BRIAN KERR’S lawyers have written to the FAI in response to comments made by the association’s chief executive John Delaney in a newspaper interview.

PAUL GASCOIGNE, England’s troubled former midfield star, yesterday spoke of his long, difficult battle against alcoholism and said he even considered suicide.

SWEDEN midfielder Anders Svensson believes there is still much room for improvement in the squad as the clock ticks down towards their opening World Cup encounter against Trinidad & Tobago next week.

Donal Lenihan picks his best XV of the Rugby World Cup pool stage ahead of this weekend's quarter-finals

Good morning. Here’s everything you need to know before you start your day.

Good morning. Here’s everything you need to know before you start your day.

Ireland will host Sri Lanka for the first time in 35 years after it was announced they would meet in a two-match one-day international series in May.

Italy captain Gianluigi Buffon claims the Azzurri’s minimum target at the World Cup is to reach the quarter-final stages.

Marco Materazzi has signed a new four-year contract at Inter Milan.

Ruud van Nistelrooy expects to return to Manchester United for pre-season training after the World Cup despite his end-of-season row with boss Alex Ferguson.

Manchester City midfielder Claudio Reyna went off injured in the 16th minute as the USA were beaten 1-0 by Morocco in a World Cup warm-up game in Nashville.

Alexander Ostlund was the surprise omission from Sweden’s provisional squad for the 2006 World Cup.

Crystal Palace boss Iain Dowie insists Andrew Johnson is capable of stepping in for Michael Owen at this summer’s World Cup.

Argentina defender Gabriel Heinze will be fit to face the Ivory Coast next Saturday at the World Cup despite sitting out the team’s latest training session in Herzogenaurach.

Scotland coach Frank Hadden made 13 changes to the side which defeated Romania for the match with New Zealand in Pool C of the World Cup at Murrayfield.

Director of Ireland's Institute of Sport and former GAA President Sean Kelly has spoken out about the Irish rugby team saying that they need to adapt the mindset of the 2007 All-Ireland Senior Football Champions if they are to progress at the World Cup in France.

Dutchmen Maarten Lafeber and Robert-Jan Derksen looked to have made their long journey to Malaysia worthwhile after a sparkling better-ball 61 in the third round of the World Cup qualifying tournament.

Aston Villa’s Milan Baros has been included in the 23-man squad Czech Republic squad for the forthcoming World Cup play-offs against Norway.

Prize money at Cheltenham for the 2005-06 season will stand at a record £4.82m (€7.14m) – with £2.87m (€4.25m) spread over the four days of the festival.