Players punish Bullard and Baird for dust-up
The Fulham players’ committee has decided on a punishment for Chris Baird and Jimmy Bullard after a fight on the training ground on Thursday, but Roy Hodgson, the manager, did not rule out further action by the club. “It was a regrettable incident,” Hodgson, who enjoyed his first win as manager in the Barclays Premier League victory over Aston Villa yesterday, said.
“Chris Baird was quick to take all the blame and Jimmy Bullard was mature enough to accept his apology. It was in no way indicative of what has been going on in our training sessions. It has not caused any problems for team solidarity. It has been left to the players unless the chairman is unhappy at having the name of the club vilified and wants to take action.”
Wales’ preparations hit by new injury blows
Craig Bellamy and Danny Gabbidon, the West Ham United players, have withdrawn from the Wales squad to play Norway in a friendly international in Wrexham on Wednesday. Bellamy returned from a groin injury in the Barclays Premier League match against Wigan Athletic on Saturday, but the forward is not fully fit. Gabbidon has been out for nearly two months with the same problem. John Toshack, the Wales manager, is also without Gareth Bale, the Tottenham Hotpsur defender, and James Collins, also of West Ham.
Advertisement
Trapattoni favourite
The Football Association of Ireland has confirmed that the appointment of its new manager is “imminent”. Reports suggested that Giovanni Trapattoni, the Italian, had emerged as favourite for the post vacated by Steve Staunton last October, with Terry Venables, the former England manager, also linked with the position. “Don Givens gave the ten board members a progress report on the work done by himself and the other members of the selection panel, Ray Houghton and Don Howe, since he last spoke to the board,” an FAI statement read.