Soccer Shorts

Today's other stories in brief

McCarthy will shake

Wolves manager Mick McCarthy has insisted he will shake hands with Sunderland manager Roy Keane when the two clubs meet in a English Championship clash at Molineux on Friday evening.

McCarthy was manager of the Republic of Ireland when he had an infamous bust-up with Keane during the 2002 World Cup finals in Japan and South Korea.

McCarthy claims, however, the pair have ended their feud and that there will be no ill feeling when they come face to face on the touchline. He said: "Four years on I was man enough to make a call to Roy Keane recently and he was gracious enough to take it.

"We both did what we thought was right at the time during the 2002 World Cup and we have made our peace with each other. There will be a handshake."

West Ham sell out

West Ham United ended months of speculation yesterday by agreeing an £85 million takeover from a consortium led by Icelandic FA president and Uefa member Eggert Magnusson.

The Londoners are the latest English Premiership club to fall into foreign hands, following Chelsea, Manchester United, Aston Villa, Portsmouth and Fulham.

The London side said they had recommended a cash offer of 421 pence per share from consortium WH Holding.

The consortium, which will buy 83 per cent of the shares, is bankrolled by the billionaire chairman of Icelandic bank Landsbanki, Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson.

Magnusson is to replace Terry Brown as West Ham chairman although Brown will remain as a director.

No reprieve given

Blackburn's Tugay and Hossam Ghaly of Tottenham have had their claims for wrongful dismissal rejected by an independent disciplinary commission.

Both players were sent off during Sunday's 1-1 draw at Ewood Park.

Fifa to go hi-tech

Goal-line technology will be used in next year's World Club Championship following trials this year in junior competitions run by world football's governing body, Fifa president Sepp Blatter said yesterday.

Fifa had planned to use the technology in this year's World Cup but shelved the idea after trials had proved inconclusive.

Blatter said goal-line video equipment was the only type of technology that might be used to help referees.

African finals threat

Organizers of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa yesterday failed to show up for a news conference to discuss their readiness to host the soccer tournament.

Since winning the right to host the finals, South Africa has struggled to reassure Fifa that it can modernize a decrepit transportation system, build new stadiums and hotels and provide security.

There have been rumours that the world governing body might move the tournament to Australia if it appeared that South Africa was not making sufficient progress.

In brief . . .

Howard Webb has been handed the task of refereeing Sunday's eagerly-anticipated Premiership clash between Manchester United and Chelsea . . . Gareth Southgate will today discover if he can continue to manage Middlesbrough as the English Premier League decide whether or not to extend the 36-year-old's dispensation to work without a Uefa Pro Licence . . . Four veteran players - Chris Lucketti, Alan Wright, David Unsworth and Neil Shipperley - have been made available for loan by Sheffield United manager Neil Warnock . . . Bundesliga side Bayern Munich have joined the race for Fiorentina striker Luca Toni, according to reports in Germany . . . English Championship strugglers Barnsley yesterday sacked manager Andy Ritchie just weeks after blocking Sheffield Wednesday's bid to approach the former Manchester United striker . . . New regulations governing players' agents were yesterday approved by the English FA following a meeting of the FA Council and are expected to come into force for the 2007 summer transfer window, subject to Fifa approval.