Football news

Former Manchester United star Roy Keane is in line to become Melbourne Victory’s next coach in Australia’s A-League, reports said yesterday.

Keane, who was sacked by Ipswich Town in January, was in Melbourne to finalise his contract, English media reports said.

The 39-year-old Irishman was seen in the crowd watching Sydney FC’s AFC Asian Champions League game against Shanghai Shenhua on Wednesday.

But Keane, who is on holiday with his family in Australia, avoided journalists who attempted to ask him questions by repeatedly moving seats, Fox Sports said.

Ferdinand joins appeal for murder witnesses

Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has joined an appeal for witnesses as police attempt to solve the murder of a promising footballer who was shot dead in London.

In a video message released on the Metropolitan Police’s Youtube site, former England captain Ferdinand urged anyone with information about the killing of 18-year-old Rio McFarlane in Peckham last September to come forward.

Ferdinand comes from the same part of London as McFarlane and is also friends with the victim’s elder brother.

Police are offering a reward of £20,000 for information that leads to an arrest.

Cantona kung fu victim attacks coach

The spectator who was on the receiving end of Eric Cantona’s kung-fu style assault in 1995 has gone on trial accused of brawling at a youth football match in August 2010, reports said.

Matthew Simmons reputedly held a grudge against Stuart Cooper, a salesman and also manager of a boys’ team which included the former’s son.

A south London court heard that Cooper allegedly excluded Simmons’ son, 13, from the team after learning his father was the person Cantona had kicked.

Simmons allegedly attacked Cooper with a “flurry of punches”, leaving him with a bloody nose and covered in bruises, including a black eye.

Redknapp hits out at Real play-acting

Harry Redknapp has accused Real Madrid’s players of deliberately trying to get Peter Crouch sent off in Tuesday’s Champions League 4-0 quarter-final defeat.

Redknapp was not impressed by the way that Real defender Pepe immediately pleaded with referee Felix Brych to send Crouch off after the second foul on Marcelo on 15 minutes, and with the play-acting which he feels followed both tackles.

“They made a meal of it. They made sure they got him sent off,” Redknapp said.

“When it happened they were all after the referee and overacting and the player was rolling around.”

Adebayor dismayed by racist chant

Real Madrid striker Emmanuel Adebayor believes authorities are powerless to stop racist fans after he was allegedly abused by Tottenham supporters during his team’s Champions League win over Spurs.

Adebayor told The Guardian he was dismayed to hear a chant which fans have directed at him over the years that attacks his African heritage.

While Togo international Adebayor said the fight against racism in football would continue he acknowledged “we can’t do anything to stop it”.

“Big players better than me have tried to stop that, but it’s not easy at all,” Adebayor said.

“Racist? We have done everything we can to show the red card to racism. But people are still into it, that’s part of life.”

James becomes Pool stakeholder

LeBron James, a two-time NBA Most Valuable Player now chasing an NBA crown with Miami, is branching out to other sports – at least in business.

Fenway Sports Marketing (FSM), sister company to baseball’s venerable Boston Red Sox, said it had signed James to a long-term deal to handle his marketing.

As part of the bargain, James has obtained a small piece of storied English Premiership club Liverpool, FSM president Sam Kennedy said.

“Liverpool is one of the most important clubs in all of sports and I am excited to be affiliated with this incredible organisation,” James said.

Bayern will improve defence – Nerlinger

Bayern Munich’s director of sport Christian Nerlinger said the Bavarian giants will strengthen their defence at the end of the season, but dismissed reports they will rebuild their team.

“We must act to improve the defence and we will make one or two changes this summer,” Nerlinger told German magazine Sport Bild. “In total, there are three positions we have to think about.”

Having been dumped out of both the Champions League and German Cup, as well as being 14 points behind Dortmund in the Bundesliga, Bayern face a season without silverware.

Bayern are reported to be interested in signing goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, from Schalke, plus defenders Fabio Coentrao of Benfica and Ajax’s Gregory van der Wiel.