SOCCER SHORTS

Today's other socer stories in brief

Bellamy looks forward to Ramsey debut for Wales

WALES captain Craig Bellamy laid out the red carpet for Aaron Ramsey's Wales debut, hailing the 17-year-old Arsenal youngster as "a very special player".

Not since Ryan Giggs broke on to the Welsh scene at the same age has so much anticipation surrounded an international debut as there is around that of the Caerphilly-born midfielder.

Ramsey will make that debut tonight in the Brondby Stadium against Denmark in what would have been a low-key friendly.

But there is nothing low key about the arrival of Ramsey, who played in the FA Cup final last season for Cardiff and has already figured in the Premier League and Champions League following his €6 million move to the Emirates.

Striker Bellamy (29) admits to being excited by the prospect of having Ramsey pulling the midfield strings behind him.

Bellamy said: "Aaron has been outstanding whenever I have seen him train or play. This is now a natural progression for him."

Jay O'Shea set to sign for Derby

GALWAY United's Jay O'Shea is expected to complete his move to English Championship side Derby County today for a fee, including add-ons, believed to be approaching €400,000.

The under-21 international, who helped Galway stay in the Premier Division on Friday night, has apparently done well enough while training with the Pride Park outfit in recent days to earn the offer of a contract from manager Paul Jewell.

CORPORATE tickets to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa are selling at twice the rate of the competition in Germany two years ago, even as economic conditions worsened, an executive said.

The first round of sales brought in €75 million. South Africa's government has committed €43 billion to make sure the country has stadiums, hotels and other infrastructure to deal with the 450,000 expected visitors.

Everton's plans 'wrong'

EVERTON'S plans to build a new 50,000-seat stadium are "wrong", an inquiry was told yesterday. The €470 million plans, which also include housing and a supermarket, were agreed by a Knowsley Council planning committee in June.

But they were rejected by British Communities minister Hazel Blears and the British Government Office North West which led to a public inquiry that began yesterday.

Dave Kelly, chairman of Keep Everton In Our City (KEIOC), told the inquiry his group was formed to object to the plans. Kelly (50) who has lived in Kirkby for 49 years, said he had been an Everton season ticket-holder for 35 years. He added: "I love my town Kirkby as much as I love Everton Football Club. But I don't think they sit together. The great land give-away is wrong for the people of Kirkby. I believe it (Everton) should stay in the Liverpool Capital of Culture 2008."

The inquiry is expected to last at least four weeks.