Soccer News round-up: Milan Mandaric would like to replace Harry Redknapp with another British manager and will insist that there is a British presence on the coaching staff if Portsmouth end up making a foreign appointment.
The Portsmouth chairman and his chief executive Peter Storrie and executive director Velimir Zajec will meet today to map out the "ideal CV" they want from their head coach as they begin a search at home and abroad.
Portsmouth aim to make the appointment before the transfer window opens on January 1st.
"If the person can meet the CV that we are going to establish, my preference would be definitely British," Mandaric said.
Elsewhere Newcastle boss Graeme Souness has been granted a personal hearing by Football Association disciplinary chiefs on Friday, December 10th, over his charge for improper conduct. The Scot was sent from the dug-out by referee Howard Webb during his side's 4-1 home defeat by Fulham on November 7th after furiously contesting a series of controversial decisions.
Mr Webb decided not to penalise Zat Knight for an untidy challenge on Alan Shearer which started the move from which Collins John fired the visitors ahead, and then compounded his error, in Souness' eyes at least, by failing to spot a push by Papa Bouba Diop on his captain inside the penalty area minutes later.
The Magpies' manager had admitted the offence, but requested a personal hearing to put his side of the story.
The fallout from Middlesbrough's 2-0 defeat at Tottenham continued yesterday when Steve McClaren was charged with improper conduct by the Football Association.
McClaren has been charged after confronting the referee Phil Dowd on the pitch at half-time over the French defender Franck Queudrue's dismissal in Sunday's game.
McClaren, who has until December 15th to respond, is likely to face a fine if found guilty and that would complete a hat-trick of punishments over the Queudrue incident.
Queudrue was given a straight red card for his two-footed tackle on Spurs' Noe Pamarot, angering McClaren, who believed his player had been harshly treated.
But the FA did not agree and on Tuesday rejected the Frenchman's appeal against his sending-off and he will serve a three-match ban.
Jermain Defoe yesterday assured Tottenham fans he is not looking to quit the club. The England striker, whose agents are currently in talks with Spurs about an improved contract, has been linked with a move to Chelsea even though Blues boss Jose Mourinho has denied any interest.
Defoe (22) said: "I am happy here and I've said that to my family, close friends and the players. I want to let them all know that I don't want to go anywhere.
"I think we will push on as a club and I am thoroughly enjoying my football, scoring goals and that's all I need to worry about."
South America is undecided on the future of its World Cup qualifying competition after deciding to ditch the controversial league format that has infuriated European clubs.
South American Football Confederation (CSF) spokesman Nestor Benitez said various suggestions had been made, including using the Copa America as a qualifying competition or dividing the teams into groups of five.
"It's premature to talk about this when the teams are still fighting to qualify (for 2006), but it is a subject which will have to be dealt with and there are a number of ideas," Benitez said. Each country has the right to put forward a proposal.
Benitez announced in October that the CSF was likely to scrap the current system, which has been used for the last three World Cups.
World champions Brazil have regularly criticised the format in which the teams play 18 matches each between September 2003 and October 2005.
