Football news

Marcelo Bielsa has emerged as the latest candidate for the coaching job at Roma next season.

New club owner, American in-vestor Thomas Di Benedetto, is looking for a big name replacement for Vincenzo Montella and Bielsa, with 20 years experience, is the latest to be linked with the club.

His most recent jobs have been international in charge of Argentina and Chile, as the 55-year-old has not led a club since Espanyol in 1998.

Bielsa took Argentina to the 2004 Copa America runners-up spot and won the 2004 Olympic title. He was given the Chile job in 2007 but resigned in February 2011.

Sponsor drops out over Di Canio job

A leading trade union has decided to end its sponsorship of Swindon Town in protest at the appointment of Paolo Di Canio as manager.

The GMB said Italian Di Canio had previously voiced right wing views of which it strongly disapproved. The union’s Swindon branch is believed to have paid up to £4,000 to the club this season as part of its sponsorship deal.

A GMB spokesman said: “Our local branch has decided to end its association with Swindon following the appointment of Paolo Di Canio.

“He has openly voiced support for Mussolini so it beggars belief that Swindon could have appointed him, especially given the multi-ethnic nature of the team and the town.”

Nolan urges Barton to stay

Kevin Nolan is ready to sign a new contract at Newcastle and has urged midfield colleague Joey Barton to follow suit and help guide the club back into Europe.

The Liverpudlian pair have been instrumental in the Magpies’ strong return to the Premier League this season.

A new deal for Nolan is thought to be close and he said: “Over the last two years I feel I’ve proved myself here but I don’t want it to stop at that. I want it to go on over the next three, four or five years.”

And he added: “I’d like us to keep Joey. He’s a big player and he has said he wants to stay. We can’t afford to lose any of the big players.”

English FA silent on Pearce selection

The Football Association insisted yesterday Stuart Pearce had yet to finalise his England squad for next month’s U-21 Championship amid reports Arsenal’s Jack Wilshere may now want to pull out.

It has also been claimed Andy Carroll will be allowed to miss this summer’s finals in Denmark which would be a massive double-whammy to coach Pearce, who had been adamant he wanted both him and Wilshere involved.

Wilshere looked certain to be in the 23-man squad named by Pearce today as the player himself has repeatedly declared his intention to go to Denmark but it is now being claimed he has had a change of heart following concerns he may suffer burnout.

Warnock stays, says Ecclestone

Bernie Ecclestone confirmed Neil Warnock will lead QPR into the Barclays Premier League next season.

The likes of Marcello Lippi, Claudio Ranieri, Giovanni Trapattoni and Martin Jol have all been linked with the Rangers job but majority shareholder Ecclestone has made it clear Warnock is not going anywhere.

The 80-year-old said: “He’s staying – 100 per cent. We’ve never discussed anything about him leaving. He’s never wanted to leave and we don’t want to get rid of him.

“He’s absolutely taking the club into the Premier League.”

Scudamore hopeful over technology

Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore is hopeful goal-line technology could be introduced into the professional game in time for the 2012-13 season.

FIFA have long argued against the introduction of technology, saying that the game should be the same at all levels from park football to the World Cup, but Scudamore is hopeful that attitudes are changing.

He said: “We’d like it now, and the good news is FIFA are now prepared to listen.

“It’s gone on far too long, it’s an embarrassment to us as football administrators. We feel the technology is there, we should be able to use it and it’s just a question of how we can persuade FIFA it can be done.”

Hargreaves to be released by United

Owen Hargreaves will leave Manchester United at the end of this season after Alex Ferguson confirmed the injury-ravaged midfielder will not be offered a new contract.

Hargreaves endured a miser-able four-year spell at Old Trafford as tendinitis in both knees left him languishing in the treatment room for long spells.

Having signed a four-year con-tract on his arrival from Bayern Munich in a £17 million deal in July 2007, the 30-year-old has made only two appearances in the last two seasons and played just three times in the campaign prior to that.

Ferguson said: “This has been a difficult decision knowing how hard the lad has worked to get fit.

“But we have made it in the hope he will be able to resurrect his career elsewhere.”