After years of frustration for Northern Ireland fans, the redevelopment of Windsor Park is on course to yield a first-rate international stadium next year.
That is the promise of Irish FA chief executive Patrick Nelson, who has played a key role in shepherding the project from divisive pipe dream to its current state of construction.
The national side will continue to play at Windsor while work continues and today’s Euro qualifier against Faroe Islands will take place with only two stands open.
“At the moment it’s a building site, it’s a work in progress and we’ll have a lower capacity for the next few games, but what that means is we’re closer to having a fantastic new stadium in a year’s time,” Nelson said.
Riseth defends struggling Deila
Former Celtic midfielder Vidar Riseth says the Parkhead outfit should have handed boss Ronny Deila bundles of cash if they wanted instant success.
The former Stromsgodset boss failed to guide Celtic to the Champions League group stages while his side have dropped 10 Scottish Premiership points in their first eight games.
Riseth said: “It’s been tough for Ronny because he’s not had money to buy any stars. When I was at Celtic, we needed a striker so the club bought Mark Viduka for a lot of money. We already had Henrik Larsson and started getting results straight away.
“If Celtic want results straight away again, then they should have bought players who can go straight into the team.”
Mourinho was a disgrace – Keane
Roy Keane has warned Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho he would be “knocked out” if he tried to shake hands before the final whistle in Sunday league football.
Aston Villa boss Paul Lambert refused to take the Portuguese’s hand as he prepared to head down the tunnel before the end of his side’s 3-0 defeat by the Blues at Stamford Bridge on September 27, and his assistant Keane’s reaction was even more withering.
Asked about the incident Keane said: “It’s disgraceful.
“I’ve seen him doing it to others, it is a disgrace. The game is still going on. You wouldn’t do that on a Sunday morning, you would get knocked out.”
Barzagli sidelined
Juventus will have to do without veteran defender Andrea Barzagli until the new year at least.
The 33-year-old is struggling for fitness and over the summer he had to undergo heel surgery.
Barzagli was expected to return last month but Juve medics yesterday confirmed that a stress fracture has been traced in the de-fender’s heel which will prolong his stay on the sidelines.
Tuttosport reported a comeback has now been penned for late December.
England supporters vote for keeper Hart
England fans poked fun at San Marino’s dour performance at Wembley by choosing Joe Hart as their man of the match following the 5-0 victory on Thursday night.
The scoreline may not have been emphatic but there was never any doubt that England would record a comprehensive win thanks to San Marino’s defensive tactics.
San Marino only had one effort on target all match, but Hart was still voted man of the match in an online poll organised by England sponsors Vauxhall.
Sixty-three per cent of the thousands who voted opted for the England goalkeeper, with Jack Wilshere and Rooney trailing behind in second and third respectively.
A panel of broadcasters voted Wilshere man of the match.
Ozil timetable
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger insists the club will “follow our own recommendations” on how best to help Mesut Ozil recover from a knee injury.
The German football federation announced on Wednesday the midfielder was set to be out for “10 to 12 weeks” as scans revealed a “partial rupture of the outer band of the left knee joint” after Ozil had complained to Arsenal’s medical staff of pain on Sunday.
The Premier League club, however, later released their own statement insisting no time frame had yet been set for the recovery of their record signing.
Wenger said: “We have our own specialist giving us his opinion after reading the scan and examining Mesut. We will follow our own recommendations.”
David Villa set for A-League debut
Former Spain striker David Villa will make his A-League debut for Melbourne City this weekend but is not certain to start today’s match at Sydney FC, manager John van’t Schip said.
Villa is the highest profile recruit to the A-League this season and there is much excitement about his 10-game guest stint on loan from New York City.
The 32-year-old has not played since Spain’s final match of the World Cup against Australia, though, and having arrived in Melbourne on Monday, there was some doubt about whether he would be fit for the season-opener at Sydney Football Stadium.
“Yes, he is going to be part of the game and we will just see which part,” Van’t Schip said.