Keane: Manchester United will not attempt to find a new Roy Keane when their captain leaves Old Trafford because he is unique like Pele and Maradona, according to assistant manager Carlos Queiroz. Midfielder Keane, 34, said on Thursday he expected to leave United when his contract expires at the end of this season. "I have this personal view you don't replace Pele, you don't replace Maradona, you don't replace Eusebio, you don't replace Roy Keane," the Portuguese said. "You just create new players and new teams and that's how and why the game moves forward."
Weah: Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger expressed his hopes and fears for George Weah in his former protege's bid to become president of Liberia. Wenger, who brought Weah from the obscurity of Cameroon club football to Monaco, said: "I'm surprised and I'm worried as well. It is a dangerous country. I had George Weah as a player when there was civil war in Liberia...it was a very dangerous country, there was a revolution there. I hope it will go well for him. I'm sure of one thing - if he's elected he will be honest, because there was a lot of corruption in the country."
Arteta: Everton midfielder Mikel Arteta was expected to leave hospital yesterday after suffering a fit on the pitch during Thursday's UEFA Cup tie against Dinamo Bucharest. The Spaniard was clattered to the ground by Mihaita Plesan's crude challenge late in the game at Goodison Park, the Bucharest player appearing to elbow Arteta in the back of the head. Television pictures showed Arteta's legs shaking uncontrollably as he received extensive treatment before being put in a neck brace and taken off the pitch on a stretcher.
Lambert: Celtic manager Gordon Strachan has backed the club's former captain Paul Lambert to make a success of his first stint as a coach at Livingston. His new side, who face Celtic today, have made a poor start to the season taking just two points from eight matches. "Just because you've had a couple of bad results, it doesn't make you a bad manager or a bad person," Strachan said. "There is not really that much to do with it, coaching is a small bit. But it is 80 per cent managing and he will only get that experience the longer he stays in the game. So, hopefully he will stay in the game a long time because he's a good man."
Herzog: Andreas Herzog will take charge of the Austria team on a caretaker basis for the final two World Cup Group Six qualifiers against England and Northern Ireland. Austria coach Hans Krankl was released with immediate effect earlier this week and the Austrian FA want Rapid Vienna's Josef Hickersberger to return as national coach. Rapid, however, have indicated they will not release him before early December. Krankl's assistant coach Slavko Kovacic and under-21 coach Willi Ruttensteiner will help Herzog, who won a record 103 caps for his country.
Holland: Netherlands coach Marco van Basten has recalled Edgar Davids and George Boateng for the World Cup Group 1 qualifiers away against the Czech Republic on October 8 and at home to Macedonia four days later. Tottenham midfielder Davids last played against Andorra in November last year and is called up to replace the suspended Philip Cocu.
In England: The Championship - Wolves vs Burnley 0-1; Hull vs Millwall 1-1.
MFA Division III: Ta' Xbiex vs Zurrieq 0-1; Siggiewi vs Luqa 1-0.