World Cup Footie

EGYPT coach Hassan Shehata believes England should be aiming high at this summer's World Cup.

FIFA have named England and Germany as two of the many culprits that continue to portray South Africa in a negative light ahead of the World Cup.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter has hinted football's governing body could sanction the use of video technology in the near future.

Thierry Henry will not face any official sanction from FIFA over his handball during France's crucial World Cup qualification play-off against Ireland.

RANGERS captain Barry Ferguson admits he could not stomach another glorious failure so soon after his Hampden heartache with Scotland.

JOHN Collins remains firmly in the SFA's sights as a candidate for the vacant Scotland manager's job.

JOHN COLLINS today insisted he's had no contact from the SFA over the vacant Scotland manager's job.

SINCE the orgy of speculation began over who would succeed Alex McLeish as Scotland manager, one candidacy has grown in stature due to ongoing events in the game.

JOHN Collins has emerged as a challenger to Mark McGhee for the vacant post of Scotland manager.

HIS name appears at the top of most lists of favourites supplied by bookmakers and this weekend Alex McLeish backed the notion of Mark McGhee as the man to succeed him as Scotland manager.

THE Scottish Football Association remained tight-lipped on the search for a new Scotland manager yesterday as more contenders threw their hats in the ring, and others had their say on who they would like to see installed as Alex McLeish's successor.

SCOTLAND's joint top goalscorer of all time, Denis Law, insists a home-grown candidate must be appointed to succeed Alex McLeish as manager of the national side.

PERHAPS the least surprising aspect of the inevitable speculation over the identity of the next Scotland manager is the groundswell of support for Graeme Souness that seems to be gathering momentum almost on a daily basis.

IMPRESSIVE CVs have landed on the desk of Scottish Football Association chief executive Gordon Smith this week. One arrived from a man who had taken a team all the way to the World Cup quarter-finals.

FIVE months since accepting the highest administrative office in Scottish sport, Gordon Smith has felt every bump of the ride on football's rocky road.

GEORGE Peat, president of the SFA, has admitted that Alex McLeish's successor as Scotland manager will probably be subject to the same market forces that drew McLeish away to the Premier League after only ten months in charge.

SCOTTISH FA chief executive Gordon Smith insists he does not fear the difficult task of appointing a successor to Alex McLeish....

SFA chief executive Gordon Smith was surprised that Alex McLeish was lured away by Birmingham.

THE list of would-be Scotland managers has grown like a conga line since Alex McLeish quit the post barely 48 hours ago, but the whittling process and ultimate appointment of his successor is unlikely to be completed until some time in January.

ST ANDREW'S Day arrived two days' early for Alex McLeish yesterday as he sat at the Birmingham City stadium of that name and explained why he had swapped the Saltire for a survival struggle in England.