David O'Leary could be in big trouble with the English FA after it emerged last night that the Leeds manager was involved in a clash with Arsenal winger Robert Pires in the wake of Sunday's bad-tempered encounter at Elland Road - a row which some claim O'Leary instigated.
Two local radio reporters had been interviewing O'Leary in the players' entrance, more than an hour after the match, when Pires walked past with Thierry Henry and muttered something in French. O'Leary responded by blowing a kiss in their direction and saying "au revoir". And with that all hell broke loose.
Pires had to be restrained by Henry as he attempted to confront O'Leary, with witnesses claiming he was repeatedly screaming "putain" - French slang for whore. O'Leary, in turn, was heard shouting to Henry: "Get him out of here, get him out of here." The Leeds manager then turned to his interviewers: "You're the proof. What have I done? What have I done?"
Henry eventually led his compatriot to Arsenal's team coach but not before turning to O'Leary and rebuking him for his behaviour: "It is not a nice way for a coach to behave."
O'Leary opted for a dignified silence yesterday but, according to an informed source, the Leeds manager is believed to have instigated the incident by blowing a kiss at Pires from the dug-out during his side's 1-0 win. The Arsenal winger was said to have tried to confront O'Leary in the tunnel after the final whistle.
As part of regulations introduced at the start of the season, the FA will fine Arsenal £25,000 for having seven players cautioned. The club could face further action if Dermot Gallagher's match report refers to an incident in the tunnel in which several Arsenal players angrily remonstrated with him. The FA will also look at a video replay of a second-half challenge when midfielder Patrick Vieira appeared to kick Leeds' Olivier Dacourt in the jaw.
Wenger is awaiting a date for an appeal hearing into his 12-match touchline ban for allegedly manhandling the fourth official after Arsenal's defeat at Sunderland on the opening day of the season.
Meanwhile, Middlesbrough intend to appoint a new manager at the Riverside, even if Terry Venables declines the offer to take up the reins of the struggling Premiership club.
The current manager, Bryan Robson, who worked with Venables at Euro '96, has been earmarked to become the club's chief coach, and Gibson is hopeful he will stay on in that capacity even if the former England coach declines the offer.
That looks increasingly likely, even though Venables continued talks with Robson and chief executive Keith Lamb yesterday. He is apparently keen to manage Middlesbrough after 22 months out of the game.
But Venables is also reluctant to relinquish his media commitments and business interests - particularly a hotel complex in Spain and does not believe he can do the Middlesbrough job justice on a part-time basis.
The former England coach has promised Gibson an answer within the next 24 hours and, should he decline the role, the Boro chairman will turn his attention to his contingency list.
Possible candidates for the post include Ron Atkinson, who managed Robson at West Bromwich Albion and Manchester United, and the former Liverpool and Newcastle manager Kenny Dalglish.
Norwich manager Bryan Hamilton has failed in an attempt to sign Northern Ireland striker David Healy from Manchester United. Hamilton's attempts to land Healy in a temporary or permanent move have been flatly rejected by the Old Trafford club.
