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Warnock defends Kenny
Sheffield United boss Neil Warnock insists there is no discipline problem at Bramall Lane despite Paddy Kenny becoming the latest player to make the headlines for the wrong reason.
Kenny, who is currently having marriage difficulties, was involved in a brawl with a friend outside a curry house in Halifax in the early hours of Monday morning.
The incident resulted in the Republic of Ireland goalkeeper having his left eyebrow bitten off, sustaining bruising and swelling to the eye.
This latest revelation comes a week after midfielder Alan Quinn paid out £2,000 after admitting being involved in a brawl which left a drinker needing hospital treatment.
The 27-year-old, also a Republic international, was fined £750 and ordered to pay £750 in court costs and £500 in compensation at Sheffield Crown Court.
Last month there were allegations that defender Claude Davis had threatened striker Ade Akinbiyi with a cut-throat razor during a training ground bust-up.
Although Akinbiyi refused to confirm or deny whether Davis had used the razor, he did concede there had been "argy-bargy". The club refused to comment at the time.
When asked if there was a discipline issue at the club, Warnock replied: "I don't think so. But the lads have to learn if you are a professional footballer in the Premier League then you are news."
Warnock is to speak with Kenny, although he believes the 27-year-old was more sinned against than sinner in relation to the incident earlier this week.
"I don't believe this particular incident was Paddy's fault. His only fault was going out where he shouldn't have done.
"He won't be going out in Halifax again. I'll be making my point clear to him on that," added Warnock, who feels confident the player will face Manchester United in tomorrow's Premiership game at Bramall Lane.
Warnock is hoping Quinn will finally heed his words of advice too, adding: "I've been telling him for a long time to move house to the other side of the city.
"It doesn't need an intelligent person to tell you that if you go out on one of the side of the city and you are an ex-Wednesday player, then you are quite likely to get into trouble. Even I can work that out, so I'm hoping he takes it on board.
"But if I thought any of this was affecting the players I would kick them out, make no mistake. You have to have discipline."
Scolari accuses Queiroz
Portugal's head coach, Luis Felipe Scolari, yesterday accused Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson's assistant Carlos Queiroz of being underhand and economical with the truth in an escalating row about Cristiano Ronaldo's fitness.
Scolari also alleged that Queiroz was orchestrating a campaign to replace him as Portugal's head coach.
He questioned why Queiroz repeatedly turned up at their Portugal under-21 games and claimed the man who preceded him in the job from 1991 to 1993 was "using the media" to promote himself.
"I don't understand his [ Queiroz's] role in football but it seems to me that he is trying to return to the Portuguese national team, where I am already in charge," said Scolari.
"It seems he is working on his candidacy for the position of national coach."
Queiroz has not responded to the allegations other than to point out that he is fully entitled to watch Portugal's younger players as part of his job.
United are dismayed by Scolari's handling of the matter, however, not least because Ronaldo returned from Wednesday's 3-0 defeat of Kazakhstan with a twisted ankle. The 21-year-old was withdrawn 56 minutes into the Euro 2008 qualifier having exacerbated an injury he picked up in United's 1-0 win at Blackburn.
Photographs of him grimacing in pain will cause United consternation ahead of their game at Sheffield United tomorrow, particularly as Ferguson and Queiroz had questioned at the start of the week whether Ronaldo should be withdrawn from the Portugal squad.
"Ronaldo was fine to play," said Scolari, the man who this year turned down the chance to be England manager. "The issue here is that Queiroz has to maintain his image in front of the Manchester United fans. Publicly he said Cristiano was injured but, to us, he said he was well and that he would be okay to play. It is all a question of image."
Uefa to probe Bak-hander
Uefa are set to launch an investigation into claims by Poland defender Jacek Bak that he was offered a bribe before the Euro 2008 Qualifying match against Belgium on Wednesday.
The Belgian Football Association (KBVB) have demanded Europe's governing body investigate Bak's allegations which followed Poland's 1-0 win in Group A.
According to the newspaper Dziennik, Bak, a former Lyon defender, has said he was offered €10,000 to concede a penalty during the match.
"Something strange happened before the start of the match. A person came to me and asked me to throw the match," said Bak.
The 33-year-old, who plays for Al-Rayyan Doha in Qatar, refused to reveal details of the proposal, but Poland captain Maciej Zurawski added: "Jacek told me about what had happened, but we couldn't talk too much."
Uefa spokesman William Gaillard said last night: "We wait for proof by Bak or other witnesses."
