The country’s one and only international football venue is under threat of losing its recognition. On August 1 during an inspection of the Bangabandhu National Stadium, Salman Al Namsham, a FIFA and AFC official, outlined a number of recommendations to renovate the stadium to fulfil the criteria of an international venue. But since then nothing has been done to implement the instructions.
   Bangladesh face Tajikistan in a World Cup pre-qualifier in Dhaka on October 8. If the AFC finds that the renovation work have not been completed by that time, then they can order the match to be played at a neutral venue. The Bangladesh Football Federation has requested the National Sports Council, the owner of the stadium, to finish the required renovations at the earliest.
   The major objection given by the FIFA and the AFC inspector was the entrance of the big bowl. Although there are 21 gates, about ten of them are closed because of the shops that have mushroomed in the last couple of years. Most of the shop owners intend to pile their merchandise on the pavement heading to the field. At least a few gates need to be cleared up in order the stadium to be declared an international venue.
   The design of the stadium has given rise increasing number shops. The empty spaces underneath the stairway can be used as storage areas. One gate of the eastern gallery is completely closed as the shop owners have locked it up in order to keep their goods safe.
   When General Moeen U Ahmed took over as National Sports Council chief he pledged to ensure a sporting atmosphere in the stadium area but very little has been done to change things for the better.
   Namsham was particularly concerned that due to the lack of enough space in the entrances it might increase the risk of casualty in the event of an accident and hinder access of emergency services to reaching the scene.
   Another major weakness he pointed out was the power of the floodlights. Since installation ten years ago, the floodlights have undergone little or no modification. The bulbs currently produce a total of 700 lux of light, which is inadequate for an international match. According to FIFA regulations the amount required is 1200 lux but around 1000 lux is considered sufficient nevertheless.
   The other drawbacks of the stadium are the poor condition of the dressing rooms both for the referees and the players. In fact, there is no dressing room for the referees in the stadium and have to use the old federation office. The office is situated on the first floor of the stadium located in the eastern side of the gallery. The two dressing rooms under the VIP gallery lack proper toilet facilities. Recently the football federation reminded the NSC of the need to complete the work and in response the local sports body sent some officials to assess the progress. Clearing the gates remains the prime task before the next FIFA inspection team arrives and the NSC has to take prompt action to save the big bowl and football from embarrassment.

Australian captain Ricky Ponting said his team’s top batsmen had not shown enough respect for cricket when they crashed to a shock five-wicket defeat against minnows Zimbabwe in a World Twenty20 match at Newlands on Wednesday.
   Victorious Zimbabwe coach Robin Brown, meanwhile, said he had reminded his players of a historic day 24 years ago before they took on the World Cup and Test champions.
   ‘In our first World Cup in 1983 our first game was against Australia and we managed to beat them,’ said Brown.
   ‘I reminded them of that and told the guys to go out and express themselves in our first World Cup Twenty20 game.’
   Australia limped to 138 for nine in their 20 overs after Ponting became the first captain in the tournament to choose to bat. Man of the match Brendan Taylor scored 60 not out as Zimbabwe won with a ball to spare.
   The Australians paid the penalty for trying to attack from the start of their innings, losing their all-star top three of Adam Gilchrist, Matthew Hayden and captain Ricky Ponting for 19 runs inside the first four overs. All fell to rash strokes.
   ‘That was where the game was lost,’ admitted Ponting. ‘The top three batters didn’t respect their own game enough. When you don’t respect this game it gets up and bites you.’
   Ponting said the fact that it was Australia’s first competitive game since they won the World Cup in the West Indies in April was no excuse.
   ‘They outplayed us,’ he said of the Zimbabweans. ‘They did most things in the game better than us.’
   The defeat left the tournament favourites needing to win their remaining group game against England at Newlands today if they are not to go home early.
   Ponting singled out Taylor as an example to the Australians for sticking to cricket basics and building his innings.
   Told of Ponting’s comment, Taylor said, ‘That’s a great compliment because we try to model ourselves on them.’

Bangladesh spinner Mohammad Rafique is considering an offer to play in the Indian Cricket League, according to reports.
   ‘I recently got a call from Mohammad Yousuf of Pakistan. He wanted to know whether I was interested in the competition or not,’ Rafique was quoted as saying on Thursday.
   ‘He (Yousuf) asked me to call back if I was really interested,’ said the champion left-armer.
   Recently voted by the International Cricket Council as the Test player of the year, Yousuf is one of the four high-profile Pakistani cricketers to have joined the breakaway Twenty20 league due to start next month. The multi-million dollar series is being funded by Zee Telefilms and features six teams containing four leading international players per side.
   The 37-year-old Rafique, who is nursing an injury and opted out of the Twenty20 World Cup, said he would contact Yousuf and the ICL once he regained fitness.
   ‘I only have a few years left in my international career. Naturally it is time for me to think about my future,’ Rafique said.
   Rafique, a veteran of 125 one-day internationals and 31 Tests, is the only Bangladesh cricketer to have taken more than 100 wickets in one-day internationals. He has 125 one-day wickets and 94 in Tests.

Test Match Special’s Geoffrey Boycott has been named as Britain’s favourite cricket commentator.
   The outspoken Yorkshireman beat TMS colleague Jonathan Agnew in a poll of readers carried out by the Wisden Cricketer magazine. Former England Test batsman Boycott has earned his reputation for unequivocal and uncompromising views.
   The magazine described Boycott and Agnew as the ‘Lennon and McCartney of cricket broadcasting’.
   ‘This success for radio seems to reflect a general feeling that TMS is enjoying a higher profile in the absence of a free-to-air TV broadcaster,’ added the magazine.
   Boycott was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2002, but made a complete recovery to return to the commentary box.
   He polled first among 57 per cent of readers, with Agnew placed first by 53 per cent.
   Sky’s David Lloyd polled third, ‘propelled by his sheer enthusiasm, Bumble jumps five places to third,’ according to the magazine.
   Michael Atherton, dubbed ‘the most natural successor to Richie Benaud’ was placed fourth, with Sky’s Michael Holding fifth, largely by virtue of a ‘voice of pure honey’.

Indian cricket authorities on Thursday paraded superstars Glenn McGrath and Stephen Fleming at the launch of international and domestic Twenty20 leagues to counter a rival group.
   The Indian Premier League will be made up of franchised teams under the Board of Control for Cricket in India, vice president Lalit Modi told reporters here.
   The board also announced an international Champions Twenty20 League featuring top two clubs from Australia, South Africa, England and India.
   Eight teams each will play in domestic competitions in Australia, England, South Africa and India, with the top two sides making it to the Champions League.
   The Champions tournament, devised on the lines of the Champions football league, will be a nine-day affair and played in two divisions in October next year. It will feature 12 group matches, semi-finals and final.
   The Champions League carries aprize money of five million dollars, while the Indian league offers three million dollars.
   India’s famed veterans Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble and Sourav Ganguly were also present at the glitzy announcement in a posh hotel in the Indian capital.
   The BCCI is embroiled in a bitter row with rival Indian Cricket League, which is due to start in October after signing up international and domestic cricketers for a Twenty20 tournament of its own.
   With the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup underway in South Africa, the BCCI has swiftly embraced the new form of the game which it had largely ignored until the ICL emerged in April with an ambitious plan to break the mould.
   Fleming was axed as New Zealand Test captain on Wednesday after a decade in favour of one-day skipper Daniel Vettori, while former Australian paceman McGrath quit international cricket this year with 563 wickets in 124 Tests.
   Their presence was supported by cricket officials from most the Test nations as well as Ray Mali, president of the International Cricket Council. Retired Australian spinner Shane Warne also confirmed his association with the new leagues, said Modi.
   ‘The ICC fully supports the initiative of the BCCI in launching an Indian Premier League and the Champions Twenty20 League in conjunction with the boards of Australia, South Africa and England,’ Mali said.
   ‘Twenty20 is the way to go. It will not interfere with either Test or one-day cricket.’
   Indian cricket chief Sharad Pawar said the new initiative would not only alter the course of Indian cricket, but also of world cricket.
   ‘The new leagues will give tremendous stability to players who have devoted their entire lives to the game,’ he said.
   The England and Wales Cricket Board welcomed the news of the T20 Champions League which will offer counties from England and Wales a chance to compete.
   ECB chief executive David Collier said: ‘ECB is delighted and congratulates BCCI on launching the Indian Premier League to complement the domestic competitions run by ECB, Cricket South Africa and Cricket Australia.

Zimbabwe’s media on Thursday celebrated the country’s shock victory against Australia in the Twenty20 World Cup, hailing it as the ‘biggest upset in cricket history’.
   ‘Zimbabwe stuns Australia,’ screamed the headline of the state-run Herald.
   The cricketing minnows beat pre-tournament favourites Australia by five wickets in their first match in Cape Town on Wednesday night.
   ‘This will go down as one of the biggest victories, no matter what people will say,’ a disc jockey said on national radio.
   The two countries have been at loggerheads politically with Australia preventing its cricket team from travelling to the impoverished southern African country earlier this month.
   ‘Now everyone knew why the Australia national side was banned by its government from coming to Zimbabwe for a one-day international series this month,’ read the Herald report, quoting an unnamed commentator.
   Prime Minister John Howard said he took the decision to avoid giving a propaganda victory to ‘grubby dictator’ President Robert Mugabe.
   Last month, The Herald called on the government to sever ties with Australia, accusing Howard’s government of seeking to topple veteran Mugabe after Australia said it was cancelling the student visas of eight Zimbabweans whose parents had links to Mugabe’s government.
   Relations between the two countries have become increasingly strained and hit a new low in May when Zimbabwe, furious at the cancellation of a cricket tour, accused Canberra of funding ‘terrorist activities’.
   The defeat has left the men from Down Under needing to win their remaining group game against England at Newlands on Friday if they are not to go home early.

Former Australian captain Ian Chappell said Ricky Ponting’s side was complacent and lacked respect for its opposition Thursday after a shock loss to minnows Zimbabwe in the Twenty20 World Cup.
   Chappell, a gritty Australian captain in the 1970s who never lost a Test series as skipper, said the Ponting’s side could not use a long lay-off from the game as an excuse. I think it’s more likely the Australians were complacent than rusty,’ Chappell told the Cricinfo website.
   Chappell said the Australians had played plenty of practice matches in the lead-up to the tournament opener and Ponting would be disappointed his players did not treat their unfancied opponents with more respect.
   ‘I think there could have been a feeling of ‘all we’ve got to do is turn up and we’ll beat Zimbabwe’,’ he said.
   ‘I think that’s what Ricky Ponting was alluding to when he said after the game that his players need to respect the (Twenty20) game a little.’
   Chappell said Ponting probably delivered a ‘tongue lashing’ to his team after the loss. He also warned Australia’s next opponents, England, to expect a backlash.
   ‘England will need to watch out when Australia play them because they’ll be wounded,’ he said.
   ‘On a minor scale, it will be a little bit like when Australia lost the Ashes to them in 2005.’
   Australia bounced back from that loss to thrash England 5-0 in the next Ashes Test series.
   Australia’s loss came too late to make the newspapers Down Under but their online editions blasted Ponting’s men.
   ‘Zimbabwe beats awful Australia,’ lamented Sydney’s Daily Telegraph, while the Australian newspaper’s website described the national team’s performance as ‘embarrassing.’
   ‘Ostracised Zimbabwe stun Ponting’s men,’ said the Sydney Morning Herald, pointing out that Australia were in real danger of crashing out of the tournament.
   Cricket Australia’s official website, cricket.com.au, described the loss as ‘one of cricket’s great shocks.’

Stephen Fleming seriously considered joining the Indian Cricket League after he was told three weeks ago he was being sacked as New Zealand’s Test captain. However, he has no regrets about staying with the established side and wants to play until the Test tour of England next May and June.
   New Zealand Cricket confirmed on Wednesday that Daniel Vettori was taking over the Test captaincy from Fleming, who had been in charge for ten years. After the announcement, Fleming told the Dominion Post the ICL had offered him $500,000 to play in their month-long Twenty20 tournament.
   ‘When John [Bracewell] told me the news I had to sit down and think about what I wanted to do and the rebel thing was certainly one of the options,’ Fleming said. ‘It was stupid not to acknowledge that it was ridiculous money so I had to sit down with the family and work out what I wanted to do and where it would fit in.
   ‘But I’m happy to stay with the established side and I’ve chosen this route and now I hope I’ve got some good Test runs left. I think people would have understood if I had gone because I had set my sights on leading the Test team and to have that changed so dramatically took some time to digest. Effectively I had lost my job so there was a lot of emotion flying around.’
   Fleming quit as the ODI leader after New Zealand’s World Cup semi-final exit and he was hoping a policy of split captains would work in the short-term. However, he later discovered the selectors were unhappy with that decision and he ‘started to get a bit nervous’ about the Test captaincy.

All six Bangladeshi players were knocked out of the Prime Bank Asian Under-14 tennis tournament after losing their second round singles matches at the Ramna Tennis Complex on Thursday.
   In the boy’s singles, Bangladesh’s Raisul Islam lost to India’s Mayur Mohit 6-1, 6-0, Ranjit Passi went down 6-3, 7-5 to Pakistan’s Khurram Faizan 6-3,7-5, India’s Thakkar Rakshay drubbed U Shew Shew 6-2, 6-3, Hasibul Haq lost to Goghrai Aashman 6-4, 6-1 and Bishit Ronit humbled Hassain Jubaer 6-1, 6-0.
   Alam Sharda, Bangladesh’s only player in the girls’ second round, lost to the tournament’s top seed Thombare Prarthana 6-1, 6-0.
   However, there was some good news for Bangladesh as Shew Shew and Rashedul Hasan moved into the quarter-finals of the boys’ doubles defeating their Indian opponents and two other Bangladeshi pairs – Hasibul-Sabbir and Makshudul-Jubaer – also advanced to the second round.

The first of England’s two winter tours to Sri Lanka will start earlier than planned if they fail to reach the World Twenty20 semi-finals, a senior Sri Lanka Cricket official said Thursday.
   ‘They have asked if we have any objections to their coming early. We have said no objections,’ the official said.
   England were originally scheduled to arrive on September 25 but are now looking at the 22nd. ‘This will depend on whether or not England reached the semi-final stage of the World Twenty20,’ in South Africa, the official said.
   The Twenty20 semi-finals take place on the 22nd and the final two days later.

Kapil Dev, the chairman of the Indian Cricket League’s executive board, has welcomed the Indian board’s plans of launching an international Twenty20 league.
   ‘If the board has decided that, I’m proud and happy that they endorse our view about Twenty20 cricket,’ Kapil said at a press conference in Chennai where the ICL camp in going on. ‘There’s nothing wrong with them coming. Competition is good. Good luck to them.’
   Kapil said the ICL was not trying to fight the BCCI and its aim was simply to improve the standard of cricket in the country. ‘I am not bothered by monopoly or anything. I have to look after my home. If you don’t disturb me, if you allow me to run my ICL, I’ll be happy.’ He also promised to soon reveal big names that had signed on with the ICL.
   Kapil said ICL’s administration would be an open one – with everything, including selection, put live on television. ‘The time has come when people want to be more and more involved, so it’s all going to be in the open. Some things, the committee might not want to televise, but 90 per cent will be in the open.’

Brazil struck twice inside the last 10 minutes to record a come-from-behind 3-1 win over Mexico in a lively friendly on Wednesday.
   Mexico went ahead in the 43rd minute with Juan Carlos Cacho’s first goal for his country, only for Brazil to draw level two minutes later through Kleber’s first strike in national colours.
   Mexico keeper Guillermo Ochoa produced a series of saves to keep his side level but Kaka put the Brazilians 2-1 up in the 80th minute.
   Despite being down to 10 men following the dismissal of Elano, Brazil substitute Afonso added a third four minutes from time to complete a successful pair of friendlies after their 4-2 victory over the United States on Sunday.
   Brazil, who had coach Dunga sent off in the final stages after arguing with the fourth official, begin their World Cup qualification campaign away to Colombia on October13.
   Mexico keeper Ochoa twice saved his side early on through his speed off the line – in the ninth minute he was out quickly at the feet of a goal-bound Vagner Love and then was sharp and brave again to deny Kaka.
   Brazil keeper Julio Cesar showed similar speed of reaction when Cacho fed Fernando Arce but the keeper was out quickly at the feet of the Mexico forward to keep the scores level.
   Mexico took the lead through a superbly worked goal – Andres Guardado crossing low to Nery Castillo, who showed great control and alertness to set up Cacho to slot home.
   But five-time World Cup winners Brazil drew level just two minutes later when Kleber met a Ronaldinho corner at the near post and his shot beat the diving Ochoa.
   The youthful Mexico side showed plenty of endeavour after the break but they needed the inspired display from their keeper to keep them on level terms.
   Ochoa, who was outstanding in Mexico’s 2-0 win over Brazil in the Copa America in June, was at full stretch to push wide a Ronaldinho effort in the 66th minute but had his team-mate Guardado to thank a minute later as he cleared a Gilberto Silva header off the line.
   Mexico introduced 18-year-old Barcelona forward Giovani Dos Santos but the game turned in Brazil’s direction 10 minutes from the end when Kaka slotted home after Mexico defender Rafael Marquez failed to clear a low cross from Maicon.
   Brazil then had substitute Elano sent off for a wild challenge on Gerardo Torrado but extended their lead when substitute Afonso raced away to confidently fired home.

Roberto Dona-doni’s decision to shuffle his pack came up trumps on Wednesday when Italy won 2-1 in Ukraine in their Euro 2008 qualifier to move into second in Group B.
   The Italian coach was under pressure after the world champions lost 3-1 to Hungary in a friendly last month and drew 0-0 with group rivals France in Milan on Saturday.
   Juventus striker Alessandro Del Piero was well off the pace in the goalless draw, while fellow World Cup winner Daniele De Rossi was sloppy and AC Milan striker Filippo Inzaghi failed to really trouble the French defence.
   Faced with a tricky trip to Ukraine, already devoid of the injured Luca Toni and Marco Materazzi, Donadoni could have been forgiven for playing his top names again in Kiev.
   Instead he dropped the three who struggled at the San Siro and brought in Udinese striker Antonio Di Natale, Juve
   forward Vincenzo Iaquinta and Milan midfielder Massimo Ambrosini.
   The coach also selected 34-year-old Christian Panucci in place of inconsistent
   right-back Massimo Oddo
   and stuck by inexperienced Palermo centre-back Andrea Barzagli.
   The gamble paid off with two goals by Di Natale and a cute assist by Ambrosini while his other changes also contributed to the victory, which 32-year-old Del Piero watched from the stands after failing to even make the bench.
   ‘Ale (Del Piero) had tired a lot against France and I needed fresh legs. Unfortunately on such occasions and with this type of game it is necessary to take painful decisions,’ Donadoni told www.gazzetta.it as the Azzurri flew home.
   The diminutive Di Natale, who has 12 caps, was especially thrilled with his header for the first goal.
   ‘When I saw the ball in the net I said, “Me with my head? Absurd”, Di Natale told reporters.
   ‘Then I understood that it was a special night.’
   Di Natale will recall that new Udinese team-mate Fabio Quagliarella made a name for himself with two superb goals in June’s 2-0 win in Lithuania but has since struggled to match the performance and only came on as a late substitute on Wednesday.

Sir Bobby Charlton insists he would be delighted if Ryan Giggs were to snatch his Manchester United appearance record.
   Giggs is closing in on the mark of 759 set by Charlton during his 20-year playing career with the Red Devils.
   The Welsh veteran is hoping to recover from a hamstring injury in time to feature in Saturday’s Premier League encounter with Everton at Goodison Park.
   If Giggs does make the trip to Merseyside, he will move onto 722 appearances and with an extension to his current contract, which expires next summer, expected to be agreed in the coming months, there appears no reason why the 33-year-old should not eclipse Charlton’s all-time best mark.
   ‘I would love it if Ryan got the record,’ said Charlton.
   ‘It would be so fitting and I would be pleased to have the opportunity to go onto the pitch and present him with something. In fact, if they didn’t ask me, I would pester them until they did.
   ‘When I finished I could not believe anyone would play more games than that. I did so much running for so many years, I just didn’t think it would be possible.
   ‘But Ryan is almost there now. To physically put your body through what he has is very difficult and that is why I am so delighted for him.’
   Giggs has always had a special place in Charlton’s affections because he was one of the first senior figures associated with United to see the Welshman in action.
   The England World Cup winner has never forgotten the day he ventured up to the Red Devils’ Lyttleton Road training ground to watch a group of triallists.
   On wandering over to one of the furthest pitches away from the car park to meet Sir Alex Ferguson, he spotted a lithe young winger cutting a swathe through the opposition defence in a manner he had rarely seen before.
   ‘I set off for Pitch 11, where Alex was, and got about halfway there when I saw this little lad pick up the ball, beat about four men and then shoot.
   ‘The goalkeeper made a great save but I could not get up to see Alex quick enough. I asked him who it was and it turned out to be Ryan. He had just been signed that morning from under the noses of Manchester City. I just thought “that will do me”.
   ‘I could never have imagined he would play so many times. Football is just so non-stop in England. It is all about pace now. But if that little lad has run as much as I did, he has been some player.’

Alex McLeish has warned his Scottish heroes not to get carried away by their recent stunning victories over France.
   James McFadden’s long-range goal earned Scotland a landmark 1-0 victory over France at the Parc de Princes on Wednesday night to put them firmly on course for the Euro 2008 finals. But despite the fact that they are now top of Group B, McLeish warned his side that their victories will mean nothing if they fail to reach Euro 2008.
   McLeish said, ‘We knew the group would be hard but I’ve always said we could qualify. We were within touching distance of Italy and France.
   ‘With a match like this one, it is more and more possible of course. I’ve always believed in us.
   ‘Now I don’t think France are out of the way and, as far as we are concerned, the challenge is still there for Scotland. We are facing three important and difficult games. There is still a lot of work to achieve. We are not qualified yet.’
   France were relegated from top spot to third following Italy’s 2-1 win against Ukraine but there are only two points separating Group B’s top three.
   Scotland must still play both Italy and Ukraine and take four points from the two games to secure their Euro 2008 ticket. McLeish, meanwhile, paid tribute to his players achievement.
   ‘We needed passion and this is something which the Scottish team has always had,’ he said.
   ‘My players showed a great deal of confidence, we needed something special, we knew that a win would be hard to get. We needed a feat and we got it.
   ‘There have been many great moments for me as manager but that match gives me one of the greatest nights of my football life.’
   McFadden’s long-range winner owed something to France goalkeeper Mikael Landreau, who palmed the ball into the net.
   But McLeish said, ‘I saw the goal all the way, it was just magnificent, James is so accurate with the ball.
   ‘We gave the Scottish fans something to celebrate and I’m glad that my players stood up against a very good French team. We have all made a nation very, very happy.
   ‘I think this goal is one of the greatest and most important for Scottish football.’
   Back in Scotland meanwhile, the unlikely win was greeted with ecstatic headlines in the national newspapers.
   ‘FAD-Tastic’ was the Daily Record’s front page tribute to match-winner James McFadden, Scotland’s biggest-selling tabloid hailing the victory as ‘one of the best results in our footballing history.’
   The Scottish edition of The Sun echoed the theme, announcing: ‘The world’s gone Fad,’ while leading Scottish politicians were queuing up to be associated with the team’s success.
   McLeish took a phone call from British prime minister Gordon Brown minutes after the final whistle with Downing Street sources quoting the Scot as telling the manager, ‘It was the best game I can remember in all my time watching Scotland.’
   Scotland’s first minister Alex Salmond endorsed that view. ‘Well done to Alex and the lads,’ the Scottish nationalist leader said. ‘There’s an air of optimism sweeping the country.’

Gary Neville has warned his Manchester United team-mates they cannot afford to lose more than two more Premier League games.
   United are already playing catch-up after losing to Manchester City and Neville fears their title hopes could be over if they suffer another three defeats.
   The champions face a tough eight days and after a high-noon showdown with Everton on Saturday at Goodison Park, they take on Chelsea on Sunday week.
   And Neville says they must not lose touch with the leaders.
   ‘I don’t expect us to go away to teams and lose,’ he said. ‘I expect us to be consistent like we were last year.
   ‘It’s inevitable that you’ll lose games in the Premier League. You’re not going to go the whole season unbeaten and it’s very rare that happens.
   ‘Losing one, two or three games is acceptable, but no more. I wouldn’t expect United to lose eight, nine and 10 games. If we do that, we’ll have underperformed.
   ‘We need to make sure we’re in amongst it.
   ‘The problem we’ve had in previous seasons was that we were too far behind and we need to make sure that we don’t fall more than a couple of points behind the leaders.’
   Neville, who hopes to return from six months out with injury for the Chelsea game, says Liverpool and Arsenal will be strong challengers for United’s crown.
   ‘It will all settle down in the next couple of months,’ he said. ‘Liverpool will be strong and I’m sure Arsenal, ourselves and Chelsea will also be there. I’d imagine it will be the same four battling for the title again.
   ‘At this stage of the season it is in our hands. We’re playing the other big teams in the next few months and that will give us the chance to get closer to them.’
   Neville feels the return of Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo can kick-start United’s season.
   Ronaldo is free to face Everton having completed his suspension, while Rooney has recovered from his broken metatarsal.
   ‘With Wayne coming back, I’m sure we will get stronger,’ said Neville.
   ‘Ronaldo’s ban added to our problems but it will all come together in the next few weeks. We will pick up our level of performance and hopefully get back to our free-scoring ways.’'

Portugal coach Luis Felipe Scolari on Thursday denied that he punched Serbia’s Ivica Dragutinovic as the European Championship qualifier between the two countries ended in controversy. Scolari became involved in a skirmish towards the end of Wednesday night’s 1-1 Group A draw that saw Dragutinovic dismissed.
   Sports daily A Bola ran a front page photo of Scolari throwing his fist at Dragutinovic’s face with the headline: ‘Scolari’s darkest night.’
   ‘Furious with the referee, the Portuguese coach lost his head and attacked a Serbian player,’ the newspaper claimed. But the Brazilian coach insisted that he had not hit the defender.
   ‘I was defending (Ricardo) Quaresma. He (Dragutinovic) appeared in front of me but I did not touch him,’ Scolari said.
   ‘He (Dragutinovic) was going to hit Quaresma and I defended him. If he says that I touched him he’s lying. All this happened when Quaresma was going towards the referee and the Serbian player blocked his way. If I have to answer to UEFA I will.’
   Dragutinovic told Belgrade’s Sportski journal that he had been shocked by the alleged attack.
   ‘It’s a serious act. Scolari came into contact with me, yes. I think it’s unacceptable on the part of a coach,’ he said.
   ‘I’m going to meet the federation and we’ll decide what we have to do. I was talking with Quaresma when it all started. Everything was caught on camera.’
   Serbian coach Javier Clemente said they would be taking the incident up with European football’s governing body UEFA.
   ‘It was obvious that the Portuguese lost their cool because they weren’t happy with the result,’ said Clemente.
   ‘I can’t understand how a coach who has won the World Cup cannot stand to lose. If he isn’t capable of doing this he should change jobs.
   ‘I hope that UEFA’s disciplinary commission will judge this matter fairly.’

Inter boss Roberto Mancini is the best paid coach in Serie A and earns over three times more than Juventus counterpart Claudio Ranieri.
   La Gazzetta dello Sport conducted a comprehensive survey of salaries in the world of calcio and revealed earlier in the week that Kaka was the top earning player with an annual wage of £4m.
   The latest figures to be released state that Mancini is the most richly rewarded tactician with an income of around £3.4m and Milan’s Carlo Ancelotti is his closest rival on £3.1m.
   However, Mancio has a
   generous bonus clause that
   will see him pocket at least £750,000 extra if the Beneamata retain the Scudetto and still more in the event of a European triumph.
   There is a big gulf between the wages paid by the Milan giants and the rest of the pack.
   Roma’s Luciano Spalletti earns a mere £1.3m, while Fiorentina hero Claudio Prandelli and Juve’s Ranieri are bringing home £1m per year.
   Sack race favourite Fernando Orsi at Livorno props up the table of earnings with just £140,000, while Lazio’s Delio Rossi can feel unlucky to only secure £370,000 for delivering Champions League football.
   Although the Italian bosses’ wages are dwarfed by Jose Mourinho’s reported salary of £5m per year, Serie A remains more lucrative than La Liga and the Bundesliga.
   The table of wages in full (per annum):
   1. Roberto Mancini (Inter) £3.4m
   2. Carlo Ancelotti (Milan) £3.1m
   3. Luciano Spalletti (Roma) £1.3m
   4. Cesare Prandelli (Fiorentina) £1m
   5. Claudio Ranieri (Juventus) £1m
   6. Walter Novellino (Torino) £700,000
   7. Stefano Colantuono (Palermo) £610,000
   8. Edy Reja (Napoli) £480,000
   9. Walter Mazzarri (Sampdoria) £410,000
   10. Delio Rossi (Lazio) £370,000

The women’s World Cup took an ugly turn on Thursday after Denmark contacted FIFA and police over apparent spying as reports claimed a Danish coach had verbally abused the Chinese team.
   Two men, described as Chinese, were found with video cameras sitting behind a glass mirror in the hotel in Wuhan city where Denmark’s football team are staying during the tournament, team spokeswoman Pia Schou Nielsen told AFP.
   ‘The team was in a tactical meeting in the hotel conference room that had a one-way mirror on Tuesday before our match,’ she said. We had a look. The two people were taken away by police,’ Nielsen said, adding that she did not know who the men were but both looked Chinese. As well as the police, FIFA were contacted.
   However, the sport’s global governing body said it had decided not to press ahead with an investigation even though it acknowledged a breach in security.
   ‘According to the team of Denmark, the privacy of an internal team’s meeting at their hotel in Wuhan on the day prior to their first game in the competition has been compromised,’ FIFA’s chief spokesman Nicolas Maingot told AFP.
   ‘FIFA, the Danish delegation and the hotel have since duly examined the case. Following their investigations, FIFA and team Denmark decided not to pursue the case further,’ an emailed statement said.
   It was the second apparent case of spying on Denmark ahead of their fixture against China on Wednesday here which saw the sixth-ranked Danes fall 3-2 to a last minute goal by Chinese substitute Song Xiaoli.
   On Monday, the team also discovered men filming from a building at a closed training session, Nielsen said. Zhu Wenxiu, a media official for the Chinese Football Association in Wuhan, refuted the allegations.
   ‘We heard about this but after an investigation it was found there was no such incident,’ he said. The claims nevertheless fuelled already high tensions here after it emerged that a Danish assistant coach had allegedly verbally abused and flipped his middle finger at the Chinese side after Wednesday’s tough match.
   ‘A Denmark official looking like an assistant coach walked up to us and raised his middle finger toward us,’ popular Chinese web portal sina.com reported, quoting a Chinese team insider.
   The unnamed Dane’s action sparked an altercation on the field as the Chinese team were rapturously celebrating their last-gasp victory in front of more than 50,000 cheering fans.
   ‘He even yelled a four-letter word at us. We could not bear it and made some arguments with him,’ the witness said in allegations also carried by China’s official Xinhua news agency.

Soccer legend Diego Maradona wanted £740,000 to star in the rematch of Argentina’s controversial 1986 World Cup victory over England, reports The Sun.
   The footballer, whose ‘Hand of God’ goal came in the Argentina’s 2-1 win, made his demand to organisers. But they refused and Maradona, 46, backed down and agreed to play for a reported £300,000. The sides will meet at Villa Park in Birmingham on October 14.
   Former England stars Bryan Robson, Glenn Hoddle, Peter Reid, Ray Wilkins and Chris Waddle have agreed to play.
   Gary Lineker, who scored England’s 80th-minute consolation goal in the 1986 quarter-final in Mexico, is expected to kick-off the match.

Real Madrid coach Bernd Schuster insisted on Thursday German captain Michael Ballack could still transfer from Chelsea to the Spanish giants, providing he drops his wage demands.
   The 30-year-old is out of favour at Chelsea and was not included for the English side’s Champions League squad for the group stages and has been linked to a move to Spain.
   But the German midfielder will have to reduce his wage demands first, according to Schuster.
   ‘The door of Real is not closed for Michael, his footballing qualities are always there, they will still exist in six months, but it is essentially a question of money,’ Schuster told German sports magazine Kicker.
   Schuster revealed negotiations have taken place this summer between Real, Chelsea and Ballack’s agent, but the issue had stumbled over the question of wages.
   With the transfer windon now closed, re-negotiations look set to continue in
   January when the next window opens, implied the German coach.
   ‘He has an extraordinary contract at Chelsea, such a deal would have exploded our budget. No player at Real is paid like him and we do not want to set a precedent,’ Schuster explained.

A second-half wonder strike from James McFadden sealed a shock 1-0 victory for Scotland over Euro 2008 Group B rivals France on Wednesday.
   McFadden’s 64th-minute goal followed a long kick-out from keeper Craig Gordon, the Scotland striker taking two touches before unleashing a 25-yard drive which Mickael Landreau could only palm into the top corner of his net.
   It is only the third victory for Scotland in France in the post-war period, and means they have now beaten France twice in this campaign following the 1-0 win at Hampden.
   More importantly, it is a huge boost to the qualifying hopes of Scotland, who go top of the group with overnight leaders France dropping to third behind second-placed Italy after their victory against Ukraine.
   France dominated throughout, but in the face of a determined defence which gave the former World Cup winners no quarter, the hosts grew increasingly frustrated as the match wore on.
   To compromise their bid, the thousands of tartan-clad
   Scots fans at the Parc des Princes did not make France feel at home.
   In the first half, David Trezeguet and Florent Malouda come close to breaking the deadlock as the Scots, in a defence-based 3-5-2 formation, seemed intent on going out to earn a draw.
   Trezeguet, brought in as a replacement for the suspended Thierry Henry, pivoted on to Claude Makelele’s delicate chip but sent a weak shot wide of Gordon’s right-hand post.
   Moments later Malouda unleashed a promising strike from 25 yards, but Gordon was quick to get down low and collect.
   Scotland’s chances were few, with only McFadden – the scorer of Scotland’s third goal in their 3-1 win over Lithuania – giving Landreau work to do with a low angled drive late in the half.
   France went on to spurn two golden chances inside 10 minutes of the restart.
   Ribery’s dummy and return pass from Trezeguet left the Bayern Munich forward with just Gordon to beat, but the Sunderland keeper got down well to save Ribery’s low shot.
   Gordon then came to the rescue by tipping the unmarked Nicolas Anelka’s first time effort over the crossbar in spectacular fashion.
   Manchester United midfielder Darren Fletcher was solid throughout the first half picked up both an injury and a yellow card and was soon replaced with Stephen Pearson.
   Soon after, McFadden stunned the hosts with a strike which could prove decisive in November when the Scots’ bid to qualify for their first major finals since the 1998 World Cup finals.
   McFadden said his chance simply came down to the striker’s instinct.
   ‘We trained here last night and balls were flying everywhere,’ he said.
   ‘It was just one of those things. I got a touch, turned and there was no one there so I decided to have a go.’
   France were stung into action, and Raymond Domenech soon took off defensive midfielder Patrick Vieira for attacking midfielder Samir Nasri.
   Nasri’s freshness became apparent immediately, the Marseille man adding pace that the stretched Scottish midfield could only battle against.
   However, the hosts were feeling the pressure, Nasri picking up a quick booking for a foul on the ever present Scott Brown.
   With the clock ticking down, France spurned chance after chance with the Scots defence proving resolute.
   Domenech admitted it just wasn’t to be.
   ‘We couldn’t have created more chance for ourselves.
   ‘We did everything we could, but sometimes it just doesn’t happen for you when you
   want it to,’ said the Frenchman, who knows that France are now in a precarious qualifying position.
   ‘We’ve got three matches left and we have to take them if we want to qualify.
   ‘It will go right down to the wire.’

French newspapers poured scorn on the national football team after it fell to a ‘hammer blow’ goal by Scotland that leaves the World Cup finalist facing a worrying campaign to reach the European Championship finals.
   While thousands of Scottish fans awoke to a victory hangover after a night of reliving James McFadden’s wonder goal that secured the 1-0 their country’s first win on French soil for 57 years.
   ‘The position of les Bleus in their group is now worrying after the incredible defeat given away last night,’ commented the sports daily L’Equipe which ran a front page headline calling McFadden’s 64th minute long range shot a ‘hammer blow.’
   L’Equipe blamed French coach Raymond Domenech’s ‘stubborn’ insistence on keeping to a 4-4-2 formation with David Trezeguet and Nicolas Anelka up front and highlighting how this has cost the third defeat of the year for France.
   ‘Scotland were infinitely more intelligent last night, and that is one way of saying that this was missing from the French game plan.’
   Nearly every French newspaper highlighted defender Lilian Thuram’s comment that the night had been ‘a catastrophe.’
   ‘What a Nightmare!’ declared the front page headline in Le Parisien daily, which also declared that France’s hopes of reaching the finals could be under threat.
   Le Figaro also said that the Trezeguet and Anelka partnership had been a ‘duo of attackers in a minor key.’
   Liberation daily said that Scotland won with ‘an intense discipline and a fabulous goal—a 25 metre left foot shot right in the corner—in the 64th minute—by James Mcfadden.’ It added: ‘The Euro is still a long way away for France.’
   Domenech meanwhile refused to blame Trezeguet or the system he used.
   ‘When it turns out badly it’s not just him (Trezeguet) but ten other players who have lost as well,’ said Domenech.
   The French coach joked that the team now found themselves in the same situation as their rugby counterparts who lost their World Cup opener to minnows Argentina.
   ‘We’re in the same situation, we’re declared dead at the
   first match lost, but like us I haven’t heard them say they are going to give up, so we’re going to hang in there until the bitter end.’

Guus Hiddink admitted Michael Owen had given his side a masterclass in clinical finishing after watching the England striker put the boot into Russia’s chances of reaching Euro 2008.
   Owen’s first-half double laid the foundations for an exhilarating 3-0 win at Wembley which has left Steve McClaren’s revitalised squad as favourites to qualify for next year’s finals along with group E leaders Croatia.
   Rio Ferdinand’s late strike rounded off McClaren’s best night in charge of England after Russia had squandered a couple of good chances early in the second half.
   That left former South Korea and Australia boss Hiddink with no doubt about where the game had been lost.
   ‘You can say the 3-0 score is too high, but it reflects the difference between the two teams,’ the Dutchman said.
   ‘We tried to go forward and play attractive football but England were very effective in taking the chances they created.
   ‘We did not have the final pass or touch to make England very frightened. Just after half-time we had one or two occasions. That makes the difference – if we could have made a goal then, they might have started to panic a little bit.
   ‘This Russia team is still in development and it is good to have these games, but it is a tough lesson for them. We were a little bit naive.’
   England boss Steve McClaren admitted there had been times when Russia had dominated and acknowledged the extent of his debt to Owen, whose 39th and 40th England goals on his 85th international appearance mean he has scored five in his last four games for club and country.
   The Newcastle striker is well on the way to confounding those who said he would never be the same player again after missing virtually all of last season and half the preceding one with serious injuries.
   ‘Never write him off – I said that weeks ago,’ McClaren beamed. ‘He’s now scored in his last four games. He has come back fitter and sharper. It was not just his goals, it was his all-round play, dropping in and linking up. He was working hard and the partnership with (Emile) Heskey has really worked over the last two games.’
   Heskey’s performances against Israel and Russia have fully vindicated McClaren’s decision to recall him to the national squad three years after his last appearance for his country.
   His physical prowess helped unsettle a Russian defence that was badly at fault on all of England’s goals and it was the Wigan forward’s knock-on that allowed an unmarked Owen to smash in his second goal, just after half an hour.
   The first had come after only six minutes, the Russian defence allowing the striker to gather Gareth Barry’s chip unimpeded in the middle of their goalmouth.
   Hiddink declined to criticise the referee over what was a finely-balanced decision to disallow what would have been a Russian equaliser shortly after the opener, Konstantin Zyryanov being adjudged to have controlled the ball with the help of his arm.
   The Dutchman said, ‘I want to see the images to have a fair and clear judgement about the referee’s decision. But it was a pity. It would have been a very good reward because we were pressing and they were panicking at that stage. It was key in the game.’
   The defeat leaves the Russians in third place in group E, two points adrift of England with three games left to play. But Hiddink insisted that, with England due in Moscow next month, nothing had been decided yet.
   ‘We get them now in Moscow in October and they have to face Croatia as well. It is a tough qualification group and it will be decided at the end, not in September.
   ‘We have to win in Moscow…that is for sure. Of course we are confident at home as we were tonight in various parts of the game.’
   McClaren was delighted his side had followed up Saturday’s 3-0 defeat of Israel with their best performance since he succeeded Sven-Goran Eriksson after last year’s World Cup.
   ‘We said at the start of the ten days that we wanted six points and I’d have taken two scrappy 1-0 wins,’ McClaren said. ‘But I’m greatly satisfied by the performances.
   ‘We’ll enjoy this but we know we’ve still got three games to go and we can get better.’

A weaker character than Michael Owen would have been destroyed by his injury nightmare, but the England striker is reaping the rewards after refusing to give in.
   Owen is emerging from an injury-ravaged 18 months looking better than ever and he underlined his resurgence with a clinical double strike against Russia on Wednesday.
   It could all have been very different if the most gifted English finisher of his generation had listened to the doom merchants who predicted a series of problems, most seriously cruciate knee ligament damage, would curtail his top-level career.
   From suggestions he had lost the blistering pace that was such a vital part of his game to accusations the injuries had dulled the voracious appetite for goals all top forwards need, Owen heard every possible slight.
   But he has tremendous reserves of self-belief and determination. The barbs only added fuel to Owen’s fire as he embarked on a gruelling recovery programme after Dr Richard Steadman operated on his knee last year.
   Owen’s resilience is paying off. He has scored five times in four games for club and country – his best run of form for nearly two years.
   The crucial goals in the 3-0 win over Russia showed his predatory instincts remain as sharp as ever. Not that Owen ever doubted that would be the case.
   ‘We all know mentally I’m a very strong person,’ he said. ‘There might be a lot of people that have got a lot more skill than me but not many that are mentally as strong as me.
   ‘When it comes to long-term injuries, lack of form and criticism then I have got thicker skin than anyone.
   ‘I never doubted I would be back. I went to the best surgeon in the world. I did the best rehab you could ever do.
   ‘My willpower to come back was strong. I don’t think anyone could say I’ve come back worse than when I got injured.
   ‘Everyone knows I’ve never been arrogant or bigheaded but I’ve always been a confident player. It always helps when you score a few goals.’
   Owen’s goal tally for England has reached 40 and he is only nine away from equalling Sir Bobby Charlton’s record as the country’s all-time leading scorer.
   The former Liverpool star admitted he would love to break the record, even if it takes another three or four years.
   ‘I have thought about getting the record because since I scored my 31st and 32nd I get asked about it every time,’ he said. ‘I hope I get asked nine more times if I’m lucky enough to get there.
   ‘It would be a wonderful achievement and I would be very proud if it were ever to happen but it’s still quite a long way off.
   ‘As we all know, internationally if you score three or four goals in a full year you’ve done well. If that’s the case then I still need to keep my form and play for another three or four years.’
   Owen is more concerned with medals than records and, thanks to his goals, England are back on course for another shot at a major trophy.
   After wins over Israel and then Russia in the space of five days, Steve McClaren’s side, who lie second in Group E, are finally in control of their own destiny in the race for Euro 2008.
   Owen admits it is about time England started to fulfil their potential.
   ‘It’s a good group of players. We know that despite what anyone said over time,’ he said.
   ‘We’ve proved far too infrequently really so these two games have been encouraging. If we can keep progressing like that we will be onto a big thing.’
   A key to Owen and England’s resurgence has been McClaren’s decision to bring Emile Heskey back from a three-year international exile.
   Heskey has been Owen’s preferred partner since their time at Liverpool and he has thrived again alongside the muscular forward.
   ‘Emile has come back from a long time out of the international fray and in both games he has played particularly well,’ Owen said.
   ‘He got a standing ovation both times. That says it all and I’m really pleased for him.’

The Netherlands and Spain won important qualifiers Wednesday night for next year’s European Championship.
   At Tirana, Ruud van Nistelrooy scored in second-half injury time to lift the Netherlands over Albania 1-0. Substitute Urby Emanuelson crossed to Van Nistelrooy, who scored with a low shot from close range. Albania finished a man short after midfielder Lorik Cana was ejected in the 87th for clashing with Sneijder and Van Nistelrooy.
   The Netherlands and Romania (both 6-0-2) are tied for the Group G lead, two points ahead of Bulgaria (5-1-3), which beat visiting Luxembourg 3-0.
   Spain defeated visiting Latvia 2-0 at Oviedo on goals by Xavi Hernandez in the 13th minute and Fernando Torres in the 85th. Spain (6-2-1) and Sweden (6-1-1) are tied atop Group F with 19 points, three ahead of Northern Ireland (5-3-1), which lost 2-1 at Iceland.
   At Prague, the Czech Republic beat Ireland 1-0 on Marek Jankulovski’s goal in the 16th minute. Germany (7-0-1) leads Group D with 22 points, two in front of the Czechs (6-1-2). Ireland fell to 4-3-2.
   Germany beat visiting Romania 3-1 in an exhibition game at Cologne, getting goals from Bernd Schneider in the 42nd, David Odonkor in the 65th and Lukas Podolski in the 82nd. Dorian Goian gave Romania the lead in the third minute.
   At Toronto, a strike by Dwayne De Rosario early in the second half lifted Canada to a 1-1 tie with Costa Rica in a friendly match. The opening goal came in the 48th minute when Costa Rica went through the Canadian defense to find Victor Nunez streaking down the left side and his shot beat goalkeeper Lars Hirschfeld.
   In other Euro qualifiers, it was: Finland 0,Poland 0; Kazakhstan 2, Belgium 2; Portugal 1, Serbia 1; Lithuania 2, Faeroe Islands 1; Bosnia-Herzegovina 0, Moldova 1; Norway 2, Greece 2; Turkey 3, Hungary 0; Cyprus 3, San Marino 0; Slovakia 2, Wales 5; Macedonia 1, Estonia 1; Denmark 4, Liechtenstein 0; Iceland 2, Northern Ireland 1; Bulgaria 3, Luxembourg 0; and Slovenia 1, Belarus 0.
   In other friendly matches it was Azerbaijan 1 Georgia 1; Malta 0, Armenia 1; Montenegro 1, Sweden 2; Singapore 1, United Arab Emirates 1; South Africa 0, Uruguay 0; Venezuela 1, Panama 1; Colombia 1, Paraguay 0; Peru 2, Bolivia 0.

Coach Luis Aragones’ decision not to give a post-match press conference after his side beat Latvia 2-0 at home in their Euro 2008 qualifier on Wednesday, has antagonised the local media.
   Spain’s win put them level on 19 points with leaders Sweden in Group F, though they have played one game more. Northern Ireland lost 2-1 to Iceland and slipped back to third on 16.
   But any positives gained at having taken control of their destiny in the group was balanced out by the negatives of another uninspiring performance on the pitch.
   ‘Depressing’ was sports daily Marca’s front page, adding inside that it was ‘A victory to forget.’ Sports daily AS led with ‘Victory and tantrum.’
   Rumours abounded that perhaps Aragones had quit but Spanish Football Federation spokesman Jorge Carretero played the incident down.
   ‘Luis has not resigned. It was a personal decision. No one can force him to give a news conference. It’s his decision and it should be respected,’ Carretero was quoted as telling Radio Marca.
   After the game, many players followed Aragones’ lead and were unwilling to give their opinions either. The ones that did backed their coach.
   ‘People aren’t happy with what is happening. The problem is that we all have to be behind the national team and to pull in the same direction,’ midfielder David Albelda told reporters.
   ‘It seems that not everyone wants Spain to be at the Euro 2008 finals.’
   Winger Joaquin added, ‘The important thing should be the result. It was a hard-earned win and we have three more points. This is what matters.’