A round-up of today's other stories in brief...
Sligo receive four nominations
DOUBLE cup winners Sligo Rovers have received a total of four nominations in this year’s Airtricity/Soccer Writers’ Association of Ireland end of season awards, reports Emmet Malone.
Manager Paul Cook, as well as midfielders Richie Ryan and Joseph Ndo, all make the shortlist for the organisation’s main award, the Personality of the Year, while FAI Cup final hero Ciarán Kelly is one of three contenders for the goalkeeper’s award.
Shamrock Rovers are close behind with two men – manager Michael O’Neill and top scorer Gary Twigg – up for the main award while Alan Mannus is one of Kelly’s rivals for the goalkeeping prize.
SWAIPersonality of the Year nominees: Paul Cook (Sligo Rovers), Pat Devlin (Bray Wanderers), Michael O'Neill (Shamrock Rovers), Richie Ryan (Sligo Rovers), Joseph Ndo (Sligo Rovers), Gary Twigg (Shamrock Rovers). SWAI Goalkeeper of the Year nominees: Peter Cherrie (Dundalk), Ciarán Kelly (Sligo Rovers), Alan Mannus (Shamrock Rovers).
Dundalk and Linfield drawn together
LINFIELD and Dundalk will face each other for the first time in a competitive game since their eventful European Cup clashes in 1979 after the two clubs were drawn against each other in the first round of next year’s Setanta Sports Cup, reports Emmet Malone.
“It’s going to be difficult but we’re thrilled because in these cup competitions you want to play the big teams,” said Dundalk manager Ian Foster after the draw.
Disturbances around the first leg of the European tie in Dundalk prompted Uefa to switch the second leg to the Netherlands where Dundalk progressed in the end.
The draw for both the first round and quarter-finals was made yesterday and the final has also been provisionally set for Windsor Park on May 14th.
DRAW: First round: Linfield v Dundalk (M1), Bohemians v Portadown (M2), Cliftonville v St Patrick's Athletic (M3), Sporting Fingal v Lisburn Distillery (M4). First legs to be played on February 14th and 21st, second on Feb 28th and March 1st. Quarter-finals (Provisional): Glentoran v Winners M1, Sligo Rovers v Winners M2, Winners M3 v Crusaders, Winners M4 v v Shamrock Rovers. First legs to be played on March 7th and 14th, second on March 21st and 22nd.
Hodgson gets backing of Liverpool chairman
LIVERPOOL chairman Tom Werner has given his backing to manager Roy Hodgson but also said results must improve.
Hodgson has been under pressure for much of the five months he has been at Anfield with Liverpool winning only one of their first eight Premier League matches this season.
“We just got here, Roy got here shortly before us,” said Werner last night. “Nobody, least of all Roy, was happy with our performance last weekend.
“We have to perform better, especially on the road. We believe in what Roy is doing and we certainly feel like the performance has to improve, and he’d be the first to say that.”
The new joint owner of the club also addressed the issue of spending in the January transfer window.
“We’re actively looking at it,” he said. “We don’t quite know what the situation’s going to be in January. It’s our first transfer window and it’s something we’ve been studying day and night.”
Wales move to get Speed
GARY Speed is poised to be confirmed as the new manager of Wales today.
Speed met with representatives of the Football Association of Wales yesterday to discuss the position vacated by John Toshack in September after being granted permission by Sheffield United.
The FAW later confirmed that they will hold a press conference today at 2pm, where Speed’s appointment is expected to be announced.
Fifa investing in South Africa’s future
FIFA is putting €60 million into a trust for World Cup hosts South Africa to spend on soccer development, education, health and humanitarian projects, the body’s president Sepp Blatter said yesterday.
“The trust is the latest piece in our mosaic of 2010 Fifa World Cup-related legacy activities for South Africa and the African continent,” Blatter said.
“This is also a reward for South Africans for having been such great hosts.”
Another €15 million had been given to South Africa in the build-up to the June-July tournament, Fifa said in a statement.
“We have always said that the first Fifa World Cup on African soil should leave a lasting sports and social legacy once the tournament is over,” Blatter said. “This trust is yet another concrete achievement in this area.”
Moyes may be forced to sell Pienaar
EVERTON manager David Moyes has admitted he may be forced to sell Steven Pienaar in the January transfer window to help raise funds for a new striker.
Everton have struggled for goals this season with Louis Saha not having scored in the Premier League since last February.
Pienaar is out of contract in the summer and as yet has failed to agree a new deal at Goodison Park.
“It may well come to it in the January transfer window that we have to consider selling Pienaar to raise money, because he is out of contract in the summer,” said Moyes. “But we know we need a striker, and realistically, the sort of money we will raise through that route, what type of player is it going to buy for us in the January market.”
