Mido out for sixMido will miss tomorrow's African Nations Cup final after being suspended from international football for six months for his touchline altercation with Egypt's coach Hassan Shehata during Tuesday's semi-final victory over Senegal, reports Jonathan Wilson in Cairo.
Mido was a doubtful starter for the semi-final, but managed 79 minutes before Shehata decided to replace him with Amr Zaki. The striker engaged in a finger-wagging tirade against the coach as he stormed from the pitch, and then had to be restrained by Hossam Hassan before taking his place on the bench. Amr immediately proved the wisdom of Shehata's decision by heading in the winner with his first touch.
The Tottenham striker left the Egypt squad's hotel in central Cairo yesterday morning and it is believed that he was en route to London last night, which could bring him into contention for Spurs' Premiership fixture at Sunderland on Sunday.
Guardian Service
McCarthy attacks
Sunderland boss Mick McCarthy last night insisted the club had never planned for relegation this season as he attempted to end a brewing row over his summer transfer policy. Chairman Bob Murray earlier this week disputed comments the manager made at a press conference ahead of Saturday's Premiership trip to West Ham, which left his side staring at an immediate return to the Championship.
However, he is adamant he never indicated that the worst possible scenario had been at the forefront of his thinking as he set out on his new adventure. He said: "My comments were quite clearly misconstrued. If anyone thought that I sat down with the board at the end of the season, after the hard work we had put in, and said, 'Let's not bother with the Premier League, let's plan for the season after', they are incredibly wide of the mark."
No Old Trafford sale
Manchester United insist they have no intention of selling the Old Trafford name. It has been reported they would have been prepared to go down this road in a possible new sponsorship deal. But the club say the matter has never been part of any business plan and never been discussed.
Turkey to appeal
Turkey are set to take on the most powerful man in world football to fight the severe punishments imposed for the violent clashes after November's World Cup play-off defeat against Switzerland. Fifa have ordered Turkey to play their next six competitive matches behind closed doors and on neutral grounds, and taken action against several players and officials. But Turkey's sports minister Mehmet Ali Sahin claims the disciplinary committee were simply abiding by Fifa's Swiss president Sepp Blatter's wishes. Sahin said: "I find this decision unacceptable. This is simply the approval of what Sepp Blatter said right after the game without even looking at the observer and referee reports on the game. That's why I think this decision is more political than sporting."
Hearts to meet
Hearts senior players are due to meet the club's majority shareholder Vladimir Romanov tomorrow over concerns that the Lithuanian is picking the team, reports Ewan Murray. The club captain Steven Pressley will join Paul Hartley, Rudi Skacel, Takis Fyssas and Neil McCann in seeking clarification of the situation with Romanov, who has agreed to the meeting but is out of the country at present.
According to two Hearts players who did not want to be named, the team were told of Romanov's involvement by the head coach Graham Rix on Tuesday morning. Rix said he had no intention of resigning and his players privately concede that they are virtually powerless to prevent the Lithuanian, who owns more than 80 per cent of the Edinburgh club, from meddling in team affairs.
Guardian Service
In brief . . .
Sol Campbell's chances of making his Arsenal return against Bolton Wanderers on Saturday are in doubt because of an ankle injury . . . Teddy Sheringham has admitted he turned down the chance to sign for Tottenham for the third time in his career because he is enjoying his time at Upton Park . . . Tottenham's Grzegorz Rasiak has joined Southampton on loan for the rest of the season . . . England's Football League is suing its former legal advisers over the collapsed £140 million television deal with ITV Digital. The League's High Court bid is believed to be one of the largest professional negligence claims against a firm of solicitors. The League is suing Hammond Solicitors.
