Soccer Digest

Zidane for short term: France's Zinedine Zidane kept fans guessing about his retirement by saying he is still considering playing until 2007.

"I still have six months or maybe a year left. At the best I have a year and a half," Zidane said. "I'm closer to the end than the beginning."

The 33-year-old intended to end his career when his contract with Real Madrid finished at the end of June 2007. But he recently hinted he may retire after the World Cup finals in Germany.

The inspirational playmaker shelved his international career after France suffered a shock elimination at the hands of Greece in the quarter-finals of the 2004 European Championship.

However, Zidane returned for France in August 2005, along with defender Lilian Thuram and midfielder Claude Makelele, and helped his country qualify for the World Cup finals.

Robertson returns

Former Livingston striker and coach John Robertson has been named as the Scottish Premier club's new manager in place of Paul Lambert who quit last Saturday.

Robertson (41) returns to Livingston following a brief spell with Scottish First Division Ross County this season. He also managed his former club Hearts last season for six months until new owner Vladimir Romanov replaced him with George Burley.

Ranieri eyes Newcastle

Former Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri has revealed his interest in becoming the next manager at Newcastle. Ranieri, who endured an unsuccessful spell at Valencia after leaving Stamford Bridge in 2004, is currently without a club but has not been contacted by Newcastle officials.

"Newcastle is one of the best clubs in England. They are a good, ambitious team and that is very important for me." he said. "I am looking for another good job with a club who has ambition. Newcastle is a good team, an ambitious team. It is one of the best clubs in England."

Testimonial windfall Newcastle United captain Alan Shearer will donate all proceeds to charity when he brings down the curtain on his career in a testimonial match against Celtic on May 11th.

It is hoped the St James' Park game will raise more than £1million, Newcastle said yesterday.

Boro in fine fettle

Middlesbrough yesterday travelled to troubled Stuttgart looking for a last-16 place in the Uefa Cup buoyed by their 3-0 demolition of Chelsea at the weekend, and the German club's decision to replace manager Giovanni Trapattoni with Armin Veh last week.

Middlesbrough are without striker Mark Viduka, who was ill ahead of the Chelsea game, and Gaizka Mendieta (hamstring) and James Morrison (knee and hip).

On a positive note, Brazilian Fabio Rochemback, who against Chelsea turned in his best performance yet for the club, is available after missing the first half of the campaign because he had already played for former club Sporting Lisbon in Europe.

Full back Tony McMahon is included in a 20-man squad for the first time since dislocating his shoulder in August, while McClaren also handed a seat on the plane to 19-year-old utility man Gary Liddle.

In brief . . .

Barcelona striker Samuel Eto'o has dismissed reports linking him with a transfer to Chelsea this summer, saying he believes he has been linked because he will face the Premiership side next Wednesday in the Champions League . . . Everton have applied for a place in next season's Intertoto Cup, which provides an alternative route into the Uefa Cup . . . Portsmouth chief executive Peter Storrie believes Uruguayan striker Dario Silva, who had the rest of his contract paid off by the club this week, lost interest in playing as soon as his country were knocked out of the World Cup . . . Derby defender Lewin Nyatanga (17) is set to become Wales' youngest full international after being named in John Toshack's squad to play Paraguay in a friendly in Cardiff on March 1st . . . West Ham defender Lionel Scaloni has been called up by Argentina for their friendly international against Croatia on March 1st . . . Away fans will be banned from watching ADO den Haag versus Ajax Amsterdam fixtures for the next five years after an attack on the ADO clubhouse last week . . . Ipswich's Republic of Ireland international striker Alan Lee (27) will be absent for the next three weeks after tearing his hamstring.