Yugoslavs sack coach

Ireland's European Championship rivals Yugoslavia will arrive in Dublin for their September 1st qualifying tie with a new manager after current coach Milan Zivadinovic was dismissed by the country's football association.

The surprise move follows a dispute between Zivadinovic, under whom the national team has won its three opening games of the European campaign, and his employers over what the association saw as a excessively long summer break and a rumour that he has agreed to coach in Saudi Arabia from next year.

"At one point Zivadinovic called us to say that qualifying for Euro 2000 with Yugoslavia was the only thing on his mind but we were still amazed to hear that he wouldn't be back from his vacation before July 28th," said FA president Miljan Miljanic.

"He refused to say where he was nor did he mention his contract with the Saudi team," continued the official adding that "all this could have a devastating effect on the national team's effort to qualify for next year's European Championship."

Rather than take that risk ahead of vital qualifying games against Croatia and Ireland, the association has opted instead to sack Zivadinovic less than a year after he succeeded Slobodan Santrac in the job.

Miljanic has indicated that a new man will be named by July 24th with recently dismissed Real Madrid coach Radomir Antric, who said last year that it was his long term ambition to run the national team, a strong favourite to land the job.

Ruud Gullit is poised to take his summer spending spree past £15 million after agreeing a deal for midfield prodigy Kieron Dyer. He is ready to pay in the region of £6-million to bring the 20-year-old Ipswich star to Tyneside.