RAVANELLI: Derby's Fabrizio Ravanelli says he will not become a manager. "My heart and my head tell me I only want to play. That in itself is very difficult. I never want to be a manager, that's not in my thoughts. I am still very young," he says.
VIEIRA: Real Madrid sporting director Jorge Valdano yesterday moved to cool speculation linking the club with a bid for Arsenal's Patrick Vieira, who visited Madrid earlier this week. "I've said that Vieira is a player I like," Valdano said. "But at the moment I could give you a list of up to 10 players I like."
BABBEL: Liverpool's Markus Babbel, suffering from nerve illness Guillain-Barre syndrome, is hankering for a return to football but a loss of feeling in his toes means it is many months away. The recuperating player said: "My doctor has told me I will make a full recovery. I can walk without any help, but it looks like a robot's walking."
FORLAN: Middlesbrough are still hoping to push through Diego Forlan's transfer from Argentina's Independiente. The reluctance of the English club to pay the £6.9 million asking price as a lump sum could derail the deal for the Uruguayan, who wants the transfer.
DI CANIO: West Ham are still waiting for Manchester United to make an improved offer for Paolo di Canio. United's offer of around £1.5 million sterling is £2 million less than West Ham's demand.
RONALDO: Brazil's Ronaldo has pleaded for an end to speculation surrounding his abject performance in the 1998 World Cup final in Paris.
The Lance newspaper claimed that Ronaldo had eight injections of a pain-killer during the tournament, causing a fit before the final. "I want to point out, hopefully for the last time, that some statements are totally false and offend not only myself, but also the national team's medical staff," the player said.
SMITH: Leeds striker Alan Smith will today argue his case against a potential four-match ban before the English FA's video advisory panel after being granted a personal hearing into his dismissal in the FA third-round defeat at Cardiff.
ADVOCAAT: Dick Advocaat would be the Netherlands manager if Rangers chairman David Murray agreed. The Rangers director of football said: "I find it very sad. It would have been a great challenge, but Rangers wouldn't let me go."
TELEVISION: Middlesbrough will host Manchester United live on Sky at noon on Saturday, January 26th in round four of the FA Cup, while Ipswich's tie with Manchester City will be screened on BBC1 the following day at 7 p.m. Rangers' home clash against Celtic will be on March 10th (noon) live on Sky.
