Soccer Shorts:Former England team-mates paid tribute to Alan Ball yesterday at a thanksgiving service for the widely-admired midfielder, who died last week aged 61.
Ball, the youngest member of England's 1966 World Cup-winning side, suffered a heart attack in the garden of his Hampshire home after trying to deal with a bonfire that had got out of control.
At yesterday's funeral in Winchester Cathedral, Ball's coffin was draped in a flag with the red and white cross of St George and adorned by one of his trademark flat caps.
Shevchenko settles
Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko yesterday accepted substantial libel damages over a claim that he was a "snitch". The 30-year-old Ukrainian was not at London's High Court for his action against MGN Limited.
His solicitor, John Kelly, said the publication of allegations in the Daily Mirror on four occasions this year had damaged Shevchenko's reputation, distressed him and his family and caused embarrassment for him.
He said that the first article in January claimed that Shevchenko's team-mates regarded him as a snitch who was passing details of his dealings with Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho to owner Roman Abramovich.
MGN Limited accepted that the allegations were untrue, apologised and agreed to pay undisclosed damages to Shevchenko.
Meanwhile, Chelsea have revealed Shevchenko will undergo a groin operation in the summer but the Ukrainian is unlikely to have played his last match of the season.
FA fine Wenger
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has been fined £2,500 by the English FA for comments he made about an assistant referee following his side's defeat to Chelsea in the League Cup final on February 23rd.
An FA commission found that Wenger's use of the word "lie" when describing the assistant's intervention, which led to the sending off of Emmanuel Adebayor, constituted improper conduct.
Dabo has his say
Ousmane Dabo has branded Manchester City team-mate Joey Barton a "coward" over a training ground fight that has left him "disfigured".
The 30-year-old required hospital treatment and is reported to be considering taking legal action against Barton over the bust-up which erupted after a row during training.
Dabo told L'Equipe: "I am disfigured. My left eye has been affected. I believe he put his fingers in my eyes. I am suffering. But I don't remember much because his first punch made me lose consciousness.
"I went to turn around, he hit me and knocked me out. He acted like a coward, it wasn't a fair fight."
Barton has been suspended for the remainder of the season by City.
Eriksson may return
Former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson is prepared to take a "big job" in the English Premiership despite the criticism he received when he was in charge of the national team.
Asked if he would be prepared to endure the same public scrutiny of his private life he suffered while in charge of England and take charge of an English club, Eriksson said: "I'm very stubborn, I will take a good job wherever it is, even if it is in England."
Not over for West Ham
Wigan chairman Dave Whelan is considering legal action against either West Ham or the Premier League following the furore surrounding the signings of Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano.
West Ham were fined £5.5 million but Whelan believes they should have been deducted 10 points but it is understood the Premier League are privately satisfied with the final judgment.
Irish dates confirmed The FAI have confirmed the venues for this month's Under-19 European Championship "elite" phase qualifying tournament which is to be staged in Dublin and Drogheda in a couple of weeks' time, reports Emmet Malone.
Sean McCaffrey's side will resume the campaign for a place in July's tournament finals when they meet Bulgaria in United Park on Monday, May 14th with games against Germany and Hungary to follow at Dalymount Park on the 16th and Hungary back in Drogheda on the 19th. One team will progress to the finals which are to be held in Austria.
FIXTURES:Monday, May 14th: Hungary v Germany (Carlisle grounds, 2.30), Republic of Ireland v Bulgaria (United Park, 7.0). Wednesday, May 16th: Hungary v Bulgaria (Belfield Park, 2.30), Germany v Republic of Ireland (Dalymount Park, 7.0). Saturday, May 19th: Republic of Ireland v Hungary (United Park, 7.0), Bulgaria v Germany (Belfield Park, 7.0).
Live games refixed
The decision by Setanta Sports to show live League of Ireland games has led to a number of upcoming fixtures being rescheduled, writes Emmet Malone.
Next Friday's meeting between Derry City and Shamrock Rovers has now been put back to Monday May 14th with the game now pencilled in to kick-off at 8pm.
Similarly, the following Friday's night's encounter between the campaign's two early leaders - St Patrick's Athletic and Drogheda United - has been put back three days to Monday May 21st, also with an 8pm start.
Next Monday's League Cup game between St Patrick's Athletic and UCD has been brought forward to 3pm while next Friday's league game between Drogheda and Bray has been postponed because of the Setanta Cup final.
In brief . . .
David Beckhamcan play for Real Madrid in this weekend's showdown with Sevilla after the Spanish FA overturned the yellow card he received against Athletic Bilbao . . . AC Milan captain Paolo Maldiniwill put a knee operation on hold to play in his eighth Champions League final . . . Italy's World Cup winning coach Marcello Lippiwill extend his sabbatical from football into next season. . . Rangershave been fined €12,100 by Uefa for the behaviour of their fans during the Uefa Cup tie at Osasuna in March, the Spanish club were fined €45,500 . . . Everton goalkeeper Iain Turner(23) has extended his contract until 2011 . . . Birmingham City striker Mikael Forssellis set for a £1 million move to Bundesliga club Hanover when the transfer window reopens . . . Former France and Manchester United goalkeeper Fabien Barthez(35), who left Nantes after getting into a fight with a supporter, wants to play on for two more years.
