Football news

Tottenham Hotspur are in discussions to take part in a pre-season tournament in South Africa.

Spurs, who toured the United States last year, are set to play against the Soweto Giants, Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates in the Vodacom Challenge in July.

The tournament is likely to be a big crowd-puller given that Tottenham currently have two South Africans, Steven Pienaar and Bongani Khumalo, among their ranks.

The north London outfit have played in the country twice in the last decade, with their last appearance coming in the Vodacom Challenge in 2007, when they beat Orlando Pirates 3-0 in the final.

No comment on Cole claims

Chelsea have declined to comment on reports that Ashley Cole accidentally shot a work placement student at the club’s training ground.

The News of the World claims Cole did not know the .22 air rifle was loaded when he fired at 21-year-old Tom Cowan.

It was reported that the sports sciences student, who is on a one-year work placement at Chelsea, was hit in the side by a lead pellet at the training ground in Cobham.

Chelsea’s medical staff reportedly treated the bleeding wound and Cowan did not require hospital treatment.

“We never comment on internal matters,” Chelsea said in response to the report.

Football in Italy is hell – Ranieri

Claudio Ranieri has launched a stinging attack on football in his homeland. The former Roma coach described Italian football as hell and suggested some of his Roma players refused to give their all for him.

The 59-year-old has also coached in England and Spain during his career but his 18-month stay at his home town club has left him bitter.

“In football there is heaven and hell. You can decide where you want to stand between the two but compared to England, it’s hell here,” he said.

“I still want to coach. England fascinates me but I also like the Italian league. At Roma I became the only scapegoat but now there’s them, the players, who must show everything.”

McCarthy keen to keep O’Hara

Wolves boss Mick McCarthy admits he wants to sign Jamie O’Hara on a permanent basis after the on-loan midfielder enhanced his burgeoning reputation with a goal in the 4-0 win over Blackpool.

The Spurs midfielder is on loan until the end of the season and has already admitted he fears his career at White Hart Lane is over.

McCarthy said: “We want him to come and he wants to come. He’s brought a bit of personality to the place and given us something different.

“Is a deal in place? You’ll have to ask the chief executive. But he’s a footballer who has helped us already.”

Adamant Del Neri vows to fight on

Juventus suffered another embarrassing defeat on Saturday but under-fire coach Gigi Del Neri does not intend to resign.

Supporters hurled abuse after the 0-2 upset at hometo Bologna which followed the defeat at Lecce the week before.

“A while back the president said he had faith in me and he has reaffirmed that,” Del Neri told reporters.

“We are all responsible for this situation but I have no intention of resigning.”

Some Bianconeri supporters want a change on the bench and are calling for former player Antonio Conte to be considered. Other mentioned about the Juve job include Luciano Spalletti, Marcello Lippi and Gianluca Vialli.

Langerak impresses on debut

Australian goalkeeper Mitchell Langerak earned his coach’s praise with an impressive debut for Bundesliga leaders Borussia Dortmund in their 3-1 win at Bayern Munich on Saturday.

Dortmund laid one hand on the Bundesliga shield with their first victory for nearly 20 years at Bayern, which leaves them 13 points clear at the top of the table.

A knee injury to goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller had handed 22-year-old Langerak his German league debut in front of a sell-out 66,000 crowd, having joined Dortmund last July.

“I am pleased for the boys. Mitch Langerak protected the winning margin for us and, all things told, did a magnificent job,” said coach Jurgen Klopp.

FA await verdict on Rooney ‘elbow’

Referee Mark Clattenburg’s explanation of why he awarded Wigan a free-kick following Wayne Rooney’s clash with James McCarthy on Saturday will determine whether the Manchester United striker ends up facing a three-match ban.

Latics boss Roberto Martinez was incensed by the sight of Rooney smacking his elbow into the back of McCarthy’s head and sought out Clattenburg for an explanation at half-time.

The Durham official told Martinez he felt there had been “a coming together”, something he appeared to indicate through hand gestures at the time.

The only obvious way round this for Clattenburg when he sends in his official match report would be to state he saw the clash, but not the elbow.