The English Football League have been warned by their Scottish counterparts that they are set to face major obstacles to a plan to spice up the League Cup, sponsored by Worthington, by inviting Rangers and Celtic to take part.
Peter Donald, the secretary of the Scottish Football League, said he did not think English clubs would allow Scottish clubs to get in the way of their qualifying for the UEFA Cup and also suggested that UEFA itself might not allow it, although neither the European body nor the two old firm clubs officially responded to the suggestion.
Scottish clubs were required to compete in domestic cup competitions and "I think an added competition will be a big distraction," Donald added.
English Football League chairman Keith Harris conceded it was only a "fledgling idea", but said he would continue to investigate whether it could be feasible for the 2002-03 season.
Northern Ireland manager Sammy McIlroy is set to be offered a new two-year deal next week. Despite presiding over a run of six successive defeats - which ended Northern Ireland's always slim hopes of reaching the 2002 World Cup - the IFA feel McIlroy is putting together a promising squad.
Former Real Madrid president Lorenzo Sanz has insisted the club's accounts were properly managed during his tenure despite revelations in a recent audit that $1.84 million went missing while he was at the helm.
Electrical giant Philips International has become the 14th sponsor of next year's World Cup.
New Romania coach Gheorghe Hagi has recalled veteran defender Gheorghe Popescu for his first match in charge, a friendly against Slovenia later this month.
Popescu, Hagi's brother-in-law, played 101 times for his country before retiring after Euro 2000. He still plays for Turkish side Galatasaray, where Hagi finished his own playing career at the end of last season.
Thieves have returned five trophies stolen from Valencia's Mestalla stadium under cover of darkness. The club said the trophies, stolen at the weekend, were found by security guards outside the team's out-of-town training ground around midnight on Tuesday.
