Football News

Steve Bruce says he will quit as manager of Birmingham if the club's biggest shareholder Carson Yeung interferes in team selection.

Yeung, who bought a 29.9 per cent share in the Blues in July, had a reputation for meddling in first-team affairs at his previous club, Hong Kong Rangers.

Asked if he would tolerate any interference, Bruce said: "You know the answer to that question. If someone tries to pick your team for you then I don't think that is for me,"

Pizarro eyes prime role at Chelsea

Claudio Pizarro has set his sights on becoming the number one striker at Chelsea. With last season's leading goalscorer Didier Drogba currently sidelined with a knee injury, the former Bayern Munich forward could be in line to lead the attack against Birmingham in their Premier League opener on Sunday.

"I am not in England to be a substitute for Drogba," Pizarro said. "He and Andriy Shevchenko are great players but Claudio Pizarro is not lame and I will compete with them."

Liverpool land Lens goalkeeper

Racing Lens have sold France under-21 goalkeeper Charles Itandje to Liverpool for an undisclosed fee, the Ligue 1 club said yesterday.

The transfer is likely to mean that reserve Scott Carson leaves Anfield for Premier League club Aston Villa on loan.

"The directors have concluded the sale of Charles Itandje to Liverpool," Lens said in a statement. "He leaves after six years of good and loyal service. We wish him good luck and best wishes."

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez is set to use Itandje as back-up for first-choice Jose Reina.

Keane awaiting Mido response

Sunderland chief Roy Keane has revealed he hopes to have an answer from Tottenham striker Mido imminently after the two clubs agreed a fee for his transfer.

The Egypt international, who has been told he can leave White Hart Lane, has been linked with a number of Premier League clubs including Birmingham, Everton and Middlesbrough.

Keane said: "I'm convinced we'll have an answer from Mido soon. I met with the player over the weekend, he's had a few days to think about it and as usual there are one or two other clubs interested.

"We're hopeful that he will make the right choice and to me the right choice would be to come to Sunderland."

Materazzi 'praised' for headbutt

France coach Raymond Domenech has praised Italy defender Marco Materazzi for provoking Zinedine Zidane into headbutting him in last year's World Cup final.

"He scored a goal, got an opponent sent off and scored a penalty (in the shoot-out) in the World Cup final," Domenech told French daily Le Parisien.

"The man of the match wasn't (Andrea) Pirlo, it was Materazzi."

West Ham to swoop for Solano

West Ham are reportedly ready to make an offer for Newcastle winger Nolberto Solano.

The Hammers were all set to land Dyer after agreeing a £6 million fee with the Tyneside club, but that deal was scuppered when the Magpies increased their valuation of the player.

Reports suggest Alan Curbishley is again set to swoop at Newcastle, but at a much lower price. The West Ham boss hopes to land Peruvian winger Solano on a free transfer.

Eriksson still keen on Bresciano

Manchester City boss Sven-Goran Eriksson has not given up hope on signing Palermo midfielder Mark Bresciano.

Palermo pulled out of a £5.4m agreement claiming that the Premier League outfit's payment plan was unacceptable.

"I hope the deal is still alive, but there were some problems," Eriksson said. "He was here and trained with us and is a very good player."

Rossi wants Euro progress

Italy forward Giuseppe Rossi is targeting Champions League qualification in his first season with new club Villarreal.

"I've joined a very ambitious club," Rossi was quoted as saying. "It was difficult to leave Manchester, but the first days here have convinced me that I made the right choice. The big objective is to get back in the Champions League where the side did so well two years ago."

No Juve move for Aussie 'keeper

The Italian Soccer Federation (FIGC) has nullified Australian goalkeeper Jess Vanstrattan's July move to Juventus, following an appeal by his former club Verona.

Vanstrattan signed for Juve two weeks after second-division Verona let him terminate his contract with them because the 25-year-old said he wanted to return to Australia.

Leeds United lose appeal

Third division Leeds United lost their appeal yesterday against a 15-point deduction for the start of the new season, the Football League said.

The deduction had been applied by the Football League last week following the club's change of ownership in July, when chairman Ken Bates bought the club from administrators KPMG.

Though the league cleared Leeds to start the season, their board imposed the 15-point penalty for breaching rules on insolvency.