Football news

Rangers manager Walter Smith favours a return of the winter break but believes it could cause a whole host of new problems.

Severe weather conditions have wreaked havoc with the fixture card in recent weeks, with several of last weekend's Scottish Cup ties falling victim to the weather. Smith believes the unpredictability of the elements means deciding exactly when to call a halt to games could prove troublesome.

"It's something that comes up every year," he said.

"Our problem is when we are going to have our inclement weather... when do you have your break?

"So there are two things - do we have a winter break or do we turn the season on its head and play all during the summer and break for the entire winter?"

PFA urge Pompey boss to be 'up front'

Players' union boss Gordon Taylor has called on Portsmouth owner Ali Al Faraj to be "up front" about the financial problems facing the club. PFA chief executive Taylor was in contact with Portsmouth last week over the latest delay in paying the December wages of staff at Fratton Park.

Taylor believes Al Faraj needs to make himself more visible and admits it is a possibility that Portsmouth could suffer the same fate as Leeds and plummet through the leagues.

Taylor said: "It's always a possibility when you see that clubs over-reach themselves. But you do like clubs to be in the ownership of people who are prepared to declare their interests and be up front about it."

Cologne will come good says Podolski

Lukas Podolski wants actions to speak louder than words in 2010 as he bids to improve on his return of just one goal in 16 matches since returning to Cologne last summer.

Podolski's personal record is synonymous with his club's struggles. They finished the year in 12th position in the Bundesliga - just two points above the bottom three.

"It is said often enough in Cologne that we have lots of potential but we have also got to show that," he said.

"We have got to take a few risks to ensure we actually do what we declare we are capable of."

Preston warn Celtic over St Ledger

Preston have warned Celtic they will not land Sean St Ledger on the cheap after claiming the Hoops were nowhere near meeting their valuation of the player.

The Glasgow giants have reportedly offered £1.25m for the Ireland international - well short of Preston's £3m valuation of the 25-year-old.

Preston chairman Derek Shaw said: "Celtic's offer was way below our valuation. There's no way we'd accept anything near the figure put to us. We are not being greedy."

Juve's Giovinco out for a month

Juventus have been hit by a new injury blow with the news that midfielder Sebastian Giovinco will be sidelined for almost a month.

Giovinco pulled up in training on Saturday with a thigh injury and the Bianconeri confirmed yesterday that the 22-year-old will be out of action for "25-30 days".

The former Italy U-21 international will miss the Serie A games against Chievo, Roma, Lazio and Livorno as well as the Coppa Italia tie against Napoli.

Giovinco joins Gianluigi Buffon, David Trezeguet, Vincenzo Iaquinta and Mauro Camoranesi in the treatment room.

Ferguson tests FA's patience... again

Alex Ferguson may have landed himself in further trouble with the FA after his latest withering assessment of a referee.

The Manchester United manager was furious with Mark Clattenburg for sending off Darren Fletcher towards the end of United's 1-1 draw away to Birmingham on Saturday.

Rather than concentrate on the deficiencies of his players, Ferguson opted for a concerted attack on Clattenburg, saying: "I saw him referee Arsenal against Spurs recently and someone needed to take out an axe to get booked and then he sends someone off for that. It was very, very soft.

"There were some weird decisions going on out there. The linesman gives offside for our goal and it's an own-goal! (which negates offside). And he still gives offside."

Blatter says has confidence in Africa

FIFA president Sepp Blatter said he had confidence in Africa and the continent's ability to organise this year's World Cup despite Friday's attack on the Togo team bus at the Nations Cup finals in Angola.

"I have confidence in Africa and it's on the strength of this confidence that we will together organise the flagship competition of world football in 2010," Blatter said in a letter to African Football Confederation (CAF) president Issa Hayatou.

"This terrible incident will not make us forget that African football has written some beautiful pages in the history of world football. It is also the cradle of the pure jewels of football."

This year's World Cup, which starts in June, is being held on the African continent for the first time.