Soccer Shorts

A round up of today's other soccer stories in brief...

Staying put

TOTTENHAM MIDFIELDER Tom Huddlestone has signed a new five-year contract at White Hart Lane. The club announced yesterday the 21-year-old, called up by England for the recent friendlies against the US and Trinidad and Tobago, has committed his future to the club until 2013. Huddlestone has made a good impression on manager Juande Ramos during the Spaniard's first season at the club.

Pellegrino back at Liverpool 

RAFAEL BENITEZ has made a second appointment to his Liverpool backroom staff by securing Mauricio Pellegrino's return to Anfield as first-team coach. The 36-year-old Argentinian made 12 appearances for Liverpool during Benitez's first season in charge, after a more successful playing career under the Spaniard at Valencia, and has been employed as youth-team coach at the Mestalla since ending his playing days in 2006.

Pellegrino and the assistant manager, Sammy Lee, replace Alex Miller, who left to become the manager of the Japanese club JEF United, and Pako Ayesteran, Benitez's former assistant, who officially left the club yesterday having been on gardening leave since August.

"His role will be first-team coach and he will also carry out specialist training sessions," Benitez said of Pellegrino. "He can also work specifically with the defence and also the reserves."

Barton faces sentence today

NEWCASTLE UNITED midfielder Joey Barton pleaded guilty yesterday to assaulting team-mate Ousmane Dabo during a training session last year when both played for Manchester City. He will be sentenced today.

Greater Manchester Police said in a statement that Barton attacked Dabo after an argument over a late tackle as the players were leaving the pitch.

Barton (25) was jailed for six months in May after admitting to beating up a teenager during a night out. Dabo (30) has returned to Serie A club Lazio.