Soccer Shorts: Alex Ferguson has been told he can spend big as Manchester United bid to catch Chelsea. The Glazer family, who own United following their takeover last summer, say they're willing to back Ferguson all the way in his bid to bring top players to Old Trafford.
"If Alex Ferguson really wants a certain player then the Glazers would be willing to push whatever button required to get that player," a spokesman for the Americans said.
Meanwhile, Ferguson admits he has been forced to look abroad in a bid to fill the void left by Roy Keane's departure last December.
"In the present situation where we're looking for a Roy Keane there is no one, absolutely no one, of that type in the English game," Ferguson said. "There are some good players in the English game, but not a Roy Keane-type."
Full-time job for Roeder
Newcastle United have appointed Glenn Roeder as their manager on a full-time basis. The 50-year-old, who has been caretaker manager at the club since the sacking of Graeme Souness in February, has signed a two-year contract.
The former Newcastle captain was cleared last week to take up the post by the Premier League even though he has yet to secure the necessary managerial licence.
Recently retired former Newcastle captain Alan Shearer has been appointed the club's sporting ambassador.
Mourinho ready for tug of war
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho is prepared to tough it out with AC Milan to land striker Andriy Shevchenko, who has made clear his desire to leave Italy. But the Ukrainian is tied to the San Siro until June 2009 and could cost upwards of £30 million.
The Chelsea boss does not expect AC Milan to allow Shevchenko to depart without a fight. "I cannot say that Shevchenko does not interest me, but AC Milan are a very powerful club," said Mourinho. "They don't need to sell players in order to buy good players. It's going to be very difficult."
Meanwhile, Argentina forward Carlos Tevez has said the English champions are interested in signing him.
"Chelsea have the intention of taking me," Tevez, who plays for Brazilian champions Corinthians, said. "There's a reason they came to watch me."
Italian chaos
Italy's Football Federation, shaken by match-fixing allegations, suffered further embarrassment yesterday when it was placed under emergency administration.
The country's national Olympic committee (CONI) put Guido Rossi, a former head of the country's stock market regulator, in charge of the federation with a six-month renewable mandate.
Federation president Franco Carraro and his vice-president, Innocenzo Mazzini, resigned last week.
Rossi said he planned to introduce new regulations to help clean up Italian soccer. "We need rules that will be a deterrent and with serious sanctions," he told a news conference.
Assistant referee axed
Norwegian assistant referee Ole Hermann Borgan has been stripped of his duties for tonight's Champions League final after being pictured in a Barcelona shirt.
Borgan was photographed by a newspaper in his home country wearing the colours of the Spanish champions. While Borgan insists he would have been impartial, Uefa have decided against using him and will replace him with fellow Norwegian Arild Sundet.
In brief . . .
Hull boss Peter Taylor has been given permission to speak to Charlton regarding their vacant managerial role and admitted he would seriously consider the job if offered it . . . Southampton chairman Rupert Lowe will face a vote for his removal after the calling of an extraordinary general meeting of the club's parent company . . . Birmingham City's Cork-born goalkeeper Colin Doyle (20) has signed a new two-year contract . . . Rangers have signed Czech Republic midfielder Libor Sionko (29) for three years on a free transfer from Austria Vienna . . . Stockport County's Irish-born manager Jim Gannon has agreed a new contract with the Edgeley Park club.
