Soccer Shorts:Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has been charged with improper conduct and/or bringing the game into disrepute after he accused a linesman of lying following the brawl at the end of the League Cup final last month.
The English Football Association made the announcement yesterday, adding that Wenger has until March 30th to respond to the charge.
Wenger was angry with the dismissal of Emmanuel Adebayor, one of three players sent off at the end of the game, won 2-1 by Chelsea. Speaking in the days following the match he said: "I don't agree with the report of the linesman because, for me, he lies."
The FA also charged Wigan Athletic manager Paul Jewell with improper conduct and/or bringing the game into disrepute for comments he made about the referee after last month's match against Arsenal. He, too, has until March 30th to respond.
Shoot-outs proposed
The Football League, the 72 clubs from the second to fourth levels of the English game, have set up a working party to look into the possibility of ending drawn games with a penalty shoot-out, giving the winners a bonus point.
"Managers may hate shoot-outs but fans love them. The (club) chairmen decided to use this proposal to have a broader look at a range of ideas that might refresh our product," League chairman Brian Mawhinney said yesterday.
If there is enough support for the idea, it will be proposed as a rule change at the league's agm in June.
Rangers await Uefa action
Rangers face an anxious wait, probably into next week, to discover what action Uefa will take after the disorder which marred their Uefa Cup elimination by Osasuna in Spain, reports Ewan Murray.
Uefa said that it was awaiting a report from Ulrich Grzella, the security adviser on duty at Wednesday's match, before deciding how to proceed after fighting broke out between Rangers fans and riot police.
The trouble flared in a corner of the ground populated by travelling fans, after more than double Rangers' allocation of 1,400 ticket-holders gained access to the stadium, a situation Rangers feel the Spaniards allowed to happen too easily. ... l Guardian Service
In brief . . .
France coach Raymond Domenechhas rejected Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger's claims that the national side were to blame for Thierry Henry'sinjury-ravaged campaign . . . Manager Ottmar Hitzfeldhas extended his contract at Bayern Munich until June 2008 . . . Striker Nwankwo Kanu(30) is ready to leave Portsmouth at the end of the season after contract talks ended without agreement . . . Brian Steinwas last night confirmed as Luton Town's caretaker manager after the club announced the sacking of Mike Newell.
