SOCCER DIGEST: THE IRISH Football Association (IFA) president Raymond Kennedy admitted there had been a breakdown in relations between the governing body and Howard Wells, which led to his sacking as chief executive.
Kennedy stated there had been no financial settlement and Wells was consulting his lawyers about the way forward. It was revealed in August that Wells had taken a grievance case against his employer, claiming he had been treated unfairly because he was English.
Then last week it was reported he was a leading contender for the vacant chief executive's position at the English Football Association.
Kennedy said: "It got to the stage where his job had become untenable. Therefore in the best interests of the IFA we took this action. "There was no debating between us whatsoever. As far as I am concerned we will be moving on. There will be a board meeting at the end of the week. I am 100 per cent sure everything has been conducted in a proper manner."
Work begins on Finn Harps' stadium
LEAGUE OF IRELAND club Finn Harps have confirmed work on their new stadium has started. The club obtained the Fire Safety Certificate for the 6,600 all-seater stadium last week and the Donegal County Council recently approved the lease for the project on council land at Railway Road, Stranorlar. The stadium will incorporate an administration building, with modern dressingrooms and all facilities required by Uefa licensing.
A junior pitch for local soccer is also being provided in the first phase and the project will cost over €9 million.
Pavlyuchenko has politics to fall back on after poll win
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR fans might agree that their forward Roman Pavlyuchenko has appeared distracted this season and now they can blame Vladimir Putin.
For a €17 million outlay Spurs might have expected the 26-year-old's undivided attention but now Pavlyuchenko has entered politics after he was elected a deputy for Putin's United Russia party.
The striker won a seat on the regional council in his home town of Stavropol as his party romped home with 63 per cent of the vote during regional polls in Russia's south.
Pavlyuchenko is not the first Russian footballer to run on a pro-Kremlin ticket. Andrei Arshavin, his fellow striker in Russia's national squad, and who may also join Spurs, stood for United Russia in the 2007 parliamentary elections.
Yesterday the United Russia party refused to discuss how Pavlyuchenko planned to carry out his new political duties while living in London and playing for Tottenham.
Yesterday football observers expressed surprise at Pavlyuchenko's move, pointing out that he had not seemed interested in politics before his departure for England.
"He's not from Moscow. He's a village guy," Anton Lisin, a football commentator with Sovietsky Sport noted. "The only reason Pavlyuchenko might be interested in politics is if the international financial crisis affected his wages."
• Guardian Service
Burley says Boyd is disrespectful
SCOTLAND MANAGER George Burley yesterday accused Kris Boyd of lacking respect for Scotland and for the national team's manager by refusing to be considered for future international squads while Burley remained in control.
Boyd (25) feels he has not been given a fair chance, but Burley has reacted to his decision to quit international football saying: "I think he has shown a lack of respect to his country and myself."
