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Saturday 23 May 1998 (Evening Edition)
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 News 3 
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BIG RON TIPS WILKINSON FOR OWLS
Axed Wednesday Boss Betting On A Shock Comeback
AXED Sheffield Wednesday manager Ron Atkinson has tipped Football Association technical director Howard Wilkinson to succeed him at Hillsborough.
Wilkinson, who managed the Owls from 1983-88, was their primary target six months ago when David Pleat was sacked, but the remaining two and a half years of his FA contract proved a stumbling block. Big Ron now reckons chairman Dave Richards is willing to pay the estimated £250,000 in compensation it would take to prise away Wilkinson who, according to the FA earlier this week, still has work to do with his Charter for Football.
Atkinson, currently on holiday in the Caribbean, said: "The only logical reason I can think of for me going is that something else cropped up. If you ask me who will get the job, my own bet by a distance, would be Howard Wilkinson."
The club announced last Sunday that they would not be renewing Atkinson's contract, even though he had done what was asked of him when he took over from Pleat last November; kept the Owls in the Premiership.
The charismatic former Manchester United chief was confident that he would be offered a new one-year deal and had set his sights on taking Wednesday into Europe next season. But Richards and the board, slammed as weak men by Atkinson after his shock departure, made an abrupt U-turn following a last-game defeat by Crystal Palace, that reportedly cost the Owls around £500,000 in Premiership place money.
Wim Jansen, who quit Celtic last week after leading them to their first Scottish Championship in a decade, is another possible candidate. The Dutchman has returned home to contemplate his future, and has already turned down an offer to coach Vitesse Arnhem. Although with offers expected to pour in from all over Europe for his services, it's unlikely he'll get as far down the football pecking order as Wednesday.
The latest name to be linked with the Owls is current Norway coach Egil Olsen. His agent has said that ten clubs from all over the continent, including Celtic "and elsewhere in Britain", have been in touch to check on Olsen's availability, but refused to confirm or deny whether Wednesday were one of those clubs.
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NEW CHAPTER IN ILIC'S FAIRYTALE
CHARLTON goalkeeper Sasa Ilic's amazing climb from non-League football to Division One star could end with him between the posts for Yugoslavia in next month's World Cup!
The 6-foot-4 former Partizan Belgrade custodian linked up with non-league St Leonard's after a chat with a barman at London's Football Football restaurant, joined Charlton as cover for Mike Salmon and Andy Petterson at the start of the season and ended up in the first team because of injuries. He has kept an amazing 12 clean sheets in the last 16 games - including a club record-equalling nine in a row - and will be watched in tomorrow's play-off final against Sunderland by two members of Yugoslavia's coaching staff.
A good performance could lead to the Australian-born 25-year-old, who is married to an English girl and qualifies for all the home nations and the Republic of Ireland, being asked to go on standby for Yugoslavia, his parents' homeland, ahead of their Group F matches against Germany, America and Iran.
"I've been in England nearly two years now and feel so much at home here that I could quite happily play for any of the British teams in the future, he said. I've had a few phone calls from Australia and Yugoslavia inquiring about my situation, but I've decided that the first country to offer me an international place is the one I'll accept. It will be a case of first come, first served. I'm open to offers, you might say."
BERTI BACK
NEXT SEASON
ITALIAN midfielder Nicola Berti will be staying with Tottenham after agreeing a new one-year contract. The 30-year-old Italian arrived at White Hart Lane on a free transfer from Inter Milan in January and helped them beat relegation but had been widely expected to move on this summer.
"We are pleased that we will have his experience for another season, said a Spurs spokesman. He has signed a contract that is linked to his ability to command a first-team place. Nicola is as delighted as the club that we have concluded this matter so early in the summer."
Norwegian international goalkeeper Espen Baardsen, meanwhile, has been offered a new two-year extension to his contract. Baardsen has been frustrated at losing out to England squad member Ian Walker and could still demand a move, but the Spurs insider said: "He has two years remaining on his existing agreement and is very much part of our plans, despite reports emanating from abroad linking him with other clubs."
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KEEGAN STAYS ON
AS FULHAM BOSS
TO THE great surprise of no one, Kevin Keegan has confirmed that he will be staying on as Fulham's manager for next season.
The former Newcastle United boss had been Chief Operating Officer at Craven Cottage, but took charge of first-team affairs after sacking former England teammate Ray Wilkins just before Fulham's Second Division play-off semi-final against Grimsby Town. Fulham missed out on promotion, going down 2-1 on aggregate over the two legs, but the buzz of day-to-day involvement with the players has apparently whetted Keegan's appetite again.
Keegan, who quit as Newcastle boss in January 1997, explained: "I want my destiny in my own hands now. I think it's the right move for Fulham and I think it's the right move for me. He also announced that Frank Sibley would be staying on as his No. 2, with veteran midfielder Paul Bracewell becoming player-coach and Wales international defender Chris Coleman taking over as club captain.
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