Bobs Bits Etc

Last updated : 17 October 2007 By Editor

* Daily Mail:

Manchester United are keeping tabs on Carlos Tevez's teenage brother. United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has identified Miguel Tevez, 17, as a star of the future during a two-week trial at United which has just finished.

The attacking midfielder was recommended to Ferguson by his assistant Carlos Queiroz. Ferguson has yet to decide whether to offer Tevez Jnr a permanent deal and it is understood the teenager has been home-sick during his stay in England.

But sources close to United said Ferguson was impressed by his ability and attitude and has told his staff that his development must be monitored.

Miguel also spent time at West Ham when Tevez was there last season and is considered one of South America's most improved young players.

He is known as the 'little Apache' at home and began his career at Boca Juniors, where his brother made his name.


* Plymouth manager Ian Holloway is impressed with loaned out Lee Martin:

"I like his freshness. He's only been with us two or three days and, good gracious me, he's got that hunger and that desire. He wants to get his foot in and take people on and hopefully I can help him.

"Hopefully we can help Lee in his career, like we helped Scott Sinclair last season, because it's all about playing matches in front of supporters. If you play in youth team games and reserve team fixtures it's not quite the same."


* Phil Bardsley talks more about his loan move to Sheffield United:

"Firstly I have moved down here for footballing reasons and Bryan Robson has given me the opportunity to come down here, play some games and hopefully improve the side.

"He (Bryan Robson) is a fantastic character and a fantastic man and I'm eagerly anticipating working under him.

"At my age now I need to be playing regular first-team football and I've had some experience with Rangers and Villa and a couple of months with Burnley which stood me in good stead, and I'm looking forward to progressing here too."


* The Times:

The Israeli FA (IFA) has revealed that Avram Grant, the Chelsea first-team coach, is to start studying for his Uefa Pro Licence early next year. European football's governing body is expected to require that from next season coaches of clubs who play in European competitions must hold a Pro Licence.


* BBC:

Darron Gibson's international future is still in the balance with a Football Association of Ireland delegation to meet with Fifa officials next week.

The 19-year-old is at the centre of a dispute between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

The Derryman played for NI at underage level before switching to the Republic and he earned a full cap in last month's Euro 2008 qualifer in Slovakia.

The Irish FA have already made their submission to Fifa.

The IFA says that Fifa rules make clear that Gibson should not be allowed to play for the Republic because neither the player, nor his parents or his grandparents were born south of the border.

However, the FAI insists that the player is qualified to play for the Republic under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement which states that anybody born in Northern Ireland is entitled to Irish citizenship.