Football news

Ray Wilkins claimed he was the victim of “undoubtedly unfair dismissal” from Chelsea. He abruptly left his role of first-team coach earlier this month after being told his contract would not be renewed.

The questions over what happened behind the scenes at Stamford Bridge will now only intensify as Wilkins spoke for the first time since his departure from the club.

“I am very disappointed that the board decided that I had no further contribution to make,” Wilkins said.

“The League Managers Association is assisting me in obtaining answers to a number of questions arising from my undoubtedly unfair dismissal from Chelsea, and all efforts are being made to reach an amicable solution.”

Lagerback linked with Wales job

Former Sweden boss Lars Lagerback has confirmed his interest in becoming the next manager of Wales. The 62-year-old appears to be a serious contender for the job, having spoken to FA of Wales chief executive Jonathan Ford last week.

Wales are seeking a new boss after John Toshack’s resignation, while caretaker manager Brian Flynn has led the team to defeats in Euro 2012 qualifying matches against Bulgaria and Switzerland.

Flynn is eager to have the job permanently but the FAW have not rushed into an appointment.

Lagerback said: “I want to hear a little more. You want to know about how they look upon the job and the organisation around it.”

Pires: I could play until I’m 40

Robert Pires has not ruled out playing until he is 40 after returning to the Premier League with Aston Villa after a four-year absence. The former Arsenal player has signed an initial six-month contract with the Midlands side at the age of 37.

Pires will go straight into contention for today’s game at Blackburn after training with the Gunners for the past two months.

He said: “I like football. It’s my passion. If I have the mentality I will go to six months or why not more?

“Can I play until 40? I think so, yes. Every day, every morning, it is difficult. If you are younger, it is easy. But, if you have the mentality, it is not a problem.”

Mancini plays down Hughes duel

Man. City boss Roberto Mancini has dismissed suggestions of a duel with Mark Hughes as he prepares to come face-to-face with his predecessor in today’s trip to Fulham.

Mancini’s side take on Hughes’s Fulham at Craven Cottage roughly 11 months after the Italian replaced the Welshman as manager at Eastlands. Yet Mancini has played down talk of today’s meeting being a grudge match between the past and present City managers.

“I don’t know if Mark Hughes has a point to prove, but this is Fulham against Manchester City not Mancini against Hughes,” Mancini said.

“Maybe it means more, I don’t know. But I am sure he always tries to win games.”

Coutinho adds to Inter injury woes

Inter midfielder Coutinho is likely to be out of the game for five weeks after sustaining a thigh injury during training on Friday.

The young Brazilian pulled up “after a challenge with a team-mate” during a warm-up game. He was taken in for tests, which have confirmed “a femoral bicep strain in the right leg,” according to the official club website.

Coutinho will be out until the end of the year and misses out on the Club World Cup to be played in Dubai in December.

Inter could have 11 players missing for today’s trip to Chievo, most of them with muscular problems. The absentee list includes Douglas Maicon, MacDonald Mariga, Diego Milito, Thiago Motta, Sulley Muntari, Joel Obi and Walter Samuel.

Injured Ballack tired of waiting

Michael Ballack has expressed his frustration at having to wait to make his comeback from an injury that has kept him out of action since September.

“I’m not using my crutches anymore and it’s a step that does the world of good, because there’s nothing worse than being condemned to inactivity and waiting,” Ballack said.

The former Chelsea player is expected to return to first-team action in January.

Ballack, 34, injured his left leg on the third weekend of the Bundesliga season, four months after an ankle injury ruled him out of Germany’s campaign at the World Cup.

Having been unavailable for half of the year, he has lost his status as a first-choice player for the national side.

‘Sell Schweini if he won’t sign’ – coach

Bayern Munich coach Louis van Gaal said that his club should sell midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger next summer if he does not extend his contract, which expires in 2012.

“Bayern are a business and my clubs have always earned lots of money. Football is a business,” said van Gaal.

Schweinsteiger, a candidate for the FIFA Ballon d’Or, must decide early next year whether or not to sign the contract extension with improved salary that Bayern’s directors have offered him.

He said recently that there were “three or four potential clubs” that interested him, which probably include Real Madrid and Manchester United.