Taylor ready to face old rivals
England will have to overcome Germany next month in a two-leg play-off to reach next year’s European Under-21 Championship finals. Peter Taylor’s youngsters beat Switzerland 3-2 on Wednesday to top their three-team group. The seven winners of the play-offs, scheduled for October 7 and 11, will join the hosts, Holland, in the finals next June.
England drew twice with Germany in the group stage of their last qualification campaign. “We had two terrific games against them,” Taylor, the coach, said. “It will be a tough but I feel it’s a winnable draw.”
Sanchez hope
Lawrie Sanchez is expected to make an announcement about his future as Northern Ireland manager early next week. Sanchez is considering resigning, although the Irish Football Association (IFA) remain hopeful that he will stay on. An IFA spokesman said: “Lawrie has assured Jim Boyce [the president] that he will be in contact with the IFA and the president is hopeful this matter can be resolved to the benefit of the Northern Ireland football public.”
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Staunton blow
Steve Staunton, the Ireland manager, has been banned from the touchline for one match after he was sent to the stands during the 1-0 defeat against Germany in Stuttgart last weekend. Staunton, who had protested against a decision made by Luis Medina Cantalejo, the Spanish referee, will have to sit out the European Championship qualifying match against Cyprus in Nicosia on October 7.