PREMIERSHIP COVENTRY CITY Chairman Brian Richardson plans to contact Viorel Moldovan's agent to check reports in the Romanian press that the player has slammed the Sky Blues. Quotes attributed to the striker include criticism of manager Gordon Strachan's style of play as "kick and run" and a dismissal of the team as "very, very poor". The Romanian is said to be unhappy at having made just seven starts for the Sky Blues since his £3.25m move from Grasshoppers of Zurich last December. But Richardson isn't convinced the bloke said anything. "I know his agent and I will be speaking to him to find out how it happened and the significance, if there is any," he said. "I would suggest that things which are reported in a foreign newspaper and then come out in translation and are transposed into an English newspaper are invariably not necessarily correct. "If he had said it here in Coventry that would be a very different matter. Certainly from our perspective, the way Viorel has behaved, trained and worked with the manager is an extremely long, long way from this." LIVERPOOL Italy manager Cesare Maldini believes 18-year-old striker Michael Owen could be the brightest star to shine at this year's World Cup Finals. Owen, the youngest player to represent England this century, went to the top of the Premiership scoring charts with a goal in Liverpool's 4-0 win over Arsenal at Anfield - his 18th in the League this season. Maldini is convinced that he can be equally effective this summer, claiming: "Owen will be the sensation of the World Cup." ASTON VILLA Manager John Gregory has set his sights on a ninth win in 11 games when Villa face newly-crowned champions Arsenal on Sunday. Three points could clinch a place in the UEFA Cup, and Gregory admitted: ''I never expected we would be in this position. Qualifying for Europe was more a distant target that we couldn't reach. Now we will do everything we can to beat Arsenal and give ourselves a chance.'' BLACKBURN ROVERS Rovers are lining up a friendly against Scottish giants Rangers as part of Colin Hendry's testimonial season. Stinking rich owner Jack Walker is keen to reward Hendry for his hard work over nine seasons at Ewood Park and has spoken to Rangers chairman David Murray about a fixture in Blackburn during pre-season. LEEDS UNITED Defender Ian Harte will be on duty for the Republic of Ireland in their under-21 international against Scotland on May 18. The 20-year-old will then link up with the senior squad for the game against Mexico five days later, the Republic's last match beforethey start their Euro 2000 qualifying campaign at home to Croatia in September. WEST HAM UNITED Defender David Unsworth insists West Ham's fading European dream is still very much alive, despite a slump that has seen the Hammers concede 12 goals in three games. "It will not be all doom and gloom if Arsenal beat Villa on Sunday and we beat Leicester," he said. "Then we will be seventh and Chelsea could beat Stuttgart in the Cup-Winners' Cup Final, so there is a still a vague possibility. We will need to be 50% better. We don't want to spoil the season and we have still got a chance. There have been personal errors, from me included. We attack as a team and we have got to defend as a team."

DIVISION ONE ROUND-UP   PORT VALE Injury-plagued defender Gareth Griffiths could be back in action for the start of next season after an 18-month nightmare on the sidelines. The £2m-rated centre-half, who was being tracked by a host of Premiership clubs before breaking down with a crippling knee injury in January 1997, was expected to have surgery this summer. But specialists now say the operation isn't necessary and have created a fitness programme that could have Griffiths back in the team in August. QUEEN'S PARK RANGERS Ray Harford has been warned he has just one month at the start of the new season to show that QPR are on the right road. After escaping the crucial board meeting with his job, Harford began the rebuilding job by releasing Simon Barker, Tony Roberts, David Bardsley, Lee Charles, Paul Hart and Fraser Murray. BIRMINGHAM CITY Chairman David Gold has vowed to do all he can to persuade manager Trevor Francis to sign a new two-year contract. Gold knows other clubs are poised to swoop if he can't strike a deal and plans to open talks with Francis later this month. HUDDERSFIELD TOWN Peter Jackson has offered new one-year deals to veteran players Barry Horne and David Phillips after they impressed in Town's successful fight against relegation. MIDDLESBROUGH The club's last link with Brazil was broken yesterday when Fabio returned to Rio. Fabio, cousin of controversial former midfielder Emerson, was not offered a new deal when his contract expired. NOTTINGHAM FOREST Club captain Colin Cooper is set to open contract talks that could see him commit the rest of his career to the City Ground. Cooper, who has a year left on his current deal, was almost sold to West Ham earlier in the season but says: ''My position has been the same all along - I want to stay and finish my football days at Forest.'' PORTSMOUTH Former England B defender Kevin Bond has been appointed as assistant manager to Alan Ball. Bond, who was Ball's youth team coach at Manchester City, replaces Keith Waldon, who has taken an administrative role at Fratton Park. Ex-Southampton, Manchester City and Norwich centre-back Bond quit as manager of Dr Martens League Stafford Rangers to join Pompey. SWINDON TOWN Talks are continuing between club and Borough Council, who own the freehold of the County Ground, over the club's future. The council have turned down the Robins' offer to buy the freehold, but a spokesman said: ''The council is aware of the club's ambitions. We are keen to do all we can to help and have agreed to look at all possible options, including relocation.'' WEST BROM Tony Dobson is celebrating a new one-year contract after earlier being told he would be released on a free this summer. The 29-year-old centre-half, who is recovering from knee surgery, said: ''Now I can concentrate on getting into good shape for next season.'' WOLVES Mark McGhee is expected to continue his clear-out by letting striker Don Goodman leave on a free. Goalkeeper Hans Segers is out of contract and could also be shown the door. McGhee has said he will listen to offers for almost all the club's under-contract players, teenage midfielder Robbie Keane is the only one he refuses to sell.

DIVISION TWO ROUND-UP		DIVISION THREE ROUND-UP
WATFORD Former England winger Tony Daley is being tipped for a summer reunion with Graham Taylor, who gave him his England chance and then took him to Wolves four years ago, after being released by the Molineux side. Daley is keen to kick-start his career after injuries limited him to only a handful of appearances in the black and gold. WALSALL Player-coach Derek Mountfield wants to step in as manager following the dismissal of Jan Sorensen - who beat the former Everton, Aston Villa and Wolves central defender to the job last summer. "I see no reason why I shouldn't apply again," said the 35-year-old. "I don't want to be seen to be jumping straight into Jan's shoes, but I have stated before now that I want to be a manager." BRENTFORD Manager Micky Adams has offered new deals to 20-year-old former Arsenal winger Kevin Dennis and ex-Manchester United defender Graeme Hogg, who is now a free agent. Carl Hutchings has turned down a third contract offer from the Bees.		COLCHESTER UNITED Barnet have given Colchester hundreds more tickets for Sunday's play-off first leg semi-final - the Essex club's initial allocation for the all-ticket affair at Underhill was just 900. EXETER CITY Peter Fox has started his summer rebuilding, offering goalkeeper Ashley Bayes and striker Barry McConnell new deals, releasing five senior pros and revealing he is looking for a new defender. Fox said: ''All the lads I am releasing have been smashing, and will get good references from me, but my number one priority is to get in somebody at left-back. HARTLEPOOL UNITED United are giving away a free children's season ticket with every adult one purchased for next season in an attempt to attract more families into Victoria Park. Childrens' season tickets can also be purchased at the same time for half the normal price. MACCLESFIELD TOWN Golden oldies Steve Wood, 35, and John Askey, 33, have signed new deals that will keep them at Moss Rose until the summer 1999. Full-back Steve Hitchen and strikers Andy Mason and Richard Landon won't figure in the Silkmens' Division Two campaign, though, they've all been released. SHREWSBURY TOWN Five players, including long-serving 32-year-old midfielder Mark Taylor, are on their way out. Taylor and winger Mark Dempsey have both been put on the transfer list, while central defender Craig Herbert and midfielders Austin Berkley and Richard Scott mull over new contract offers.

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