A round-up of other soccer stories in brief...
Intermediate final for Tallaght
THE FAI have confirmed the final of this year’s Intermediate Cup will be held at Tallaght Stadium at 3pm on May 10th, reports Emmet Malone. The decision was taken after Crumlin United and Bluebell United qualified to face each other with 1-0 wins over Malahide United and Rockmount respectively.
The annual National Irish Bank-sponsored FAI Summer Schools programme was launched in Dublin yesterday with former international Ray Houghton describing them as “a brilliant way to learn the basic skills of football”.
Participants booked in before May 15th go into a draw for a coaching session with Giovanni Trapattoni, details at summersoccerschools.ie or phone 1890 653 653.
Setanta Sports have confirmed the first of the League of Ireland games to be broadcast by the station this season. The meetings between Bohemians and Dundalk (May 1st), St Patrick’s Athletic and Cork City (May 9th) as well as Shamrock Rovers and Bohemians (May 16th) will all go out live.
Chelsea confident Drogba will be fit to start at Anfield
CHELSEA ARE confident Didier Drogba will be fit to start tomorrow’s Champions League quarter-final at Liverpool after recovering from an ankle injury while the Londoners’ former manager Avram Grant is backing Guus Hiddink to succeed where he narrowly failed last May by securing the club’s first European Cup.
Drogba missed Saturday’s win at Newcastle after picking up the injury kicking the ground in training last Thursday. A scan has come back clear, however, and the Ivorian trained yesterday and will do so again this morning before their journey to Merseyside.
He will be joined in the side by Jose Bosingwa, recovered from a hamstring niggle, and Michael Essien is also expected to feature despite suffering a kick to a knee at St James’ Park.
“I think Chelsea can be in the Champions League final again this year,” Grant said. “You need luck and many other things for this to become a reality but they have the talent and I know the desire is there.
“I saw the faces of the players in the dressingroom after we lost to Manchester United in the final last season. They were hurting badly and I said at the time they would come back and win the trophy. Maybe this can be their year. The top teams in Europe are very close on talent, so it comes down to other things at this stage of the Champions League. You need the right mental attitude and lots of experience. Chelsea have both of these qualities.” - Guardian Service
Blues players 'want Mourinho back'
SENIOR CHELSEA players would welcome the return of Jose Mourinho to Stamford Bridge in the summer should the club fail to retain the services of their temporary coach Guus Hiddink.
Mourinho is expected to leave Internazionale after a year in Italy, most likely with a Serie A title to his name but having failed to bring the European Cup to San Siro following elimination at the hands of Manchester United.
The Portuguese privately craves a return to the Premier League, having seen his reign at Stamford Bridge terminated abruptly in September 2007.
He has made no secret of his admiration for the club since, with that mutual respect mirrored among the playing staff. The squad with whom he worked at Chelsea remains largely intact and, according to a source within the dressingroom, influential members of the team would favour his re-appointment in the hope the “Special One” can emulate the success that brought two Premier League titles, two League Cups and an FA Cup and established him as their most successful manager ever. - Guardian Service
Bayern will be without Lucio
BAYERN MUNICH will be without injured central defender Lucio (above) when they take on hosts Barcelona in their Champions League quarter-final first leg tomorrow, the club said yesterday.
Lucio, who sustained a muscle injury and was substituted during their 5-1 league defeat by Wolfsburg on Saturday, will be out for several days.
His participation for the Bundesliga match on Saturday against Eintracht Frankfurt is also doubtful.”
