Coventry: Sports Minister Tracey Crouch is to consider drafting in a mediator to help resolve the crisis engulfing Coventry City. The deal allowing City to play at the Ricoh Arena expires at the end of the 2017/18 season, with talks to reach an agreement having broken down. Coventry sit bottom of League One, with just one win in their opening 11 games.
Stalemate: Genki Haraguchi scored an early goal and gave away a second-half penalty as Japan drew 1-1 with Australia in a World Cup qualifier in Melbourne yesterday. Japan got off to a flying start when Haraguchi scored in front of 48,460 fans at Docklands Stadium but their celebrations were tempered when the 25-year-old made a clumsy challenge on Tomi Juric shortly after the break. Mile Jedinak slotted home the spot-kick.
Hoilett: Cardiff City have completed the signing of former Queens Park Rangers winger Junior Hoilett on a free transfer, BBC reported yesterday. The 26-year-old left QPR in the summer after making 31 appearances for them in the Championship last term. “I’m really pleased to be here and I’m ready to go. The manager puts belief in his players and this is a great group of lads,” Hoilett, of Canada, said.
Destro: Bologna striker Mattia Destro is set to miss the Serie A club’s next two matches after sustaining a calf injury. The club said Destro, who scored three goals in six league matches this season, will miss the trip to Lazio and the home match against Sassuolo following “a small first grade tear on the soleus of his right leg”. Destro joined Bologna from Roma last year.
Villa job: Sean Dyche has been cut from 10/1 to just 6/4 to be the next Aston Villa manager, reports said yesterday. The Burnley manager has emerged a surprise contender, having initially been available at 33/1, despite no obvious links to the Villa Park outfit and the Clarets making a solid start to life in the Premier League. Steve Bruce remains the favourite but has drifted out from as short as 1/6 to his current price of 8/13.
Respect: The Wales national team yesterday visited Aberfan to mark the 50th anniversary of the mining disaster which killed 144 people. The players visited the memorial garden to pay their respects before rejoining their clubs. The village was devastated in 1966 when a colliery waste tip collapsed, with slurry engulfing Pantglas Junior School on the last day before half term.