Details of the new strategic alliance between Shelbourne and Manchester United, which is aimed at improving schoolboy and youth football here, were announced at Tolka Park yesterday, The highly-regarded Manchester United Soccer Academy will start a new link with Shelbourne's schoolboy section to develop an intensive coaching programme. As a result, the current schoolboy section within Shelbourne will be significantly enlarged.

Under the new initiative, Shelbourne coaching staff will receive instruction from United staff. As well as a free flow of personnel and ideas, United coaching staff will visit Dublin on a regular basis to monitor progress and selected Shelbourne staff and players will make return visits to Manchester for instruction.

Shelbourne manager Dermot Keely welcomed the new programme. "In both the short and long term, I think this flow of information between the coaching staff will be of great benefit. It will certainly be a learning experience for all levels involved." The programme involved an undisclosed financial arrangement and is under a minimum three-year agreement.

The number of Shelbourne under-age teams will now be increased from five to 11 this season and some young United players will now spend time with Shelbourne. The program will run at the training facility at Sports Link in Santry and will be officially launched next month by United manager Alex Ferguson. Shelbourne will also play a friendly against a United side at Tolka Park on August 9th.

Meanwhile, Italian Pierluigi Collina has been selected by UEFA to referee the Republic of Ireland's re-arranged Euro 2000 match against Yugoslavia at Lansdowne Road on September 1st.