The Premier League have asked Blackpool to clarify the role of acting chief executive Karl Oyston after it was revealed he was declared bankrupt last month.
Insolvency records show Oyston was declared bankrupt on August 18 – the same day the Premier League newcomers announced his resignation as chairman and director.
Under Premier League rules anyone made bankrupt is barred from holding the position of chairman or director and the club have been asked to provide details of his new role to ensure Oyston is not acting as a shadow director.
Valencia back by February – Ferguson
Alex Ferguson revealed yesterday Antonio Valencia could be back in action by the end of February.
The Manchester United winger was stretchered off on Tuesday during United’s Champions League 0-0 draw with Rangers after suffering an horrific injury.
Initially, Ferguson said Valencia would miss the remainder of the campaign. However, it now appears the damage is not quite as bad as the United boss feared.
“You can never be 100% accurate in these situations and it is a bad injury, but we are looking at the end of February, which is better than we thought on Tuesday,” said the United boss.
Celtic looking at American youngster
Celtic have invited United States U-20 striker Adrian Ruelas to train with them but the Glasgow club denied any deal was in place to sign the player.
Mexican top-flight outfit Santos Laguna announced that the 19-year-old would be joining Celtic on a temporary basis with a view to a full transfer, as part of their co-operation agreement with the Parkhead club. But Celtic have not yet committed to any deal with the player.
The California-born teenager represented Mexico at various youth levels before switching to the land of his birth.
Shearer: I thought I had Magpies job
Alan Shearer has revealed he thought he had the Newcastle job after sitting down with Mike Ashley in the immediate aftermath of relegation.
Shearer had been parachuted in for the final eight games of the 2008-09 season in a desperate attempt to keep the Magpies in the Premier League. Ultimately, he was to fail as his side slipped out of the top flight by a single point.
But as owner Mike Ashley plotted the way forward, Shearer was called in for talks and left convinced the job was his before the sportswear tycoon opted to appoint Chris Hughton.
Shearer said: “I thought I had the job at Newcastle.
“We had got relegated and I had sat down with the appropriate guys and we had agreed everything... I never got a phone call after that.”
Mourinho tempted by Portugal job
Jose Mourinho said he would like to accept an invitation to take charge of Portugal’s national team for their next two matches but it depends on Real Madrid giving their blessing.
“I don’t say no but I am the coach of Real and I have a contract for the next four years. I was not capable of saying no. I leave it up to Real to decide,” Mourinho said.
Portuguese federation president Gilberto Madail met with Mourinho this week to try to convince him to take over for the qualifiers at home to Denmark on October 8 and away to Iceland four days later.
“My help would be limited,” said Mourinho.
“If there was an agreement with Real, I would work for the national team for zero euros. Prestige and money are not in short supply for me, thanks God.”
Yaya Toure still backing Juventus
Yaya Toure still believes Juventus are Europa League favourites even though Man. City have already swept past them in Group A.
While City were recording a comfortable 2-0 triumph over Salzburg in Austria, Juve were having a difficult evening at home and drew 3-3 with Polish minnows Lech Poznan.
As City must face Juventus at Eastlands in a fortnight, the task of beating them looks very manageable. But Toure still has immense respect for the ‘Old Lady’.
“I still feel Juventus are the favourites,” he said.
“They are a very big team and for that reason alone they deserve some respect. We need to keep our concentration and work hard because that game is very important.”
Pompey ordered to pay up
The Premier League will dock £1m from Portsmouth’s parachute payments for 2011 unless the south coast club pay that sum to Tottenham over the aborted transfer of keeper Asmir Begovic.
The league have written to Portsmouth this week ordering the club to pay the money to Spurs. Although Begovic never moved to Tottenham, the clubs had agreed a joint fee with Younes Kaboul with the agreement that £1m would be paid to Spurs if the Bosnia international moved elsewhere.
Begovic eventually moved to Stoke, shortly after which Pompey went into administration, since when they have been disputing whether they actually owe Tottenham the money.