Northern Ireland face a huge battle to keep hold of in-demand manager Michael O’Neill after the Scottish Football Association yesterday made an official approach for the Armagh man.

One of Ireland’s most decorated footballers passed away yesterday in Rome, aged 60, after a short illness.

Chelsea and Tottenham have been handed fines of £375,000 and £225,000 respectively following the fall-out from their feisty Premier League encounter at Stamford Bridge on May 2.

Antonio Conte has paved the way to take the Chelsea post after it was confirmed the Italy manager would be stepping down following Euro 2016.

The crisis in Italian football is a bit like climate change.

Antonio Conte has been confirmed as the new head coach of the Italy national team.

Italy’s early elimination from the World Cup has strengthened the belief that football in the country desperately needs a new direction.

Roberto Mancini is flattered by speculation that he could be the next coach of Italy.

Italian football is the continuation of politics by other means rather than war.

Italian Football Federation president Giancarlo Abete has condemned Nocerina for the club’s “incomprehensible” response to allegations of death threats from a group of extremist supporters.

Italy striker Mario Balotelli is out of the Confederations Cup semi-final against Spain because of injury.

Serie A title hopefuls Napoli will be deducted two points after defenders Paolo Cannavaro and Gianluca Grava were handed six-month bans for failing to report match-fixing, the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) has confirmed.

Antonio Conte is confident his 10-month suspension will be overturned in time for him to take charge of Juventus at the start of the Serie A season.

Mario Balotelli should accept Italy were beaten by a better side in last night’s Euro 2012 final according to the striker’s coach Cesare Prandelli.

West Ham co-owner David Gold claims the club will sue Brescia for money they say they are owed from the sale of striker Alessandro Diamanti from Brescia to Bologna.

Italy striker Antonio Cassano has apologised after causing controversy by saying he hoped there were no homosexuals in the national team squad at Euro 2012.

Italy’s Euro 2012 plans are in danger of being derailed by outside forces as a betting scandal clouded coach Cesare Prandelli’s announcement of his squad for the tournament.

Tonight’s Euro 2012 warm-up game between Italy and Luxembourg in Parma has been called off after a 5.8 magnitude earthquake hit the northern region of Emilia Romagna this morning.

Typically they feature dawn raids and search warrants; obscure provincial prosecutors with snappy wardrobes and an eye for publicity; pictures of sheepish young men emerging from police stations; extracts from mobile phone taps selectively leaked to the papers; condemnation and summary convictions; and then a five-year appeal process during which it emerges that everyone was doing it but the accused had the misfortune or the stupidity to be caught.

Italy defender Domenico Criscito will not play at the European Championship as he is under investigation in the country's latest match-fixing scandal.

Republic of Ireland coach Giovanni Trapattoni has described the latest match-fixing scandal to hit Italy as "devastating" and believes it further tarnishes the image of Italian football.

Lazio captain Stefano Mauri and former Genoa midfielder Omar Milanetto have been arrested by police in connection with a match-fixing probe in Italy.

Atalanta, Siena and Novara are the Serie A clubs facing accusations of manipulation of games and bet frauds, the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) confirmed yesterday.

Former Atalanta captain Cristiano Doni was arrested today in connection with another match-fixing probe in Italy.

IT’S down to the English FA to make the final decision on any prospective pre-Euro 2012 friendly with Ireland, according to Giovanni Trapattoni.

The Italian Players’ Union and the Lega Serie A today signed a temporary resolution to avert any further strike action.

MUCH like love and marriage, Italian football and match-fixing seem to go together like a horse and carriage.

Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli has suffered a knee injury while training with Italy, the Italian Football Federation have confirmed.

IRELAND could be playing Italy in America in June in a repeat of the celebrated 1994 World Cup game.

The planned strike for this weekend's Serie A matches has been called off after the players' union (AIC) and Lega Serie A reached an agreement.

A senior figure at the Italian Football Federation has dismissed Serbia’s demands to replay the Euro 2012 qualifier abandoned due to crowd disorder last week.

UEFA have confirmed they have opened “a full and thorough” investigation into the incidents which caused the abandonment of last night’s Euro 2012 qualifier between Italy and Serbia in Genoa.

UEFA are waiting for their match delegate’s report before acting following the riots which forced the abandonment of Italy’s game against Serbia after only six minutes.

The Italian Football Federation are awaiting further information regarding their Euro 2012 qualifier against Northern Ireland following the bomb blast in Derry this morning.

Italian Football Federation (FIGC) president Giancarlo Abete is optimistic a compromise can be reached to prevent a strike from Serie A players on the weekend of September 25-26.

Inter Milan president Massimo Moratti has been suspended for three months by the Italian Football Federation due to irregularities in the transfer of Diego Milito and Thiago Motta from Genoa last summer.

Inter Milan coach Jose Mourinho has been accused of "physical and verbal aggression" towards a journalist after Sunday's 1-1 draw at Atalanta.

MARCELLO LIPPI yesterday hailed Ireland boss Giovanni Trapattoni’s management skills and stressed his Italy side would be foolish to play for a point in Saturday’s World Cup qualifier at Croke Park.

Italian club Fiorentina are considering a formal complaint to FIFA over the signing of teenage defender Michele Fornasier by Manchester United.

Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola insists he is unconcerned by the decision of the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) to reopen the case against him over alleged drug use during his time as a player at Brescia.

ITALY coach Marcello Lippi yesterday dismissed reports linking him with a return to Juventus.

The Republic of Ireland's upcoming World Cup qualifier against Italy appears set to take place in the Adriatic city of Bari.

ITALY have been given some welcome news ahead of today’s World Cup qualifier against Montenegro with Gennaro Gattuso, Daniele De Rossi and Giuseppe Rossi all passed fit to play.

ITALY have indefinitely banned their own supporters from away games after trouble flared during the Azzurri’s goalless draw in Bulgaria on Saturday.

Giovanni Trapattoni believes the Italian Football Federation will never be able to prevent the country’s supporters from watching their national team away from home.

Italy have indefinitely banned their own supporters from away games after trouble flared during the Azzurri’s goalless draw in Bulgaria on Saturday.

The European Championships look certain to be expanded from 16 to 24 teams after the proposal today won universal support from UEFA’s 53 member countries.

Italy coach Roberto Donadoni has left his post after the Italian Football Federation opted not to extend his contract.

The Italian Football Federation have confirmed that captain Fabio Cannavaro will miss Euro 2008 with an ankle injury.

ARE Internazionale cracking? A title race that looked like being a procession for the second year running has been thrown into doubt after a week of results that reduced the gap at the top to four points.