A roundup of today's other soccer news in brief
Comments attacked
Celtic supporters' clubs on both sides of the Irish Border yesterday denounced the head of the Celtic Trust who created a storm by defending the singing of IRA songs by fans on the terraces.
University lecturer Jeanette Findlay - chair of the Trust which represents small shareholders in the Glasgow club - said that chants about the IRA had a historical basis for a club founded to help the poor Irish immigrants to Scotland.
The club distanced itself from the comments, saying they were "totally unrepresentative of the Celtic support".
They were backed by an umbrella group representing around 100 Celtic supporters clubs north and south of the Border.
The Association of Irish Celtic Supporters Clubs represents clubs based in each of Ireland's four provinces - a small number with names celebrating historic Irish republicans. They include the Leinster-based Bold Robert Emmet Celtic Supporters' Club and the Wolfe Tone Celtic Supporters' Club.
But the association said it was opposed to sectarianism, while continuing to celebrate Celtic's Irish roots.
"The Association of Irish Celtic Supporters Clubs have been engaged with Celtic and the Scottish Executive to eradicate sectarianism from Scottish football, and will continue to support this initiative," said a spokesman.
He added: "The AICSC is always keen to preserve Celtic's proud Irish roots.
"And in doing so are a non-political, non-sectarian organisation fully supportive of Celtic's social charter and club mission statement."
New Celtic chairman John Reid was urged to speak out bluntly against Ms Findlay in more forthright terms than the club has so far.
Ms Findlay sparked a row when she made her comments in an interview on BBC Radio 5 Live - on the day that the latest football anti-bigotry initiative was launched at Hampden Park.
She said: "The club was founded to help the poor Irish immigrants to Scotland. Many of the supporters are descendants of these people. They may take a particular view of history, what happened in Ireland, which is different to many other people. So I don't call those pro-terrorist songs."
She said that the chants were "songs from a war of independence going back over a hundred years".
She also said: "I think what history tells us is that it's actually facile to say that politics and sport will ever be separated. Throughout history, sports events are used often as a means of expressing political views, political identity."
Guti's options open
Real Madrid playmaker Guti admits he would consider a move to the Premier League if he was ever to leave the Spanish club. Guti's chief ambition is to see out the remainder of his career at the Bernabeu, but the mercurial midfielder has not ruled out a switch to England if that goal does not materialise. "I want to retire here. I will play until my body tells me to stop. I want to renew my contract for two more years when the current one runs out (in 2010)," the 31-year-old said. "If not, everybody knows that my intention is to play in the Premier League. It is my second option. I like the cities of Liverpool and Manchester, but I would go to any team in London."
Cronin commits
Waterford United manager Gareth Cronin has reaffirmed his commitment to the club following his side's 3-0 promotion/relegation defeat to Finn Harps in Ballybofey on Tuesday.
Cronin offered his resignation in the aftermath of the first leg defeat, but the offer was rejected by the club.
In a statement issued by the club last night, he said: "I was embarrassed for the fans, the management committee and the backroom staff after that match. I have never shied away from accepting liability and I felt as the manager that I had to bear the responsibility for that performance in Finn Park. It was, in my opinion the only honourable course of action.
"Having spoken to the members of the management committee, I would like to publicly state categorically that I am 100 per cent committed to Waterford United and I intend to honour my contract with the club which has another year to run."
The return leg takes place at the RSC tomorrow.
Croatian arrested
The arrest of a Croatian football chief at Gatwick Airport ahead of his country's Euro 2008 win against England was dismissed yesterday as "a misunderstanding".
Zorislav Srebric (67) - general secretary of Croatia's FA - was held on suspicion of shoplifting yesterday in WH Smith at the West Sussex airport's South Terminal.
He was later released without charge and no further action will be taken, a Sussex Police spokesman said.
In a statement, the CFF said a misunderstanding arose as Mr Srebic was buying newspapers but then noticed his team enter the airport building. He hurried to organise them through airport control but police thought he was trying to avoid paying for the papers, the CFF statement added.
In Brief
Burnley have been given the go-ahead to open talks with St Johnstone manager Owen Coyle about the Turf Moor vacancy. The clubs have agreed on a compensation settlement for the 41-year-old former Republic of Ireland striker.
Plymouth have confirmed they will hold a board meeting today after Ian Holloway tendered his resignation yesterday. Holloway has been linked to the vacant position at Leicester City .
Former West Ham and Celtic striker John Hartson has rejected an approach from Chester after the League Two club made an audacious bid for the Wales international striker. City inquired about signing the 32-year-old on loan from Championship side West Brom. However, Hartson, who has yet to feature for West Brom this season and played four times on loan at Norwich, is not prepared to make the drop down the divisions.
