A round-up of today's other Soccer stories in brief...
Fabregas still eyes move home
CESC FABREGAS has vowed to give everything to the Arsenal cause but admits a return to Barcelona could happen in the future. The Spain midfielder left Barcelona to join the Gunners in 2003 and has often stated his desire to one day return to his native city.
Fabregas said: "It would be a dream to return to Barcelona someday, but for now I'm staying here. I've decided to give my all for Arsenal and try to win more titles here, although next year who knows?"
McCourt leads Celtic in Derry
DERRY CITY celebrated their 80th anniversary at a packed Brandywell last night, the club's favourite son, Paddy McCourt, leading Celtic on to the Foyleside pitch. Over 4,000 fans attended the game, staged as part of the deal which took McCourt to Parkhead a few months ago - one of two matches, the second to be staged at the same venue next July.
And while Celtic arrived minus their international players, the team did include ex-AC Milan midfielder, Massimo Donati and former Barcelona playmaker, Marc Crosas but it was Celtic's Japanese import, Koki Mizuno who sparkled on the right flank. Only one goal separated the sides with Celtic striker Ben Hutchinson curling a 25 yards free over the defensive wall and beyond the reach of Derry goalkeeper Darren Quigley in the 36th minute.
Move to allay West Ham fears over bank's collapse
WEST HAM'S owner Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson is not planning to take money out of the club as a result of the Icelandic bank he chairs going into receivership, the club's vice-chairman said yesterday.
The Icelandic government said it was taking control of Landsbanki, the country's second-largest bank by value, as the country's financial system threatened to collapse and its currency plunged.
Gudmundsson is Iceland's second-richest man behind his son, Thor, and the family are major shareholders in Landsbanki. Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson led an €109 million buyout of the east London club in November 2006. He invested another €38 million last year after buying a further five per cent stake.
"He is not going to take money out of the club if that is your fear," vice-chairman Asgeir Fridgeirsson said. "This event has limited his options for further investment this year," he told Sky Sports News.
"We have a very big squad and our manager (Gianfranco Zola) feels it is not necessary to be of that size, nearly 35. The money for further transfers would need to be generated from further sales.
"There is not an intention of him to invest further in the club at the moment but the club is standing strong, generating revenues. There is a great opportunity for the club to develop further - by selling players, by buying new and developing new players." West Ham lost their shirt sponsor last month after the collapse of tour operator XL Leisure.
Clash over clubs' growing debt
THE ENGLISH FA and Premier League have clashed over the financial wellbeing of English football as fresh evidence emerged of the game's growing debt.
Speaking at the Leaders in Football conference at Stamford Bridge, FA chairman Lord Triesman and Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore voiced opposing views on the dangers of foreign ownership. Revealing English clubs currently owe an estimated €3.8 billion, Lord Triesman said this posed a "terrible danger" in the current global climate.
Speaking later at the same conference, and with Triesman sitting a few feet away, Scudamore defended the clubs' financial affairs as he hit back at the FA.
"The FA themselves know about all these things because they are one of the most indebted organisations in the world," Scudamore said. "Our clubs are all heavily regulated but they've also got directors and owners who will assess the level of risk of their overall debt.
Life bans for abusive fans urged
LORD TRIESMAN, the English FA chairman, has called on Tottenham to issue life bans to the fans who verbally abused Sol Campbell at Portsmouth.
Triesman has also revealed he will be meeting Fifa president Sepp Blatter following the racist chants directed at Emile Heskey when England met Croatia last month. In a wide-ranging and hard-hitting keynote speech at the Leaders in Football conference at Stamford Bridge, Triesman, a lifelong Spurs fan, chose racism as one of his main topics.
He insisted it was imperative that action be taken against supporters who shouted obscenities at Campbell. "I abhor the treatment of Sol Campbell by supporters of a club that I have loved and supported all my life," he said.
Hurley backing for Keane
SUNDERLAND LEGEND Charlie Hurley has backed manager Roy Keane to take the club into Europe.
Hurley, now 72, is still known as the 'King' on Wearside and was voted the best player of the club's first century by fans who regard him as arguably the best centre-half the world has ever seen.
He, like Keane, was born in Cork, and he believes the current manager, with the support of chairman Niall Quinn and his Drumaville consortium, can establish the club in the upper reaches of the Premier League table.
Hurley said: "I would love to see Sunderland consistently in the top half of the Premier League. "If Roy ever gets them regularly in the top half, he will get them into Europe eventually, and that would be fantastic.
"Roy Keane has done a fantastic job. Niall Quinn and the consortium have backed him to the hilt, and I think they have a pool of people there who are going to take Sunderland to new heights."
