IF the GAA’s decision to open Croke Park to rugby was historic, the significance of today’s soccer match in the heartland of Gaelic sport is mind boggling.

DIMITAR BERBATOV is being backed to take Manchester United to another level after sealing a £30.5million (€38m) move from Tottenham.

RAFAEL BENITEZ believes Gabriel Heinze had no alternative but to leave Manchester United and England after the Premier League blocked his proposed move to Liverpool.

JACK CHARLTON, the man who first led Ireland to a European Championship finals and two World Cup finals, believes Ron Atkinson should replace Steve Staunton as Republic of Ireland manager.

NEW signings Nani and Anderson yesterday penned five-year deals with Manchester United.

LOVE him or hate him — and opinion on that is sharply divided — there is no denying Manchester United captain Roy Keane is one of the best players ever to don the green jersey of the Republic of Ireland.

THE Parkhead conveyer belt of talent is set to launch another two starlets onto the senior stage as Celtic manager Martin O’Neill looks to rest his weary first-team stars.

ARSENAL coach Arsene Wenger has not made an emergency plan in case a number of his players are banned following incidents after the 0-0 draw against Manchester United.

ENGLAND captain David Beckham has become the top paid footballer in the world, earning €22.4m last year, bi-weekly soccer magazine France Football reported last night.

Having been sent off at Newcastle United in September 2001, Roy Keane wondered if he should give up football. In his autobiography he describes how he ran through his options if he left Manchester United.

MANCHESTER UNITED have confirmed Spanish defender Gerard Pique has signed a new contract to keep him at Old Trafford until June 2009.

NICKY BUTT has accepted the chance of a season’s loan at Birmingham to avoid the prospect of spending the months before the 2006 World Cup on the Newcastle bench.

NEWCASTLE midfielder Nicky Butt will sit out the club’s next three European games after being banned by UEFA.

Richie Ryan (Arena letter, June 14) thinks it is both racist and bizarre that Irish people want the English soccer team to lose, but he is wrong on both counts.

ALEX Ferguson believes Everton’s swoop for England striker Andy Johnson could prove the signing of the summer.

CHELSEA chief executive Peter Kenyon has confirmed the club have been offered the chance to sign Bayern Munich midfielder Michael Ballack.

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INTER Milan have completed the signing of former Arsenal midfielder Patrick Vieira from Juventus for £6.5m.

Manchester United forward Memphis Depay has been involved in a spat with former Red Devils striker Robin van Persie during a Holland training session.