WEST BROM manager Roy Hodgson believes Shane Long’s “attitude” will ensure he fulfils his potential at the Baggies.

ROBERT BRADY enjoyed a dream return to international duty as his stoppage-time goal from the penalty spot earned the Republic of Ireland a deserved victory over Austria in a gripping U21 International friendly at the Sligo Showgrounds yesterday.

IRELAND’S U19’s slipped to a comprehensive defeat against Serbia in Belgrade last night in the first of this week’s friendly away games.

Dancing Shoes enacts George’s skill but doesn’t shirk from his sadness, says Carl Dixon

SURROUNDED on all sides, snipers shooting from every angle as even loyal troops reluctantly break ranks; a victim of his own stubborn refusal to listen to sense. The end game, it seems, has finally arrived.

JUAN MATA was yesterday preparing to say his goodbyes to Valencia after confirming he was travelling to London to complete the formalities of his move to Chelsea.

OF the Manchester United youngsters that have won so much praise and faith from Alex Ferguson, Danny Welbeck has been the one to raise eyebrows, yet he justified the hype with a goal and an assist as the champions maintained their perfect start to the season last night.

MANCHESTER UNITED, the record 19-times English soccer champions, agreed a four-year contract worth about £40 million (€45.7m) for delivery company DHL to sponsor its training apparel, according to two people familiar with the deal.

SHANE LONG or Fernando Torres?

Arsenal 0 Liverpool 2

MANCHESTER UNITED manager Alex Ferguson believes there is a freshness and vitality to Wayne Rooney this season that ensures “he can never stand still” on the pitch.

ROBBIE KEANE last night reiterated his commitment to the Irish team and insisted he hadn’t moved to southern California for a holiday.

ANDRE VILLAS-BOAS insists Chelsea must win their back-to-back home games with West Brom and Norwich if they are to be considered serious Barclays Premier League title contenders this season.

MANCHESTER UNITED boss Alex Ferguson can appreciate the dilemma close friend Harry Redknapp has had to contend with over the summer regarding Luka Modric.

LAST time around, we had to wait until the very last game of the season for confirmation of what we had long suspected: Manchester United are not in the same league as Barcelona.

EDWIN VAN DER SAR enjoyed a memorable send-off as the recently-retired goalkeeper bid farewell at a testimonial evening at a packed Amsterdam ArenA last night.

HE was in, he was out, then he was in and now he’s out again.

NEWCASTLE outcast Joey Barton claims to have been fined two weeks’ wages by the club as he draws closer to making his exit from St James’ Park.

FANS labelled as “anti-people” by Manchester United chief executive David Gill have launched a furious defence of their opposition to the Glazer family’s ownership of the club.

AS IRELAND’S defeated U19 European Championship semi-finalists touched down in Ireland in the early hours of Sunday morning, captain John Egan backed the original decision of manager Paul Doolin to leave some big names out for the showpiece in Romania.