Thornton in demand

Sunderland manager Howard Wilkinson said yesterday that he intends to ask the FAI to allow Seán Thornton to remain at the struggling Premiership club rather than travel to the World Youth Cup in the United Arab Emirates.

The move comes despite strong indications from Brian Kerr last week that the association will take a similar approach to the one adopted in 1999 when the then Ireland youth manager fought a prolonged battle with a number of English clubs in order to secure the release of players like Alan Maybury, Stephen McPhail and Robbie Keane.

"The letter of the law is that they can take the players," conceded Wilkinson, "but that very rarely happens when clubs ask for the players to be released.

"I will be requesting," he added, "that they do as the FA has with England players here and release them to play with their clubs."

Meanwhile, Manchester City boss Kevin Keegan is looking to replace defenders Steve Howey and Richard Dunne as part of a Maine Road clear-out and admits his hopes of a top six finish this season have been dashed.

Howey and Dunne were dropped after defensive errors allowed Arsenal to score four times inside the first 20 minutes as the champions romped to a 5-1 away victory on February 22nd.

The former England manager added: "I am going to look at other options now in his (Howey) position, in Richard Dunne's position and maybe one or two other positions."

Chris McGrath, son of Republic of Ireland defender Paul, is facing up to the stark reality that his dream of making a name for himself in the first team at Anfield could be over.

The 18-year old defender spent last week trying to impress scouts at Lilleshall, where trials are held each year for Academy players who are due to be released by their club's.

McGrath, who began training with Liverpool five years ago, said: "If I'm honest, it's only just beginning to dawn on me that I'm going to be released by Liverpool in May.

"I've not heard anything concrete yet, but there has been no offer of a contract - and when they said going to Lilleshall would be good for me, I guess that was confirmation enough and the writing on the wall," he told the Liverpool website.