Football Association chairman Greg Dyke has told FIFA ethics chief Michael Garcia that he intends to press ahead with a charity auction for a luxury watch given to him at the World Cup, despite warnings he could face proceedings for breaching regulations.
Garcia has written twice to Dyke about the £16,400 Parmigiani watch asking for it to be returned to the Brazilian FA because the gift contravened ethics committee rules, the most recent letter coming after the deadline of October 24 passed.
It is understood Dyke has responded to Garcia saying he intends to auction the watch for Breast Cancer Care, the FA’s official charity partner, but the FIFA ethics investigator has not replied.
Duo charged
Millwall first-team coach Marc Bircham and Blackburn counterpart Craig Short have been served with a Football Association misconduct charge following Tuesday’s fiery 2-2 draw at The Den.
Bircham and Short were sent to the stands after a touchline scuffle involving staff from both teams following a challenge by Millwall’s Andy Wilkinson on Rovers winger Ben Marshall.
Wilkinson was shown a straight red card for the foul, although Millwall have since launched an appeal against the decision.
Lions boss Ian Holloway was also ordered off the touchline later in the game for contesting another decision, but he has escaped a charge.
Defoe deal not done – Redknapp
QPR boss Harry Redknapp is keen to sign Jermain Defoe in January but insists a deal has not already been struck for the former Tottenham striker.
Redknapp has signed Defoe twice before for Portsmouth and Spurs, and reports suggest a transfer has been agreed for the prolific forward with FC Toronto.
“He’s a player we’d be interested in January, but it depends on the expense of the deal,” Redknapp said.
“Nothing is anywhere near being concluded.”
Southampton tracking Dybala
Premier League high-flyers Southampton are being strongly linked with a move for Palermo striker Paulo Dybala.
Dybala excelled in Palermo’s surprise 2-0 win over Milan at San Siro on Sunday and his performance is said to have strengthened Southampton’s interest in the Argentine.
According to reports in Italy and England, the Saints are keen to sign the young striker and could be willing to stump up £15m, around €19m, for his services.
Palermo president Maurizio Zamparini recently declared that Dybala is worth €42 million.
Warnock: I’m going to be boring
Neil Warnock plans to be more boring in the future to avoid any further Football Association raps.
The Crystal Palace boss was fined £9,000 for comments he made about referee Craig Pawson following his side’s defeat at Chelsea last month.
Warnock, who has not seen his side win since a 2-0 victory over Leicester on September 27, was also warned as to his future conduct and intends to steer clear of saying anything of note any time soon.
“I’m going to be boring from now on,” he said.
“(I will) Give you nothing to write about.
“I know journalists appreciate my comments, but they are not the ones who pay the fines.”
No ankle fracture for Roma’s Florenzi
Tests have confirmed that Alessandro Florenzi has not fractured his ankle, Roma said yesterday.
The midfielder was taken off during Roma’s 2-0 Champions League defeat to Bayern Munich on Wednesday night amid fears that the 23-year-old had broken his ankle.
However, Roma Radio said yesterday that Florenzi had an X-Ray and the results showed that there is no fracture in the joint.
Florenzi is already receiving treatment for his injury but it is not yet known when the Italian will be able to return to action.
Ferdinand saw no point in appeal
Rio Ferdinand “didn’t see the point” of appealing his three-match suspension for comments made on Twitter.
The Football Association gave the former England captain the ban after he used the term “sket” on social media.
The word is a term for a promiscuous girl or woman and the 35-year-old used it on September 1 following a message that his team, QPR, needed a new centre-half.
Quoted in the Sun, Ferdinand said: “I won’t be quitting Twitter, I love it. I use it to talk to fans.
“I didn’t see the point (of appealing).
“The rate of success of appeals on this type of disciplinary panel is almost zero.”