compiled by Mary Hannigan

McCarthy's men abroad

Way, way, way back in the last century (1997, to be precise), Tallaght's very own Thomas Butler  was crowned the Republic of Ireland's under-15 player of the year. In and around the same time Leeds United came calling, offering him the chance to join big brother John at Elland Road, but Thomas said "you're grand, thanks" and signed up for Sunderland instead.

On Saturday, after a hatful of substitute appearances, the 21-year-old midfielder made his full debut for Peter Reid's Red and White-stripey army in the game against Charlton, in the same week he was named in the Republic of Ireland under-21 squad for May's Toulon Tournament. Consequently, young Butler has now been added to our "ones-to-watch" file.

And speaking of ones to watch: it was in that precise category that Daryl Clare fell not all that long ago, after he declared for the Republic (after playing for the English under-21s), the country of birth of the Jersey native's parents. Then? It all went horribly wrong. He left Grimsby for loan spells at Northampton and Cheltenham, before finally joining non-league Boston United. The end? Probably, but perhaps not - yesterday Boston won promotion to the football league after taking the Conference title, with Clare their top-scorer (25 goals in 40 appearances).

No movement on the green line

Last Tuesday Onefootball.com reported the heart-warming tale of AEK Larnaca's signing of two Turkish Cypriot brothers, the first from the Turkish-occupied half of the island to join a Greek Cypriot club since 1974. Raif Selden had earlier come close to signing for Larnaca's rivals Anorthosis when he snuck over the heavily-guarded green line dividing Cyprus for a trial, but the club dropped their interest in the player when they learnt his mother is from mainland Turkey and is not Turkish-Cypriot.

There were other complications along the way, not least Turkish-Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash's objection to the brothers moving "abroad" (to professional football in the Greek-Cypriot south), but they all finally seemed to be resolved last week when they snuck over the green line again to sign for Larnaca. And they all lived happily ever after? Well, no. As if proof were needed that love can banjax the best laid plans, Raif crossed back into the north (where the press have dubbed him and his brother "traitors") in an attempt to collect his fiancee. Now? He can't get back over the green line again. Gutted?

This little metatarsal went to . . .

(1) Ananova: "Neville 'Lucky' To Break Small Bone": Gary Neville's (left) injury is not as serious as first thought. (He) has broken the fifth metatarsal bone in his left foot. (His) injury is not as serious as David Beckham's who broke his second metatarsus. Professor Tom Reilly, director of research at the Institute for Sport and Exercise Sciences at John Moores University: "Nobody wants to break any bones, but if you had to pick any then the first and second metatarsus would be the most important ones."

(2) Soccernet: "Neville injury worse than Beckham's": Gary Neville will miss the World Cup after Manchester United medical specialists confirmed the England defender has suffered an injury even more serious than David Beckham's. Sadly for Neville the bone he broke is connected to the little toe and that, say the United doctors, takes longer to heal than Beckham's fracture." Conclusion? Doctors differ, right-backs don't know if they're coming or going (to the World Cup).

You can never be too careful

You know the song, One Day at a Time (Sweet Jesus)? Well, maybe you know it, but Blackburn's John Curtis certainly doesn't. Last week Football 365 quoted the young defender as telling his legions of fans on his personal website that "you won't catch us counting our chickens until we're mathematically safe". Fair enough, at that stage Blackburn still weren't certain of Premiership survival. But, in John's next sentence he declared: "If - as it now looks likely - we avoid relegation, I think we'll have had a very good season all around."

Schumacher fightin' fit

Remember Toni Schumacher, the German goalie who wasn't sent off for poleaxing Patrick "clean through on goal" Battiston of France in the 1982 World Cup semi-final? The ref's award of a goal-kick following the incident, you'll recall, remains one of the sport's wackier decisions. Well, these days Schumacher earns his keep as Bayer Leverkusen goalkeeping coach and, it seems, he hasn't put his poleaxing days behind him. Schumacher is now alleged to have punched a Werder Bremen fan in the face after they beat Leverkusen in a crucial Bundesliga match. "I was stunned," said Torben Keller, who says he may now need an operation on his injured face and, startlingly, is threatening legal action. "Allez for it", as Battiston might put it, if he's regained consciousness

Quotes of the week

"I don't think people will realise how much the Dutch team will be missed until the World Cup starts."

- Speak for yerself, Ruud Gullit.

"I realise (his recovery) is very important for the country. I don't know enough about stress fractures to go into any detail, but I do know he is not doing the right things to get it fixed."

- The (British) Queen, as quoted by the Daily Mail, after hearing that Beckham had been out and about in his car and had been involved in an accident. Next week: Mary McAleese advises Mark Kennedy on his groin strain.

"Adam Crozier did a good job modernising the FA, but since then he's assumed more and more power because the chairman Geoff Thompson is very weak. He's now in a situation where he reminds you of Hitler, or the way Hitler took control of Germany on an unelected basis."

- Chelsea chairman Ken Bates, once again, mislays the plot.

"Joe Cole is an outstanding talent. If Sven feels he's one for the future he should take him now and blood him into international football. At the very least he'll get the experience of being there, even if he's just sharing a bath with the players."

- Geoff "Sir" Hurst.

"Corrupt sons of bitches."

- Benfica's Zlatko Zahovic's description of the referee and his assistants in the game against Sporting Lisbon (after the award of a dodgy late penalty). Zahovic was promptly banned for the rest of the season.

"For Arsene, good preparation for playing football comes down to the quality of the pitches, the quality of the food and the quality of the bed."

- Paul Barber, of the English Football Association, revealing the indispensable tips Arsene Wenger has given them ahead of the World Cup finals.

"He's still got a lot to offer Newcastle. He'll live to 120, so what's the problem?"

- Newcastle chairman Freddie Shepherd on Bobby Robson's protracted life expectancy at St James' Park.

"Leverkusen will drop further points as they start thinking about their record again, and each remaining game will be hell on earth for them."

- Bayern Munich goalkeeper Oliver Kahn attempting to put the wind up Bayer Leverkusen in their Bundesliga title-chasing quest. It worked: they've lost their last two games.

Football on TV

Today: FA Premiership - Bolton v Arsenal, Sky Sports 1, 8.0.

Tomorrow: UEFA Champions League semi-final - Bayer Leverkusen (2) v Manchester Utd (2), TV3, UTV, 7.45.

Wednesday: UEFA Champions League semi-final - Real Madrid (2) v Barcelona (0), TV3, UTV, 7.45.

Saturday: Celtic v Rangers (Scottish Cup final), Sky Sports 1, 3.0; Arsenal v Chelsea (FA Cup final), Sky Sports 2, 3.0.