Football news

Wolves manager Mick McCarthy is refusing to get carried away by talk of promotion.

McCarthy's team are three points away from a place among English football's elite after Andy Keogh's late goal clinched a 3-2 win at Derby on Monday.

Wolves are seven points clear of third-placed Sheffield United with just three games remaining and a win against QPR on Saturday would guarantee promotion.

But McCarthy doesn't want his players to be distracted.

"That's dangerous. They will all be wanting the carnival stuff and the fanfare and turning up and giving it large and the big yahoo, but it's business as usual as far as I am concerned," said the former Ireland manager.

Agent dismisses Adriano talk

Gilmar Rinaldi, the agent of Inter and Brazil misfit Adriano, said reports linking the striker to a move with Fenerbahce, in the Turkish league, was 'pure speculation' and nothing else.

"Adriano joining Fenerbahce... there's no truth in that and nobody has contacted me with such a proposition," Rinaldi said.

Adriano, 27, decided to take a break from football last week and said he does not want to return to Inter.

"Everything they are saying in Italy is pure speculation," Rinaldi added.

"But I want to clarify that there is no clause in Adriano's contract that says he can't play for another European side for the next two years."

'Big chance' for Van Persie to stay

Robin van Persie has 15 months left on his current contract with Arsenal but the Dutchman thinks there is a 'big chance' for him to extend his career at Arsenal.

Arsenal want Van Persie to sign a new long-term contract to fight off the threat of him leaving under the Bosman ruling.

Initial talks between both parties were reported to be positive.

"We've had a couple of meetings in a really positive atmosphere," Van Persie said.

"The main thing is whether you both have the intention to 'extend' but the way I see it is that we both have the intention to extend so there's a big chance that I will stay."

Coach assaults player for blunder

The coach of a Chinese Super League football team admitted assaulting a player who gave away a goal with a defensive blunder.

Shen Xiangfu, the coach of Guangzhou's Guangyao team in south China, said he kicked and swore at Wang Xiaosi during the half-time break in a 2-3 defeat to Hangzhou on Saturday, the Guangzhou Daily said.

"When I saw him, I became furious. I approached him and kicked him twice very strongly and said quite strong stuff," Shen was quoted as saying.

Jol not leaving Hamburg

Reports in the media have recently linked Martin Jol with a return to the English Premiership and a job at Manchester City.

The ex-Tottenham manager, is currently at Hamburg and leading the team's charge for the Bundesliga title.

Hamburg are also well placed in the UEFA Cup after defeating City 3-1 in Germany in the first leg of their quarter-final tie. That match sparked speculation Jol could be set to replace Mark Hughes at Eastlands in the summer.

But Jol said: "These things are really getting on my nerves, I do not think about it.

"My aim is to see the Hamburg supporters happy. I am also very happy to be here and enjoy the fantastic circumstances... Hamburg is a club with a big tradition."

Lehmann's sense of reality

Jens Lehmann, who is hoping for an international recall, has lost his sense of reality, Werder Bremen keeper Tim Wiese said.

Lehmann retired from international duty after Euro 2008. But the 39-year-old, now at Stuttgart, has been making noises recently about returning for the 2010 World Cup.

Yet according to Wiese, one of the three Germany keepers who has kept goal since Euro 2008, Lehmann is being unrealistic.

"Lehmann is completely over-estimating himself and he's lost his sense of reality," Wiese said.

"It's a shame, he was nice enough before he joined Stuttgart. Now he is constantly stirring things up and it's starting to annoy me."

Van Nistelrooy on course for return

Real Madrid's Ruud van Nistelrooy is on course to recover from surgery to his right knee in time for the start of the 2009-10 Primera Liga season, the striker said.

"I think I will be able to return to training in a month. It feels good and I am optimistic. I'm looking forward to kicking a ball again and playing a match," the former Dutch international told reporters yesterday.

"I will have to wait until next season, but I am very enthusiastic and very motivated," said the 32-year-old, who had surgery in November after damaging a cartilage in his right knee.

He was ruled out for between six and nine months.