Football news

Chief executive Paul Faulkner believes Aston Villa should be challenging for a European spot this season.

Villa are lying in eighth spot in the league although seven points adrift of Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal on 22 points. But Faulkner feels the quality of players at manager Alex McLeish’s disposal means they should be setting their sights on Europe.

He said: “I think Europe sits there as a goal and this year that would be our goal. That’s what we want to try and achieve.

“It’s not easy but I believe it’s do-able this year. The Premier League is very tough but Aston Villa is a great club and we should be up there challenging at the top of the league.”

Dresden banned

Second division outfit Dynamo Dresden have been kicked out of next season’s German Cup following violence by fans in last month’s exit to Dortmund.

“This verdict is designed to send out a strong signal. If we let things lie then it would only be a matter of time until someone dies,” the DFB said.

Dresden, the first club to be excluded from the competition, have leave to appeal.

The DFB acted after some fans of the club – hugely successful in the defunct East Germany but who have since fallen from grace – sparked violent incidents in the 2-0 loss to Dortmund last month.

Gervinho proud

Gervinho has spoken of his pride at being included on the ten-man shortlist for the African Footballer of the Year award.

The 24-year-old forward has been rewarded for an outstanding 12 months in which he helped Lille to the Ligue 1 title in France before securing an £11 million move to Arsenal.

“It would mean a lot,” Gervinho said.

“I was choked to learn I got shortlisted for that award. There are so many good players in Africa that it’s a pleasure just to know I am among the 10 best players.”

The striker will be forced to miss part of the Premier League campaign when he represents his country in the Africa Cup early in the new year.

Kewell splits with long-time agent

Harry Kewell has split with his long-time manager Bernie Mandic amid upheaval at his club Melbourne Victory.

The former Liverpool striker ended a 15-year association with Mandic that began when Kewell was a teenager in the English top flight in the early 1990s and made him one of Australia’s richest sportsmen. Kewell will now be looked after by Australian James Erskine, who also manages former Test cricketer Shane Warne.

Kewell, 33, who signed with Melbourne Victory this year, has had a tough start to the A-League, failing to score in five appearances.

Anderson out for three months

Manchester United must do without midfielder Anderson until February owing to a knee injury. The Brazilian is to see a specialist in Portugal for further assessment on the problem.

Anderson has not played since the Champions League clash with Otelul Galati on November 2 but Alex Ferguson said the injury is worse than first thought.

The United boss said he will not be rushing into the transfer market in January.

“It is easy to say you are going to buy players but it is not easy to buy them for Manchester United, especially in the next transfer window,” he said.

World’s worst team earns first draw

American Samoa’s much-maligned football team looks set to shake off their unenviable status as the world’s worst side after a 1-1 draw with Oceania rivals the Cook Islands.

American Samoa’s first draw at international level builds on the team’s historic 2-1 win over Tonga earlier this week, also a first.

American Samoa are placed last at 204 on the FIFA world rankings, alongside Andorra, Samoa, San Marino and Montserrat, all with zero points.

Before this week, the team had been defeated in all 31 of their previous international matches, including a world record 31-0 thrashing by Australia in 2001.

PSG draw up Beckham deal

Paris St Germain have put together an attractive offer to entice former England captain David Beckham to join them in a short-term deal, the Daily Mail reported yesterday.

PSG – flush with cash after the arrival of new Qatari owners in the summer – have become the favourites to sign Beckham after the 36-year-old revealed he has been courted by “two big European clubs” after helping the Galaxy to the MLS title last weekend.

According to the Mail, Beckham is considering an offer from PSG for an 18-month contract worth a €15 million with PSG president Nasser al-Khelaifi seeing him as the star to help turn the club into a top name.