Today's other stories in brief

Keane 'excited'

Roy Keane is searching Europe for the players he wants to fuel Sunderland's Premiership assault. Within days of seeing his side clinch their return to the top flight, Keane has already drawn up a list of targets as he prepares to invest around £25 million in strengthening his squad. Keane, however, is giving nothing away as to the identities of the men he believes can help his side not only cement their place in the Premiership, but make a major impact.

Keane, who will sit down with chairman Niall Quinn and chief executive Peter Walker over the next few weeks to discuss potential targets, said: "The players we are looking at, they excite me - and it takes a lot to get me excited, let me tell you.

"We are looking all over Europe, so as much as we are getting the ball rolling, we know it will take time and, in a sense, we have to be patient. But I will have a better understanding in the next week or two when I have had a chance to sit down with Niall and Peter and we can discuss properly what kind of monies are available in terms of transfer fees and the wage side of things."

Meanwhile, Sunderland will not celebrate their return to the Premiership with a parade through the city. Quinn and Keane turned down a request from Sunderland City Council. Quinn said: "There's a long way to go and it's been decided, with the agreement of Roy Keane, to graciously decline the city council's offer. We hope fans will understand our reasons for this and don't think we are spoiling the party."

Mick McCarthy's Sunderland side paraded their trophy two years ago after winning the Championship, but were then relegated from the Premiership after only one season in the top flight.

Allardyce on list

Sam Allardyce has moved to the centre of Newcastle United's radar four days after leaving Bolton Wanderers and three days after Newcastle's lacklustre defeat at Reading. That was their 12th away loss in the Premiership this season and their 16th defeat overall. It leaves the club unable to finish higher than 12th and their chairman, Freddy Shepherd, was grim-faced as he watched from the stands on Monday night.

O'Donovan back

Cork City will have top scorer Roy O'Donovan back for tonight's visit by league leaders St Patrick's Athletic to Turner's Cross (kick-off 8.0) but John O'Flynn is a doubt for the game after limping out of Monday night's defeat by Linfield at Windsor Park, reports Emmet Malone.

"John did well to get through as much of Monday's game as he did," said City boss Damien Richardson yesterday, "but his thigh is still tender and we'll have to see how he is closer to the kick-off."

O'Donovan, who missed the Belfast match due to suspension, is sure to start with Denis Behan likely to retain his place up front in the event O'Flynn fails his fitness test.

St Patrick's manager John McDonnell has no suspensions while only Michael Foley, who took a knock against Drogheda United, missing.

Stokes in squad

Republic of Ireland Under-19 manager Sean McCaffrey has included Sunderland striker Anthony Stokes in his 18-man squad for this month's Uefa Elite phase qualifying series which will be staged in the Dublin area from May 14th to 19th.

REPUBLIC OF IRELAND (U-19 squad): Stephen Henderson (Aston Villa), Shane Redmond (Nottingham Forest), Simon Madden (Leeds Utd), Scott Davies (Reading), Edward Nolan (Blackburn Rovers), Michael Spillane (Norwich City), Darren Dennehy (Everton), Shane Lowry (Aston Villa), Alan Judge (Blackburn Rovers), Alan Power (Nottingham Forest), Stephen Gleeson (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Matthew Cassidy (Bolton Wanderers), Robert Bayly (Leeds Utd), Keith Treacy (Blackburn Rovers), Adam Rooney (Stoke City), Aidan Downes (Everton), Anthony Stokes (Sunderland), Cillian Sheridan (Celtic).

Henry 'may leave'

Patrick Vieira has hinted Thierry Henry may quit Arsenal to "get the best for himself". Former Arsenal midfielder Vieira, who now plays for recently-crowned Serie A champions Inter Milan, believes his France team-mate will look at other options this summer after a below-par season at the Emirates Stadium.

Henry has also had to deal with the departure of vice-president David Dein, a close ally of Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger."I think Thierry will try to get the best for himself but if he was to stay it would be great for the club."

Henry was heavily linked with a move to Barcelona last summer but spurned the chance to leave north London and signed a new four-year contract.

Blatter confident

Fifa president Sepp Blatter said yesterday he was certain the 2010 World Cup would go ahead as planned in South Africa even though soccer's governing body had made contingency plans for a last-minute switch.

"It will take place in South Africa . . . I have no doubts. The plan B is South Africa, plan C is South Africa," Blatter told journalists.

Blatter said on Monday that the United States, Japan, Spain, England and Mexico - all countries which had previously staged a World Cup - were possible back-ups.

In brief . . .

Everton strikers James Vaughan (18) and Victor Anichebe (19) have signed contract extensions which will keep them at Goodison Park until 2011 . . . Celtic's Shunsuke Nakamura has been named player of the year by the Scottish Football Writers' Association, just 10 days after picking up the same accolade from the Scottish Professional Footballers' Association. Celtic boss Gordon Strachan completed the same double, winnning the managerial award for the second consecutive year.

Today's Fixtures

UEFA CUP: Semi-finals, second leg: Sevilla (0) v Osasuna (1), 7.45; Werder Bremen (0) v Espanyol (3), 7.45.

LEAGUE OF IRELAND: Premier Division: Cork City v St Patrick's Athletic, 8.0.