Other soccer stories in brief

Investors mull over Chelsea bid

A GROUP of up to eight international investors is mulling over a bid for Chelsea, one of the investors has revealed. Holger Heims, a German investment manager at Falcon Equity, said in an interview that he and a group of six to seven other investors from Europe, the Middle East and Asia were preparing a takeover offer for the west London club.
Sulaiman al-Fahim, board member of Abu Dhabi United Group for Development and Investment, which last year bought Premier League side Manchester City, was also part of the group, Heims said. A Chelsea spokesman said yesterday the club was aware of Heims's statements but its position was unchanged from when chief executive Peter Kenyon issued a statement earlier this month, saying: "Chelsea is not for sale. The owner has not and is not looking to sell his interest in the club and he remains as committed as ever."

Robinho to get no  special treatment

Manchester City are set to fine record signing Robinho for his training-ground walkout in Tenerife
last week. The 25-year-old made an unscheduled departure, flying home to Brazil without telling manager Mark Hughes he had to attend some "family business". It was expected Hughes would
hand the striker a fine of approximately two weeks' wages, which would be touching EUR220,000
but there have also been suggestions the City manager will not impose a punishment at all.
Hughes said: "I've had a talk with Robinho. I have read some of the things that have been said this
morning but nothing could be further from the truth."

Cobh ‘secure’ says chairman

COBH Ramblers chairman Barry Walsh insists the club has been secured whether or not it obtains a licence to play in the League of Ireland First Division next year, reports Emmet Malone.
"I'm not saying that we won't get a licence," he said yesterday, "but in the event that we didn't then we will drop down to the A League and that mightn't be the worst thing that could happen if it allows us the opportunity to get out ourselves straight after what has been a difficult year." Cork City, meanwhile, have confirmed that former Drogheda United striker Fahrudin Kudozovic and Derry City midfielder Billy Dennehy have signed for the club on free transfers.
Elsewhere, Eamon Naughton has been re-elected as chairman of the league. The former Galway United official, who has held the position for the last two years, defeated Jim Murphy of Cork City last night.

In brief . .

Andrei Arshavin's proposed EUR16 million move to Arsenal is in danger of collapse because of the
player's refusal to rein in his financial demands, Zenit St Petersburg general director Maxim Mitrofanov said yesterday . . . West Ham have completed the signing of 19-year-old forward Savio Nsereko from Brescia for an undisclosed fee . . . Real Madrid have dropped their appeal to register new signings Klaas Jan Huntelaar and Lassana Diarra for the Champions League, the Court of Arbitration for Sport announced yesterday . . . Former England captain Terry Butcher has
been appointed manager of struggling Scottish Premier League club Inverness Caledonian Thistle.