FOOTBALLDigest D Tuesday, October 13, 2009 METROSPORT 23 SOCCER (7.45 unless stated) Coca-Cola League One Brighton v Gillingham................................................ League of Ireland Premier Division Sligo v Bray ............................................................... European Under-21 Cship Qualifying Group Two Rep of Ireland v Switzerland...................................... Turkey v Armenia ...............................................5.00 CoCa-Cola league one Tranmere ............. 0 Stockport ............. 1 P W D L F A Pts Leeds 11 8 3 0 18 5 27 Charlton 12 7 4 1 20 10 25 Colchester 12 7 3 2 22 9 24 MK Dons 12 7 2 3 13 9 23 Bristol Rovers 11 7 1 3 18 14 22 Norwich 12 5 4 3 24 18 19 Swindon 12 4 7 1 14 15 19 Huddersfield 12 5 3 4 23 14 18 Oldham 12 4 5 3 10 11 17 Millwall 12 3 6 3 13 9 15 Gillingham 11 4 2 5 19 18 14 Southend 12 3 5 4 16 15 14 Stockport 12 3 5 4 13 16 14 Brentford 12 3 5 4 12 15 14 Walsall 12 3 5 4 12 16 14 Hartlepool 12 3 4 5 12 14 13 Exeter 12 3 4 5 13 19 13 Yeovil 12 2 6 4 14 15 12 Leyton Orient 12 3 3 6 13 21 12 Carlisle 12 2 5 5 12 16 11 Brighton 11 2 4 5 12 20 10 Tranmere 12 2 1 9 9 27 7 Wycombe 12 1 3 8 11 20 6 Southampton 12 3 6 3 17 14 5 Alex apology dismissed as half-hearted Sir Alex Fergusons apology for his attack on referee Alan Wiley has been branded half-hearted by the boss of the officials union. Manchester United manager Ferguson was fuming with Wileys handling of the 2-2 draw with Sunderland earlier this month and launched a stinging attack on the official, claiming Wiley took longer than necessary to book players because he lacked fitness and needed a rest. The views outraged Wileys colleagues, amid claims the referee was considering quitting. Ferguson has said sorry for his outburst but Alan leighton, national secretary of the union Prospect, said: i think its a half-hearted apology at best. He clearly hasnt retracted the statement about Alan being unfit, so its not an apology for the main offence caused, and then he widens it to question the fitness of other referees so he seems to be opening another can of worms, which i dont think is very helpful. Ferguson has been asked to explain himself by the FA, and could face a fine or touchline ban. BLACkBURn winger Morten Gamst Pedersen claims this weekends derby at home to Burnley is more than important than playing Manchester United. The East Lancashire rivals have not met in the top flight since 1965. The Clarets have had the better start to the season and sit five points ahead of Rovers but are yet to get a point, or even score, away from home. norway international Pedersen said: It is the biggest game for the club. It is bigger to play Burnley than it is to play United if you look at history. STEvEN DAvIS hopes Northern Ireland can start planning for their Euro 2012 campaign by beating the Czech Republic in Prague tomorrow. Barring a freak set of results, Nigel Worthingtons side can wave goodbye to next years World Cup. But Rangers midfielder Davis is already looking beyond that. The 24-year-old said: The higher up the table we finish the better it will be for our seeding at the Euro draw. There is a very slim chance we could finish second but it looks dead in the water. But that will not stop us going out on a high. JUvEnTUS defender Fabio Cannavaro has lashed out at the press after he was officially cleared of any wrongdoing over a failed drugs test. The 36-year-old, who has been capped 129 times by Italy, tested positive for the banned substance cortisone after taking a medicine to treat an insect sting in August. The Italian Olympic Committee dropped the case on Saturday but Cannavaro said: It really annoys me. Someone gets stung by a bee and finds themselves in the paper as if they were a drug user. Fired up: Pedersen FuLL-BACK Seamus Coleman and his Republic of Ireland under-21 team- mates will hope for better fortunes against Switzerland in Waterford tonight. The Everton man was part of the side which saw a first European Championship qualifying victory ripped from their grasp in Tallaght on Friday when Georgia equalised late on. Coleman said: Friendly or qualifier, we are always going to go out and try to win. I just dont think we have had the luck. We are a good enough team. We are going to look to win this game, and I think we can if we all work together. premier league Kalou pledges future to Blues SAloMon KAloU has become the latest Chelsea player to sign a contract extension at Stamford Bridge. The ivory Coast forward, 24, has agreed a new three-year deal, hot on the heels of Didier Drogba, Ashley Cole and John Terry all pledging their future to the Blues. Boss Carlo Ancelotti said: i am sure Salomon will become an even more important player for Chelsea in the future. The Blues are prevented from signing any new players until 2011 after being found guilty of inducing teenager Gael Kakuta to breach his contract with lens two years ago. They are appealing Fifas ruling but Kalous deal is a timely boost should the decision be upheld. results fixtures sOCCer REP OF IRELAnD v MOnTEnEGRO LEON BEST believes Ireland boss Giovanni Trapattoni is not likely to risk playing outfield players on a yellow card in tomorrows final Group 8 qualifier with Montenegro at Croke Park scuppering his chances of a first competitive start. Coventry striker Best was delighted to win his fourth cap when coming on against Italy on Saturday, but gutted to receive a booking, especially considering its consequences. Should Best, along with Keith Andrews, Aiden McGead, Paul McShane and keeper Shay Given, receive a booking tomorrow, they would be suspended for the first leg of next months World Cup play-off. The gaffer mentioned... that he might not be playing players with yellows, said 23-year-old Best. Im disappointed with that as I was fouled before I got the yellow. Thats a bit of a downer as it could have been a game that I might have started. A relative newcomer to the squad, Best says he is enjoying the camaraderie of the group, insisting the spirit in the camp is excellent. The morale is good in the team. Were in each others rooms watching films. You adapt to it as well, thats part and parcel. You do miss being away from family and friends but thats part and parcel of it. We all get on very well and that makes it easier. Trap wont risk players on yellow Best: Doubtful starter MARCO TARDELLI is keeping his fingers crossed that the Republic of Ireland avoid France in the World Cup play-off draw. Ireland, who bring down the curtain on their Group Eight campaign against Montenegro at Croke Park to- morrow night, have already booked their place in the draw as a result of Saturday nights heart-stopping 2-2 draw with reigning champions Italy. They will not be among the four seeds, and therefore will find them- selves pitched into battle with one of the quartet of strongest sides among the eight qualifiers, and that list seems likely to comprise France, Portugal, Russia and Greece. However, assistant boss Tardelli, who like manager Giovanni Trapat- toni came close to upsetting his home nation at the weekend, has his own ideas about how he would like next Mondays draw to go. Asked for his preferred opponents, the Italian World Cup winner said: All the teams are very good. But I would prefer Greece, maybe and I would prefer not to meet France, be- cause France have many good play- ers, as do Portugal. Tardelli not too keen to face France in play-offs Trapattoni and Tardelli put the play- ers through their paces in Malahide yesterday as they shook off the disap- pointment of Italys late equaliser, which dashed hopes of a late charge for automatic qualification. Had they held out, victory in tomor- rows game would have been enough to send them to South Africa had the Italians slipped up at home to Cyprus, admittedly an unlikely scenario. But that view is simply not being supported within the Irish camp as they attempt to negotiate their tenth and final match having not yet lost during the campaign. Tardelli said: Its very important for the players. We dont want to lose be- cause it is important to arrive at the end of the group stage without a defeat. The English team lost and other important teams have lost, and its important for the Irish team to arrive at the end undefeated. Meanwhile, Damien Duff was able to train with the squad yesterday after re- covering from the injury which kept him out of the Italy game, and is in con- tention to return against Montenegro. By DAvID kEnnEDy Hard shoulder: Shane Long and Richard Dunne, right, train yesterday ForMer ireland full-back John Anderson claims Mick McCarthys 2002 squad was stronger than the present one but praised Giovanni Trapattoni for reaching the play-offs this time around. Anderson said: i just think the 2002 squad was stronger than this one, but thats taking nothing away from the boys who are there. its been a great campaign. But when you look at robbie Keane and Damien Duff [in 2002], they were younger boys, and of course niall Quinn was there as well, so there was a bit of experience and a bit of youth there, and we dont really have that blend this time around. There are no young boys who are finding their way and bringing that eagerness to the team. Class of 02 were better, says Anderson Picture: Sportsfile index.html2.html3.html4.html5.html6.html7.html8.html9.html10.html11.html12.html13.html14.html15.html16.html17.html18.html19.html20.html21.html22.html23.html