Football news

England's improved results justify the new standards of discipline and team bonding introduced by Italian coach Fabio Capello, goalkeeper David James said yesterday.

England's 2-1 win over Ukraine on Wednesday was their fifth successive victory in their World Cup qualifying group and they look set for next year's finals in South Africa.

"There are rules and regulations which are testing and I don't mean that in a bad way," James said.

"It's a very Italian style which I believe Mr Capello enforces. People have mentioned the fact the whole team sit down for a meal and won't leave until the last person has finished which is good, it is respect for everyone else at the table in the team."

Bruce 'too good for England'

Wigan chairman Dave Whelan would never appoint a foreign manager at his club and claims Steve Bruce is "too good for England".

"I don't just think British managers are the equals of their foreign counterparts, they are better - and what Steve and David Moyes (Everton manager) are doing for their clubs proves that," Whelan said.

"Then there's Sir Alex Ferguson at Man. United and Martin O'Neill at Aston Villa. I'd never entertain a foreign manager for Wigan and I don't think it's right that England have a foreign manager either.

"I wouldn't go anywhere near one because I don't accept you must go abroad for your boss.

"Steve Bruce is too good for - I am deadly serious."

Diego closer to Juventus move

Diego is close to agreeing a move to Juventus and the decisive meeting will be after Easter, the Werder Bremen forward's father has said.

"My feeling is that this time Juve are serious, their interest in Diego is real," Djair Ribas da Cunha, Diego's father who also acts as his agent, told Tuttosport.

"I think the Bianconeri and Werder directors haven't spoken yet, but I know they are going to in the next few days."

Werder Bremen value Diego at £27m but it's reported they'll be ready to part with the Brazilian for closer to £20m.

Ferguson denies row with Rooney

Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson has strongly refuted claims that he had a row with striker Wayne Rooney.

Former Liverpool defender Mark Lawrenson suggested Ferguson had a verbal exchange with Rooney following last month's 4-1 home defeat to title rivals Liverpool .

Ferguson, though, has dismissed the suggestions outright. "I was made aware of it. Absolute nonsense," the United boss said.

"I don't know where that came from, but the revealing part of it is 'everybody knows', but I didn't know and I was in there.

"Nobody followed it up which tells you everything because if there was any truth you'd have found out."

Dunga hits out at Milan's medical team

Brazil coach Carlos Dunga has launched a scathing attack on the work of Milan's medical staff.

"Kaka and Ronaldinho are always injured there, while we get them back in shape," Dunga was quoted as saying.

"Milan have one way of acting, we have another. Kaka is always injured at Milan and this is the second time we have got him back on his feet," said the Brazil boss.

"All it took with us was three days to let him play 30 minutes, whereas with the Rossoneri he couldn't play at all.

"Ronaldinho is an important player for us that we want to get back to his best for the World Cup in 2010. He is a great champion and we'll try to recuperate him."

Villa's Barry to seek O'Neill talks

Aston Villa midfielder Gareth Barry intends to hold talks with manager Martin O'Neill if the club fail to claim a top-four finish.

Barry was a transfer target for Liverpool last summer and reports suggest that speculation over his future could resurface at the end of the season.

"With the games we've got left, we have got a more than good enough squad to take us up the league," Barry said.

"My aim is for us to finish in the top four and play Champions League football at Villa Park. It's a big ask but it's more than achievable.

"If it doesn't happen, at the end of the season I'll speak with the manager about my future."

Seoul poisoned our players - N. Korea

North Korea accused South Korea yesterday of poisoning its players who lost a World Cup qualifier in Seoul last week.

North Korea had asked for Wednesday's game to be postponed, saying three players had fallen ill because of the South Korean food they had been served. FIFA rejected the North's request and ordered the game be staged as scheduled.

Yesterday's statement on official media called on FIFA to review the match and "take an appropriate measure".

It said the food poisoning "was a product of a deliberate act perpetrated by adulterated foodstuff".