Sport Digest : Deschamps Latest FAI Favorite

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Sport Digest : Deschamps Latest FAI Favorite

January 16, 2008

By Cathal Dervan

DIDIER Deschamps is the new favorite for the vacant Republic of Ireland manager’s job as the search to find a successor to Stephen Staunton becomes farcical. A flood of money on the former French captain and Juventus manager has resulted in Deschamps overtaking Terry Venables as the bookies’ favorite for the job.

Some papers have also linked Steve Coppell and the former Derby boss Billy Davies with the position ahead of next week’s FAI board meeting in Dublin.

But FAI chief executive John Delaney, in Sofia for the World Cup fixtures meeting, has again distanced himself from all speculation.

FAI bosses have gone so far as to release a statement denying all media reports claiming the FAI have already told Terry Venables that the job is his for the taking.

“The Football Association of Ireland wishes to clarify several points that have arisen from media coverage of the process to select a new manager for the Republic of Ireland senior international team,” said the statement on www.fai.ie.

“No person has been offered the job. Any suggestion to the contrary is incorrect. No announcement of an appointment will be made until the selection panel have made a recommendation to the FAI Board of Management; the board have ratified that recommendation and the nominee has accepted the position.

“The first announcement of the appointment of the next manager will be made on the FAI website. The FAI is happy with the progress being made by the selection panel.”

Meanwhile, former Irish boss Johnny Giles has poured cold water on claims that sacked Newcastle boss Sam Allardyce should get the job.

“I’ve never been a fan of big Sam’s,” Giles told the Daily Mail. “I have sympathy for him, but only limited sympathy. I found him arrogant over the years, a bit obnoxious.

“What he did at Bolton was good for them, but I wouldn’t pay to watch very basic football, and I don’t think that style would suit Ireland.”

The new Ireland soccer manager faces a tough competitive baptism next autumn after the World Cup fixtures meeting in Sofia on Tuesday left the Irish with a tough start away to Georgia and Montenegro. Delaney and under-21 boss Don Givens led the Irish delegation to the meeting.

Ireland’s FIFA World Cup 2010 Group 8 qualifying fixtures start on September 6 vs. Georgia and four days later against Montenegro, both away games.

The squad is home on October 15 vs. Cyrus and February 11, 2009 vs. Georgia and March 28 vs. Bulgaria. They travel to meet Italy on April 1, Bulgaria on June 6 and Cyprus on September 5.

The final two games are home against Italy on October 10, and Montenegro four days later.

Celtic Wins

CELTIC’S new German defender Andreas Hinkel made a man of the match debut in the 3-0 Scottish Cup win over Stirling on Saturday, then promised the Celtic fans there is more to come after his move from Sevilla.

“I think I did okay in my first game for Celtic at home. I have been here for a week and I need time but I enjoyed it. It was a cup game against a smaller team and it is the same all over the world, it’s not easy playing against small teams,” said Hinkel.

Goals from Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink, Scott McDonald and Shunsuke Nakamura, playing for the first time since October after recovering from a knee injury, eased the Hoops into a fifth round tie away to the winners of the postponed Airdrie versus Kilmarnock game.

Manager Gordon Strachan was glad to see the game through after losing to Clyde at the same stage two years ago.

“It was a job that had to be done and it was a job well done and without any real scares which was good. It was similar to the Dumbarton game last season, we had a lot of possession and good chances but we were a little bit lacking in concentration at times in the last third, apart from three times when we got the goals,” he said.

Asked about Hinkel’s debut Strachan said, “I was impressed, the coaches were impressed and his teammates were impressed. He makes us a lot stronger and better balanced.

“It was also good to see Shunsuke Nakamura back. You could see he was rusty but we have a lot of games coming up and had to play him before we play more important games.”

The Old Firm derby, postponed after the shock death of Motherwell captain Phil O’Donnell, has been put back again after Rangers’ Cup clash with East Stirling fell foul of the weather on Sunday. No new date has been fixed.

The next scheduled Old Firm derby will take place at Ibrox on March 29, and the second postponement of the Parkhead fixture means there could be two within a matter of days.

Brazilian defender Coelho won’t be signing for Celtic after he was back to Corinthians following a trial period at Parkhead, but Bayern Munich defender Daniel Van Buyten has claimed he is on the verge of a move to Celtic from Germany as a replacement for the Bolton-bound Bobo Balde.

The club are poised to sign young Japanese midfielder Koki Mizuno from JEF United in his homeland after he impressed in a short trial.

Meanwhile, Celtic goalkeeper Artur Boruc has revealed his new contract includes a clause that allows him to leave the club if they receive an offer over $20million.

Celtic coach Tommy Burns is on the shortlist of candidates to be interviewed for the Scotland manager’s job.

Former Celtic striker Henrik Larsson has ended speculation linking him with a return to Parkhead by signing a new one-year contract at Helsingborg, although he could be available on loan for a short period.

Soccer Shorts

CHARLTON have vowed to hang onto their Irish midfielder and captain Andy Reid during the January transfer window, while the club have dismissed rumors that Colchester want their reserve team coach Mark Kinsella to join their coaching staff . . .

JASON Byrne has completed his move from Cardiff City to Bohemians. Manager Pat Fenlon said, “We are delighted to have Jason on board. He scored a lot of goals while he was at Shelbourne, and I hope he can do the same for Bohs.” . . .

STEPHEN Carr, linked with a move to Wigan, made his long awaited comeback after injury to the Newcastle United at Manchester United on Sunday, but his return had little effect as the Magpies were hammered 6-0 . . .

ASTON Villa boss Martin O’Neill is reportedly ready to make Reading an offer they can’t refuse for striker Kevin Doyle, while Sunderland boss Roy Keane has failed with a third bid for Irish midfielder Stephen Hunt . . .

NEW Scottish youth team boss Billy Stark is to attempt to persuade Hamilton’s teenage winger James McCarthy to switch his allegiances from the Ireland set-up back to the land of his birth . . .

ALAN Matthews has been appointed at the new Cork City manager after taking a two year career break from his job with a Dublin bank to take charge on Leeside . . .

IRISH trio David Connolly, Graham Kavanagh and Ian Harte have all been told they can leave Sunderland in the January transfer window by boss Roy Keane . . .

PADDY McLaughlin has moved to Coleraine from Finn Harps, while the Donegal club have released Declan Divin, Seamus Browne and John O’Loughlin.

Munster Loses

MUNSTER’S Heineken Cup fate is in their own hands after a stirring 26-19 defeat to Clermont Auvergne in France on Sunday when the bonus point they picked up for keeping the score to within seven points proved vital.

As a result of that bonus Munster can top their pool if they beat the reigning European Cup champions Wasps in Thomond Park on Saturday evening. but captain Ronan O’Gara insisted he wasn’t even aware of the consequences of their late comeback.

Munster were staring at a 23-6 scoreline early in the second half, but clawed their way to within the crucial seven-point margin through the boot of O’Gara and a try for center Lifemi Mafi.

O’Gara kicked 14 points in all and said, “I have to say I didn’t realize the bonus point was still in play at the end — it was all a bit crazy. People don’t realize how tough Clermont are. They’re a fantastic side and that was a really tough game.

“We came here looking for the win, and we’re disappointed not to have it, but we got the bonus point and that’s enough to take into our next game against Wasps.”

Munster hooker Jerry Flannery has denied claims from the Clermont camp that he stamped on French star Julien Bonnaire during the game.

Meanwhile, Leinster defeated French kingpins Toulouse at the RDS on Saturday but now need a miracle next weekend to keep their Heineken Cup hopes alive when they visit Leicester and need Edinburgh to win in France.

Two Luke Fitzgerald tries and the boot of Felipe Contepomi accounted for the 20-13 win over Toulouse, but coach Michael Cheika knows it may not be enough.

Cheika said, “For qualification we are talking about a little bit of a miracle and by now everybody knows that. You have to believe and I think now is the time for us to start believing again.”

In other rugby news, Paul O’Connell is out of Ireland’s Six Nations opener against Italy on February 2, and could miss the entire championship.

The Munster captain has aggravated the back injury that has sidelined him since the World Cup for all but a brief appearance for his Young Munsters club.

O’Connell, ruled out of the Munster team for last Sunday’s crunch Heineken Cup clash at Clermont Auvergne, suffered a recurrence of the injury in training on Thursday.

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