News Round-Up: Sven-Goran Eriksson says that he has not been approached by Barcelona and wants to finish the job he has started with England.
"I have not been approached by any club and that includes Barcelona," Eriksson said yesterday after British media had reported that Barcelona wanted him as their next coach.
"These reports are incorrect. I have never talked to Barcelona. Managing England is a big, big job and I am happy and proud to have it. I want to finish my job with England," he said.
His contract runs through to the 2006 World Cup.
Barcelona parted company with Dutch coach Louis van Gaal last month and appointed Radomir Antic as his successor.
The beleaguered club's president Joan Gaspart announced yesterday that he would present his resignation to a general assembly of the club on March 1st and that elections to choose a successor would be held at the end of the season. Gaspart, who is head of a leading Spanish hotel chain, was elected club president in July 2000.
Eriksson, who will today announce his squad for Wednesday's friendly against Australia at Upton Park, also played down reports of a rift with Premier league managers over international call-ups.
"I am not under pressure from managers, I have a good relationship with the club managers," said Eriksson. "I never said that I am going to quit if I didn't get the players (for the friendly against Australia). I read it in the papers but that has never been my words." Eriksson also said he will call up new faces for the friendly.
Meanwhile, it looks like new manager Brian Kerr will be without winger Damien Duff for his first game in charge of the Republic of Ireland, against Scotland.
Duff's chances of figuring in Wednesday's friendly in Glasgow were severely diminished yesterday when Blackburn Rovers manager Graeme Souness omitted the injured Dubliner from his squad for this afternoon's Premiership game against Southampton.
It has also emerged that Kerr's rivals for his post will finally be put out of their misery early next week, following confirmation that the FAI finally got around yesterday to sending out letters informing the rest of the short-listed candidates for the post, including Kevin Moran, Bryan Robson and former Japan coach Philippe Troussier, that they had been unsuccessful in their applications for the job.
The FAI's Board of Management also yesterday ratified a proposal by the association's officers that an arbitrator be asked to look into allegations that a senior officer recommended that Kerr's predecessor, Mick McCarthy, seek a bonus of €168,000 before signing a new contract at the World Cup finals in 2002.
John G O'Donnell, a barrister, who is head of the organisation's doping panel, has been appointed to oversee the process.
Gerry Smith, a former member of Shelbourne's coaching staff, has been appointed as manager of the Ireland under-20 team for next month's World Cup in the United Arab Emirates.
Smith previously managed the Irish junior team and was a member of Kerr's technical staff at the European Youth finals in Cyprus in 1998.
He will be assisted during the run-up to the tournament by new senior team coach Noel O'Reilly, and takes charge of the team's preparations with immediate effect.
John Lester of Bohemians and Shamrock Rovers defender Richie Byrne have been called into Don Givens's under-21 squad for Tuesday's game against Scotland. They replace Celtic's Liam Miller and Stephen Paisley, of Manchester City, who have been forced to withdraw from the panel.
Former Shamrock Rovers striker Noel Hunt is expected to make his debut for his new club Dunfermline this afternoon in the Scottish Premier League game against leaders Rangers.
Dublin City have appointed former Kilkenny City and Kildare County assistant manager John Gill as their new manager. The former Home Farm player succeeds John Coady, who left the club last week, after a disappointing league campaign.
