SOCCER SHORTS:LIVERPOOL defender Emiliano Insua's move to Fiorentina has fallen through, the Italian club's sporting director has confirmed.
Pantaleo Corvino said the Serie A club had been unable to agree terms with the 21-year-old Argentinian.
The clubs had agreed a reported €6 million fee but talks have proved to be fruitless, with the player refusing to budge on his salary demands.
Keane’s knee injury not serious
THE injury which ruled Robbie Keane out of Tottenham’s pre-season trip to Portugal is not thought to be serious.
It is understood Keane picked up a knee problem, which meant he did not travel to Lisbon for last Tuesday night’s friendly against Benfica.
Keane has been repeatedly linked with a move away from White Hart Lane since spending the second half of last season on loan at Celtic.
GLENNWhelan has set his sights on being fit for Stoke's opening game of the season against Wolves as he battles with a calf injury.
The 26-year-old midfielder picked up the problem in Saturday’s friendly against Burnley and will play no further part in the Potters’ pre-season preparations.
Whelan will also miss the Republic of Ireland’s friendly with Argentina next week as he focuses on an August 14th return against Mick McCarthy’s men at Molineux.
WESTHam have signed 28-year-old Portsmouth defender Tal Ben Haim on loan until January.
Spanish and Dutch fined for foul play
SPAIN have been fined 10,000 Swiss francs (€7,275) and the Netherlands 15,000 Swiss francs (€10,900) for the behaviour of their players in last month’s World Cup final, Fifa said yesterday.
Winners Spain had five players booked and the Dutch received eight yellow cards, while defender John Heitinga was sent off.
The match produced 47 fouls, prompting Fifa president Sepp Blatter to say he had been let down by the players’ behaviour.
A spokesman said the teams were fined under article 52 of the Fifa disciplinary code, under which “disciplinary measures may be imposed on associations and clubs where a team fails to conduct itself properly”.
The first part of the article states: “a fine may be imposed where the referee sanctions at least five members of the same team during a match”.
Managerial door remains open to Maradona – Bilardo
ARGENTINAS national team director, Carlos Bilardo, says the door remains open for Diego Maradona to return as the country’s coach.
Maradona’s contract as Argentina coach was not renewed following the World Cup after disagreements with the Argentinian FA. However, Bilardo – whom Maradona accused of betraying him – said there are no names in the pipeline to succeed the 1986 World Cup winner and believes he could take up his role again if he sits down and talks to the AFA president, Julio Grondona.
“If Diego comes and talks, I don’t know what can happen. It’s all a question of talking,” Bilardo told the news channel Todo Noticias. I would not close any door. We are awaiting the outcome. Anything can happen.”
Argentina’s next game is a friendly against Republic of Ireland on August 11th in Dublin, and Sergio Batista,has been placed in temporary charge for that fixture. Batista guided Argentina’s Under-23 side to gold at the 2008 Olympics.
Fenn’s U-turn provokes Dundalk fury
THE board of Dundalk football club was meeting last night to consider its response to the news their former striker Neale Fenn had signed for Shamrock Rovers less than a week after being released from his contract with the Oriel Park outfit so he could retire, reports Emmet Malone.
Manager Ian Foster declined to discuss the 33 year-old’s actions last night, but admitted he might put out a statement over the next couple of days.
Having waived any hold that they had on the player, it seems the club might struggle to find any sort of comeback but there is bound to be some anger at the way Rovers have capitalised on their former player’s situation.
Upon his retirement Fenn said, “At the moment, I don’t feel as if I’m going to miss the game but obviously in a month’s time I think I’ll be itching to get back in.”
Apparently it took rather less than a month.
