Other soccer news in brief

Fifa deny cut in ticket prices

FIFA have denied reports that they will cut World Cup ticket prices or give away free seats to ensure capacity stadiums at the finals in South Africa later this year.

“There is no question of bringing down any prices,” Fifa general secretary Jerome Valcke told a news conference yesterday in the wake of weekend media reports saying Fifa would reduce ticket prices to increase sluggish sales.

However, Fifa will seek to increase the number of category-four seats, the specially-priced tickets for South African residents which sell at €13 (140 rand).

Valcke said 11 per cent of stadium capacity was currently made up of category-four tickets and Fifa hoped to increase this to 20 per cent for most games at the June 11th-July 11th finals.

“This was a promise that the Fifa president (Sepp Blatter) made to the South African government,” Valcke said.

“There will never be a free ticket for the World Cup,” he said.

Wright-Phillips turns down new deal

ROBERTO Mancini’s problems with his Manchester City players have extended to Shaun Wright-Phillips after the England international turned down a new contract because he felt he was not being offered enough money, a development that has left the winger starting to begrudge the men in power at Eastlands.

Wright-Phillips (28) will have two years to run on his £60,000-a-week contract at the end of the season but that deal was signed a few weeks before the Abu Dhabi United Group’s takeover established a new pay ceiling at the club. Wright-Phillips wants to take advantage of the immense riches available to the club by moving closer to the higher earners such as Emmanuel Adebayor, Kolo Toure and Carlos Tevez, all of whom earn in excess of €114,000 a week. City have responded by telling him they have no intention of increasing his pay so significantly, on the basis he will be 30 when his contract expires.

Portsmouth decide to go the administration route

PORTSMOUTH are set to become the first Premier League club to go into administration after owner Balram Chainrai served notice of his intention to put the club into the hands of insolvency experts on Friday. Chainrai said it was now unlikely that a takeover deal would be done before the end of the week and administration will prevent the club from being wound up in the High Court on Monday.

But it will also mean certain relegation for Pompey – there is an automatic nine-point penalty for any Premier League club going into administration and that would leave the side on just seven points, 16 behind their nearest rivals. After that there is the prospect of a continuing player exodus and a long period of rebuilding in the Championship. Chainrai is still in talks with consortiums about a takeover but any chance of a deal being done is remote, and with a winding up order due in the High Court on Monday, it was decided to go in to administration instead to save the club.

Healy makes a point for Ipswich

DAVID Healy came off the bench to score his first goal for Ipswich and secure another precious point in their bid to avoid relegation from the Championship.

Striker Healy, signed on loan from Sunderland last month, used his predatory instincts to slot home an equaliser 16 minutes from time and deny fellow strugglers Scunthorpe an undeserved victory at Glanford Park. Six minutes earlier Scunthorpe skipper Cliff Byrne had put the home side in front with a close-range header on his 200th start for the club. Ipswich, unchanged for only the second time this season following their 1-0 victory at Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday, were in total control but Roy Keane’s side twice hit the crossbar in the opening half. They were not to be denied, however, and Healy’s strike gave them a 16th draw of the season which moved them four points above the drop zone.

Pienaar on drink driving charge

EVERTON midfielder Steven Pienaar has been charged with drink driving, Merseyside Police confirmed yesterday. The 27-year-old was arrested early on Sunday morning, after Everton’s impressive 3-1 victory over Manchester United on Saturday. A police spokesman said: “He was arrested and later charged with drink driving and failure to comply with a traffic sign.” He will appear at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court on March 9th.

O'Neill expected to rest trio

MARTIN O’Neill is expected to rest at least three members of Sunday’s League Cup final starting XI when Aston Villa host Crystal Palace in tonight’s FA Cup fifth-round replay but the Northern Irishman is confident that any changes he makes will not undermine his club’s prospects of progressing to the quarter-finals of the competition.

With the Wembley showpiece against Manchester United on the horizon, O’Neill is keen to get the balance right between protecting key players while ensuring that the side he picks against Palace are strong enough to get through and secure a place in the last eight, where either West Bromwich Albion or Reading await.

The Villa manager was still mulling over that dilemma last night but it seems likely that Stilian Petrov, Stephen Warnock and Gabriel Agbonlahor will all be given a night off against the Championship club.

Lennon suffers setback

AARON Lennon has suffered a setback in his recovery from a groin problem, Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has confirmed.

The Spurs winger – who had been recovering well from the problem he picked up in December – is set for an ultrasound to determine the full extent of the damage. Redknapp said: “Hopefully it should not put him back much from where he was, and he could still be fit in a couple of weeks.”

FORMER Celtic player Bobo Balde has withdrawn claims the club breached his contract, it emerged yesterday.

The French-born footballer, who left Parkhead at the end of his contract last summer, had also lodged the claim over alleged non-payment of wages.

A judgment issued by the Employment Tribunal Office in Glasgow said the player had put an end to the matter.