Football news

Aston Villa defender Luke Young confirmed yesterday that he has retired from international duty after snubbing a call-up for England's friendly against Brazil.

England coach Fabio Capello asked Young to replace injured Liverpool right-back Glen Johnson in his squad for the trip to Doha ahead of Saturday's clash.

Young had informed the English FA in February that he wanted to concentrate on club football after earning just seven caps in four years, but didn't make the decision public.

The 30-year-old has played just twice for Villa this season as he struggles to come to terms with the death of his half-brother, Andre, who was found dead at a Greek holiday resort in August.

Bulgaria to meet S. Donetsk in friendly

Bulgaria will play a friendly match against Ukrainian club side Shakhtar Donetsk tomorrow.

The Bulgarian Football Union said the game against the four-times Ukrainian champions would be played at the Ataturk Stadium in the Turkish resort city of Antalya.

Bulgaria were scheduled to host Bolivia on Saturday in an international friendly but the South Americans cancelled the game for "economic reasons".

Next Wednesday, Bulgaria will face Malta in a friendly match at the Hibs Ground.

Dunne ridicules Domenech

Ireland defender Richard Dunne has launched a blistering attack on France coach Raymond Domench as their crunch World Cup play-off nears.

"Every time a tournament comes round, they (France) have all these world-class players and then a man who seems intent on messing them up," Dunne said.

"It (Domenech's management) could be a weakness or it could be a big smokescreen; France have played really well in their last few games. But if we can get on top of them and try to turn the game into a battle, we feel we have the stronger personalities."

Hargreaves eyes United comeback

Owen Hargreaves is determined to look back on his 14-month long absence as a positive experience.

The Manchester United midfielder is nearing the end of his mammoth comeback trail, having returned to England following operations on both knees to cure a tendinitis problem that arose before his £18.6 million move from Bayern Munich in 2007.

"The day of the diagnosis was a bad one, as was the day after the first operation," he told Inside United. "I was sore and doubt started to cloud my mind. But I see it as a positive experience now.

"Ideally I would not have had to go through this. But the diagnosis was made to ensure I can come back and play for years to come. I am 28 now and I would like to play until I am 34."

Injured Drogba to miss qualifier

Didier Drogba has withdrawn from the Ivory Coast's World Cup qualifier against Guinea on Saturday through injury, the Ivorian Football Federation has said.

The Chelsea striker stayed behind in London for treatment after he was kicked in the chest by Manchester United defender Johnny Evans in Sunday's Premier League match at Stamford Bridge.

Drogba may be available for the side's friendly international against Germany in Gelsenkirchen next Wednesday.

Ivory Coast have already qualified for next year's World Cup finals in South Africa.

Pavlyuchenko to 'insist' on Spurs exit

Tottenham striker Roman Pavlyuchenko is planning showdown talks with manager Harry Redknapp after the international break during which he will "insist" on being allowed to leave the club in January.

The Russian has been largely frozen out at White Hart Lane this season and fears his lack of first-team action could cost him the chance of playing at next year's World Cup finals.

"I want to leave the club," said Pavlyuchenko. "I have been sitting on the subs' bench for half a year and as a result lost a place in the starting 11 of the national team.

"And now hopefully we will get to the World Cup - who will rely on a forward who does not play? I want to play and not just warm the bench."

Lippi sees funny side of Cassano story

Italy coach Marcello Lippi has jokingly remarked that the reason why he has repeatedly overlooked Antonio Cassano is because he had an altercation with his son Davide.

Earlier this month Sampdoria president Riccardo Garrone said that "a very very ugly story" was behind Cassano's omission from the Italy squad.

La Stampa wrote that Cassano had actually been involved in a fight with Lippi's son Davide who is an influential football agent.

Approached by a reporter from satirical Italian TV show Striscia La Notizia, Lippi joked: "My son has a swollen cheek because of that punch." Asked if Cassano and his son had in fact come to blows, Lippi replied: "I don't know, it doesn't concern me."