria striker Francesco Flachi has been suspended for two months following an investigation into allegations he helped gather information for gamblers.

The Italian league's disciplinary commission ruled that Flachi had "sought to gain information on the outcome of games" for a third party.

Flachi's former Sampdoria team-mate Moris Carrozzieri, now with Atalanta, was also handed a two-month ban for the same offence relating to a lower division game.

The disciplinary commission's ruling said, however, there had been no evidence that Flachi's behaviour had influenced the outcome of any game. Sampdoria were fined €20,000 by the commission.

In brief . . .

John Carver has been appointed caretaker manager of Leeds United following this week's departure of Kevin Blackwell . . . Tottenham have been dealt an injury blow with coach Martin Jol confirming £10.8-million striker Dimitar Berbatov will be sidelined for a further fortnight after he aggravated a groin injury in training . . . Former Rangers manager Alex McLeish has revealed he is ready for a return to management after taking a sabbatical from the game following his departure from Ibrox at the end of last season . . . Premiership newcomers Reading are to apply for planning permission to extend the Madejski Stadium's capacity by at least 10,000, which would increase the capacity of the ground to nearly 35,000.