A round-up of today's soccer news, in brief
Sunderland in no hurry to appoint
SUNDERLAND CHAIRMAN Niall Quinn and his fellow directors will get together later this week for a scheduled board meeting at which the topic of finding a replacement for Roy Keane is sure to be high on the agenda.
However, much of the business under discussion at the meeting will be routine, with each of the club's key decision-makers considering a list of prospective candidates drawn from the deluge of applications.
It is unlikely a new manager will be in place by the time they run out to face West Brom in a crucial Premier League game at the Stadium of Light on Saturday, and there is a chance caretaker boss Ricky Sbragia could still be in charge for the trip to Hull seven days later.
Sam Allardyce and Alan Curbishley continue to lead the way in the betting, but with American investor Ellis Short's influence growing, a wide perspective is being taken on the process.
Torres is most popular player
LIVERPOOL STRIKER Fernando Torres is the Premier League's most popular player, according to a survey of fans carried out by Barclays.
The league's main sponsor questioned 32,000 fans from 185 countries and found Torres was the favourite player. Torres polled 38 per cent of the votes ahead of team-mate Steven Gerrard and recent Ballon d'Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo.
Lack of banning order disappoints FA
MIDDLESBROUGH AND the English FA say they are "disappointed" a Newcastle fan who racially abused Mido has escaped a banning order.
Barry Hutchinson (49) pleaded guilty to an offence of racist or obscene chanting during the Magpies' 0-0 draw at Middlesbrough on November 29th.
Hutchinson was fined £270 (€306) with £45 (€51) costs, while his son Andrew denied the same charge. "We are disappointed a banning order was not imposed," said an FA spokesman. A Middlesbrough spokesman said: "It makes it very difficult for clubs to have a robust anti-racism policy without the support of the courts."
Two questioned over racial attack on Campbell
ENGLISH POLICE yesterday arrested two of 16 suspects who allegedly shouted racist and homophobic chants at former England defender Sol Campbell.
Hampshire police have released images of the men who are believed to have shouted the abuse at Portsmouth centre back Campbell during a game against Tottenham on Sunday, September 28th.
The photographs show the suspects caught on camera by a police officer at the match at Fratton Park, Portsmouth.
A 28-year-old man from Ringwood, Hampshire, is being questioned on suspicion of indecent or racial chanting at a designated football match after attending a police station in Portsmouth. A 36-year-old man from Wokingham is also being questioned after attending a police station.
