A round-up of today's other stories in brief

Allardyce charged

Bolton Wanderers manager Sam Allardyce was charged with improper conduct by the English FA yesterday over comments he made about referee Mike Riley. Allardyce, among the favourites to succeed Sven-Goran Eriksson as England manager after the World Cup, criticised Riley for booking five Bolton players in their league game against Blackburn Rovers on January 14th. Bolton's Japan midfielder Hidetoshi Nakata was sent off by Riley in the first half of the 0-0 draw at Ewood Park. Allardyce has until February 10th to reply to the charge.

Thoughts of chairman

Arsenal chairman Peter Hill-Wood is unlikely to have endeared himself to three Arsenal players after suggesting that Sol Campbell, Freddie Ljungberg and Robert Pires look capable of only one more year of top European football, writes Jon Brodkin. The trio's form has slipped but the chairman's thoughts, even if considered accurate, are the sort most clubs would prefer to remain private.

The comments came as he assessed Arsenal's squad and Arsene Wenger's transfer strategy. The manager has signed three young players this month in Abou Diaby, Emmanuel Adebayor and Theo Walcott, and Hill-Wood believes that is sensible.

"What we've got is two or three players who are probably a year from not being good enough in the Champions League, and to replace them immediately is incredibly difficult," he said. He also said the club had made "an absolutely fantastic offer" to Thierry Henry. "I'm not going to say what it is, but it made me shudder. It's a lot of money,"

Hill-Wood said."It's for five years. Arsene Wenger thinks he's physically capable of playing for another five years. We've made him an offer which is probably as good an offer as anybody in this country - maybe other than Chelsea - would make."

Guardian Service

Lennon 'staying'

Neil Lennon's agent insists the Celtic captain is going nowhere, despite emerging as a potential successor to Craig Levein at Leicester. Lennon spent almost five years before moving to Glasgow in November 2000 but his agent said: "Neil has a special place in his heart for Leicester and he has never hidden his desire to move into management. But, for now, he is concentrating on winning the league with Celtic."

Meanwhile, Portsmouth chairman Milan Mandaric is refusing to give up on signing striker John Hartson from Celtic. Mandaric said: "We are trying to go back to them with a deal. I think it's only fair they know we won't give up."

Hartson's Celtic team-mate Didier Agathe insists he cannot get away from Parkhead and manager Gordon Strachan quickly enough. The out-of-favour 30-year-old, who has been at Celtic for five years, has only made four substitute appearances since Martin O'Neill departed in the summer and is currently training on his own. Behind closed doors

The remaining 46 minutes of the abandoned King's Cup quarter-final tie between Valencia and Deportivo Coruna will be played behind closed doors at the Mestalla at a date to be agreed between the two sides, the Spanish Football Federation said yesterday. Wednesday's second leg was halted by referee Carlos Megia Davila after a linesman was cut on the head by an object thrown from the crowd shortly after Valencia had taken the lead. The tie was level 1-1 on aggregate.

Holders advance

Brazilian-born striker Francileudo Dos Santos steered holders Tunisia into the African Nations Cup quarter-finals in a 2-0 win over South Africa yesterday. Dos Santos, who scored a hat-trick in their 4-1 rout of Zambia, struck a 32nd minute shot that squirmed beneath keeper Calvin Marlin in the driving rain on a cold night at the Harras El-Hedoud Stadium.

Midfielder Slim Benachour swept home Tunisia's second in the 58th minute to secure a convincing win for Roger Lemerre's African champions.

Victory also put Guinea into the last eight from Group C after they earlier beat Zambia 2-1, following up their 2-0 win over the South Africans on Sunday.

Operation for Brady

Birmingham City's managing director Karren Brady will undergo a brain operation next week, the Premier League club said yesterday. "The condition has been caught early and Karren is expected to have a surgical procedure early next week," said a statement on the club's website. The 36-year-old will be treated for a brain aneurysm (swelling of an artery) after being diagnosed with the condition on Wednesday.

In brief . . .

Ajax defender Nigel de Jong has joined German Bundesliga side Hamburg SV on a four-and-a-half year deal. The 21-year-old's contract had been due to expire in July, and he had been linked with moves to Tottenham, West Ham and Manchester United . . . West Ham are ready to offer veteran striker Teddy Sheringham a new playing contract and a coaching role to ward off potential suitors. Sheringham turns 40 in April but his form has reportedly attracted interest from Blackburn and former club Tottenham . . . Aston Villa manager David O'Leary has dismissed reports that Eric Djemba-Djemba is set to move to Spain on loan . . . Southampton have signed Liverpool and Republic of Ireland under-21 international Darren Potter on loan until the end of the season . . . Portugal winger Simao Sabrosa, linked with a move to Liverpool, Manchester United and Chelsea, will remain at Benfica until the end of the season.