Woods to scout for Ireland: Former Ipswich coach and Tottenham and Newcastle scout Charlie Woods has been appointed to the Republic of Ireland staff.
His long association with Bobby Robson continues with the announcement he is to become a scout, looking at opponents and keeping an eye of English-based Irish players.
"It's great to be to be back in football, and in role that I have done before," said Woods, who scouted for England when Robson was manager. Smertin keen for Dinamo
Alexei Smertin believes he is on the brink of wrapping up a move back to Russia with Dinamo Moscow. The 30-year-old midfielder, currently on loan at Charlton from Chelsea, claims there is a provisional agreement between all parties over a move he hopes to have completed in time to play in next week's Russian Cup second leg with Krylia Sovetov Samara.
He told his own website, www.smertin.com: "Me and my agent Pedro Barbosa had talks with Dinamo last week and they were successful.
"I hope all the formalities will be settled and I will play in the Russian Cup game against Krylia Sovetov on March 13th.
"I admit I wanted to come back to Russia. That's why I'll be glad to move to Dinamo where many well-known former players play and Yuri Semin is the head coach."
O'Connor move in train
Hibernian striker Garry O'Connor has thanked the club for allowing him to make the move to Lokomotiv Moscow as he prepares to sign for the Russian club tomorrow.
The 22-year-old Scotland international has flown out to Spain to link up with his new team-mates, who are in pre-season training.
He passed a rigorous medical in Munich last week and will sign on in a £1.6 million deal.
O'Connor's agent, Gary Mackay said: "Garry is absolutely delighted that he has been given this opportunity by Hibernian.
"It is very close to completion now and we are on our way to meet Lokomotiv Moscow players at their training camp."
O'Connor has two years left on his deal with Hibernian, but stands to earn around £16,000 a week with the Moscow club.
He made his Scotland debut under Berti Vogts as a second-half substitute in the friendly defeat by Nigeria in April 2002 at Aberdeen.
England make Dutch date
England are to play a friendly international against the Netherlands on November 15th.
The match will be played in Ajax's Amsterdam Arena and will bring an end to England's international year.
England, who will be under new management following Sven-Goran Eriksson's planned summer departure, will have played Euro 2008 qualifiers against Andorra, Macedonia and Croatia by the time of the Dutch friendly.
The teams drew 0-0 when they last met, at Villa Park in February last year.
Ronaldo recalled
Ronaldo has been recalled to the Real Madrid squad for tomorrow's crucial Champions League match with Arsenal at Highbury.
The Brazilian was dropped for Saturday's derby with Atletico Madrid, which Real won 2-1, but has been brought back in by coach Juan Ramon Lopez Caro for the game against Arsenal.
Defender Sergio Ramos is also back following suspension but there is no place in the 20-man squad for Jonathan Woodgate, who is still troubled by the hamstring strain he sustained in the first leg.
Real Madrid need to overturn a 1-0 deficit from the first leg if they are to make it into the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
Wenger wants Pires to stay
Arsene Wenger would like nothing more than for Robert Pires to stay at Arsenal, but will "remain faithful" to club policy on the length of new deals for senior players.
The French World Cup winner, who will be 33 in October, is out of contract at the end of the season.
Discussions continue over new terms, which Pires would prefer to be longer than the current club stance of offering only a one-year contract to senior members of the squad, as has been done with the likes of Dennis Bergkamp and now goalkeeper Jens Lehmann.
Wenger said: "It is not inevitable that he will leave. Robert has a choice to make whether to stay or go.
"I want him to stay because he is an important player in the squad - we have such a young squad that the experience of players like Robert Pires will always be important to us."
However, the Arsenal boss maintained, "He wants more than one year, but I remain faithful to our policy."
