Beto, Barreto to coach kids

New Delhi: Roberto Mendes da Silva, popularly known as Beto, said on Friday that he and Mohun Bagan’s Brazilian star Jose Barreto would set up a football coaching centre for children in Goa, says Our Special Correspondent.

Beto, who captained Dempo Sports Club to the I-League title this season, said the coaching centre, to be named Brazil Academy, would be launched in September. “It will be our tribute to Indian football,” Beto said. “Whatever we are today is because of Indian football. We want to give something back to the game.”

The Brazilian said he and Barreto was “extremely enthusiastic about the entire project and that they were “planning to get professionals from Brazil to train the footballers, aged between eight and 16.” The duo are also hopeful that the Brazilian football federation (CBF) will assist them in the project.

Rosicky out of Euro 2008

Prague: Czech Republic captain Tomas Rosicky will miss next month’s European Championship because of an injury. The Arsenal midfielder said on Friday he will undergo surgery on his injured tendon next week on Tuesday in London and won’t recover in time for the June 7-29 tournament in Austria and Switzerland. “I want to announce that I won’t be able to play at the European Championship,” Rosicky said at a news conference in Prague. The Arsenal midfielder had to be substituted in the first half of an FA Cup match against Newcastle on January 26 and has not played since. He suffered from a sore tendon following a tackle in a January 19 Premier League match at Fulham.

Extra spot for England

Nyon: England will get an extra club in next season’s Uefa Cup after topping European soccer’s Fair Play league. The extra club, still to be decided, will be added to the three which have already qualify from England — League Cup winner Tottenham, the fifth-place finisher in the Premier League and the winner of the May 17 FA Cup final between Portsmouth and Cardiff City. After the Premier League season ends on Sunday, the league’s own Fair Play rankings will decide which club gets the spot.

Scolari denies deal with City

Lisbon: Luiz Felipe Scolari says he is happy to stay as Portugal coach. “Portugal offers me everything I need,” the Brazilian said in an interview late on Thursday with a Portuguese public broadcaster. Scolari’s contract expires at the end of June after Euro 2008. He denied reports he was preparing to take over as manager of Manchester City. “I have no agreement with that club,” Scolari said.

Saini wins

Manila: Ashbir Saini won the individual event as India finished third in the Asia Pacific Junior golf meet on Friday. The 14-year-old Saini is representing the country for the first time.

India finished four strokes behind winners Thailand and three strokes behind runners-up Chinese Taipei.

Poonia feat

Salinas: Discus thrower Krishna Poonia attained a personal best of 63.74m in the third meet of the USATF discus development series held at Hartnell Junior College.

Poonia has already qualified for the Olympics and is training here with 1976 Olympic gold medallist us discus thrower Mac Wilkins.

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