More soccer news in brief.
Blow for Blatter plan
THE EUROPEAN Parliament dealt another blow to Fifa president Sepp Blatter's controversial plans to curb the number of foreigners at soccer clubs by voting against the proposals yesterday.
EU lawmakers rejected Blatter's "6+5 rule", allowing no more than five foreign players to start a match, by 518 votes to 49 but most backed the "home-grown player rule" of European soccer's governing body Uefa.
"The parliament calls on the member states and sports associations not to introduce new rules that create direct discrimination based on nationality, such as Fifa's 6+5," the resolution said.
"It calls on the Commission to recognise the legality of measures favouring the promotion of players who have come through training schemes, such as a minimum number of locally-trained players, irrespective of their nationality."
Fifa opposes the Uefa rule, which sets a quota of locally-trained players at clubs but without any discrimination on nationality, arguing it encourages recruitment at a young age.
Uefa says Blatter's proposal is unworkable in the EU because it contravenes the bloc's laws on the free movement of workers.
Barca pick Guardiola
BARCELONA COACH Frank Rijkaard will be replaced by Josep Guardiola at the end of the season, club president Joan Laporta has revealed.
The decision came a day after Barcelona suffered a 4-1 humiliation at the hands of newly-crowned Primera Liga champions Real Madrid.
Guardiola, a former Barcelona player, is the current coach of the reserves and will officially replace Rijkaard on June 30th.
£15m tag on Crouch
RAFAEL BENITEZ has slapped a £15 million (€19.03 million) price tag on England striker Peter Crouch on the day he lost his first-team coach Alex Miller and confirmed that Harry Kewell will leave Liverpool.
Benitez accepts that Crouch could have his head turned after a frustrating season - but the Spaniard insists he will not be leaving on the cheap.
"Crouch wants to play every week but knows he must fight it out with Fernando Torres," Benitez said. "We keep seeing Portsmouth linked with the player but we have had no offer as yet. A £15 million price tag would not be unreasonable."
On Kewell's departure, Benitez added: "We have tried to come to an agreement with the player and his agent, but that has not been possible. Kewell will leave the club at the end of his contract."
And the Anfield chief also revealed that he had held talks with Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill over the potential transfer of midfielder Gareth Barry.
Benitez, who confirmed the club are open to offers on John Arne Riise, has also seen coach Alex Miller leave the club to take up a management appointment in Japan with JEF United Chiba.
TONIGHT'S FIXTURES:
National League Premier Division (7.45 unless stated):Bray Wanderers v Drogheda Utd, Cork City v Sligo Rovers, Galway Utd v Finn Harps, Shamrock Rovers v Derry City (8.0), St Patrick's Athletic v UCD. First Division:Kildare County v Athlone Town, Limerick 37 v Monaghan Utd, Sporting Fingal v Longford Town, Waterford Utd v Wexford Youths.
LAST NIGHT:
National League First Division:Dundalk 1 (Mulvenna 1) Shelbourne 3 (Freeman 16, Flood 58, 83)
