A round-up of today's other soccer stories in brief
EU may put foot down
A Uefa rule obliging clubs to include "home-grown" players in their squads will most likely fall foul of EU laws on discrimination, a report for the European Parliament concluded yesterday.
The rule will affect Europe's top clubs from next season. Although the quotas refer to where a player has been trained rather than his nationality, the study argued they would indirectly discriminate against foreign nationals.
"It is quite obvious that most of the home-grown players would be nationals of the specific state and not foreigners," said the report. "The proposed rule would indirectly discriminate (against) foreigners, making it more difficult for foreign players to transfer to a country where they were not trained and educated."
It concluded the rule "will most likely not be able to be introduced under the current framework of EU law" and called for consultations across the sport to examine possible alternatives.
One of the key aims of the EU's single market is to remove barriers to the free flow of labour and goods across borders.
Uefa defines home-grown players as those trained by their clubs or by another club or national academy in the same country for at least three years between the ages of 15 and 21.
The new rules, agreed last April, will apply only to clubs playing in Champions League and Uefa Cup matches but Uefa hopes the policy will be introduced at domestic level soon.
From the start of the 2006/2007 season clubs must include four home-grown players in their 25-man squads, the figure rising to six in 2007/2008 and eight in 2008/2009.
Several leading clubs have voiced opposition to the scheme.
Eriksson has rethink
Sven-Goran Eriksson appears set to scrap the formation that led to defeat against Northern Ireland when England play Austria and Poland in next month's World Cup qualifiers.
Narrow victory against Wales and defeat to Northern Ireland in Belfast exposed Eriksson's 4-5-1 system as flawed, leading to suggestions of rifts among players because of David Beckham's influence.
"I have lost the players? There is no chance," Eriksson said. "Of course if you lose to Northern Ireland and play as badly as we did, everything is wrong - the players and the tactics.
"We played 4-5-1 in Belfast partly because some of the players were not 100 per cent. It's all history now. What I do know is that some of those players, three weeks later, are now playing much better for their clubs.
"I've not abandoned the single striker. We can play that way. I thought it was necessary against Ireland. But I prefer 4-4-2 and so do the players."
Austria look ahead
Hans Krankl has been sacked as coach of England's World Cup qualifying opponents Austria, with Josef Hickersberger set to replace him.
Krankl, whose contract was due to expire next month, leaves the job ahead of schedule after failing to lead the country to either Euro 2004 or next summer's World Cup finals.
The Austrian Football Federation (OFB) have identified Hickersberger, currently coach of Austrian champions Rapid Vienna, as the person to lead them into the European Championships in 2008, a tournament they co-host with Switzerland.
Meanwhile, Switzerland and Austria have signed a security agreement for the Euro 2008 soccer championship yesterday, setting out cross-border policies to deal with hooligans and the threat of terrorism.
Ministers from the co-hosting nations agreed to clamp down on troublemakers at the event, which is due to be held in eight different locations across the two alpine countries.
Bite downs LuaLua
Medical experts are certain the bout of malaria that could put Portsmouth striker Lomana LuaLua out of action for up to six weeks has been caused by a mosquito bite.
LuaLua, who is recovering in hospital after collapsing on Monday, contracted the disease while on duty with the Democratic Republic of Congo for the 2-1 win over the Cape Verde Islands earlier this month.
Swiss time again
The Republic of Ireland under-15 side will be hoping to follow up Tuesday's 1-1 draw with hosts Switzerland by beating the Swiss this evening (kick-off: 7.0 local time) in the second match of the series.
Ireland were put under pressure from the start in the first game. Goalkeeper Kevin O'Brien was forced to stop a number of shots, including a goal-bound header that he saved at point-blank range.
Ireland were tactically superior, with James O'Brien and Conor Clifford winning the midfield battle. The opening goal came on 25 minutes from a break that was finished by Craig Duggan.
Switzerland managed to score the equaliser after 70 minutes through a penalty.
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND (v Switzerland): K O'Brien (Douglas Hall), Nolan (Shelbourne), Langan (Belvedere), McArdle (Home Farm), Honohan (Wilton United), Doyle (Home Farm), J O'Brien (Cherry Orchard), Clifford (Crumlin United), Frewen (St Michael's), Duggan (Kilreen Celtic), Daly (Home Farm)
LAST NIGHT'S RESULTS: English League Championship - Coventry 3, Watford 1; Leeds Utd 3, Derby 1; S0uthampton 0, Reading 0. League One - Port Vale 2, Oldham 2.
