Glasgow Rangers have launched an inquiry into the conduct of Chief Executive Charles Green over reports he had links to the former owner who presided over the club’s collapse last year.
Former Rangers owner Craig Whyte has said in recent days that he was secretly involved in the takeover of Rangers last year by a consortium led by Green. Whyte was the majority shareholder at Rangers when they went into administration in Feb. 2012.
Rangers said they had com-missioned an independent report into allegations made by Whyte concerning Green and Com-mercial Director Imran Ahmad.
Luiz demands Aguero apology
David Luiz has urged Sergio Aguero to apologise for the incident during Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final that left him with stud marks on his back.
Aguero scored in City’s 2-1 Wembley triumph. But his second-half challenge on Luiz left a sour taste as he jumped on the Chelsea defender’s back.
Luiz said: “Aguero needs to be honest with himself and say I don’t like to do bad tackles.
“Sometimes in a game people have five seconds when they are angry and do things they don’t like to do. I think it was that. I never saw Aguero do a bad tackle on other players. It was five seconds of anger and I forgive him.”
Allardyce set for West Ham stay
Sam Allardyce is sure he will stay on as West Ham manager. The 58-year-old confounded the critics to take West Ham up at the first attempt via the play-offs and the club now look all but certain to remain in the top flight.
The next campaign is already coming into focus and Allardyce expects to extend his contract past the summer to remain at the Upton Park helm.
“I wouldn’t be here if we weren’t playing in the Premier League next season,” he said.
“I always said if I don’t keep them up, I won’t stay. We are going to be safe and playing in the Premier League next season so my planning will be done as quickly as possible.”
Pulis’s rallying cry
Tony Pulis has told his players the season starts now and challenged them to win two of their final five games to ensure Stoke will have a sixth consecutive season of Premier League football.
Stoke have picked up only five points since the turn of the year and Sunday’s 2-0 defeat by Manchester United extended their miserable run to one point from seven games. That left Pulis’s side in 16th, three points clear of 18th-placed Wigan.
Pulis said: “I’ve just spoken to the players. It’s a five-game season. There’s eight, maybe nine teams that are in the scrap and we’ve just got to make sure, no matter what’s happened before, the season really starts for us now.
“I still say 40 points will do it.”
Too easy for Bayern – Hoeness
Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness fears the Bundesliga has become too easy for his club, and hopes their rivals can catch up quickly.
Bayern have sealed their 23rd title with six games to spare and are now just one win away from matching the record number of points for a season, set by Borussia Dortmund last year.
“There has been a huge dip in the competitiveness of the league and we can’t be happy with that. We’ve got to analyse why that is the case,” Hoeness said.
Bayern’s recent 9-2 hammering of Hamburg and a goal difference of plus 70 after 29 games is proof of the gulf which has opened up at the top.
Dozens held over derby trouble
A total of 29 fans have been arrested after violence erupted following a derby match in Newcastle. Three police officers were also injured during clashes with Newcastle fans after their side’s 3-0 defeat to Sunderland at St James’ Park.
Amid sporadic violence across the city centre, missiles were thrown at officers as the fans tried to confront Sunderland supporters at Central Station, Newcastle.
Pictures and video also emerged of a man trying to punch a police horse before he was hauled to the ground by officers. Yesterday, the West Yorkshire Police tweeted a picture of the horse in question, called Bud, saying he is safe and well and appears fine.
Two supporters shot dead in Brazil
Two soccer fans were shot dead on their way to a match at the Arena Castelao World Cup stadium in the northeastern Brazilian city of Fortaleza on Sunday, media reported.
Globo cited police sources that the two young men, fans of visiting team Ceara, were shot in the head from a passing vehicle allegedly carrying two Fortaleza supporters.
The Folha de Sao Paulo newspaper said Ceara fans started a fight by throwing stones at Fortaleza supporters, which spar-ked the shooting.
They said an unidentified man had been arrested in connection with the incident which occurred about five kilometres from the Arena Castelao.