Soccer News: Republic of Ireland international Gary Breen was, as expected, one of the players released by West Ham in the club's major post-relegation cost-cutting clearout, the extent of which was revealed yesterday when 10 players were told that there would be no offers of contracts for next season.
As a high earner who rarely played, Breen, who signed a one-year deal after the World Cup, was always likely to be let go, but there was more surprise yesterday that under-21 international Clive Delaney also found himself among those released.
Delaney was quoted in an article posted on the club's own official website in the early hours of yesterday morning as saying that he and the club were discussing the details of a contract that had been offered to him. Hours later, however, he received a letter from the club saying that it was not in a position to offer him the deal.
The former UCD defender, who could bot be contacted yesterday, will apparently look to secure an offer from another English club.
Delaney and Breen were joined in the exodus by Nigel Winterburn, Paolo di Canio, Lee Bowyer, Eduoard Cisse, Izzie Iriekpen, Scott Minto, John Moncur and Raimond van der Gouw.
But the Hammers want to keep Les Ferdinand, who scored two goals in 14 games after signing from Tottenham in January, and there was also brighter news for another of the club's Irish underage internationals, with Daryl McMahon informed that he is to be kept on.
In other Premiership news, Robert Pires hopes to effectively commit the rest of his playing career to Arsenal by signing a new contract after today's English FA Cup final.
"I hope my future is at Arsenal. I want to stay and we will talk after the final," said Pires. "There are two weeks before we (France) go away to the Confederation Cup. I expect everything to be okay and I hope to sign a new contract. Arsenal are one of the biggest clubs in Europe and that's why I want to stay here," said Pires (30), who joined Arsenal for £6 million from Marseille three years ago.
There has been speculation over the future of Pires, who has two years remaining on his present contract, and if he extends the deal it could effectively mean he would spend the rest of his top-flight career with Arsenal.
But that is not the most immediate thing on his mind as he attempts to make up for the disappointment of missing last year's FA Cup final victory over Chelsea because of injury.
"It's very important for me and the club to win this year. It's most important that Arsenal win a trophy because we didn't win the championship."
The Republic of Ireland senior women start their European championship qualifying campaign tomorrow afternoon at Richmond Park (kick-off 3 p.m.), where they take on Bosnia-Herzogovina.
Manager Noel King is without the suspended Dolores Deasley as well as Marie Curtin, who has pulled out of the squad through injury. Sylvia Gee of UCD replaces Curtin in the panel of 17 for this match and next week's trip to Croatia.
"The preparation for these games has been fantastic," says King. "The FAI have been hugely supportive and we've been given the chance to do everything the right way. It's up to us to deliver now and if we're going to do that it's very important that we start with a win this weekend."
Romania and Malta complete Ireland's five-team group, and King expects the Croatians and Romanians to be the main challengers for qualification.
"I went over to see Croatia and the Bosnians play each other and they were both good teams," he says, "but it's the first time that the Bosnians have entered the competition and so you would expect the more experienced players to have a bit of an edge. It's not going to be easy, but we're hopeful about our chances."
Gerry Smith, meanwhile, has added Keith Fahy of St Patrick's Athletic, Carlisle's Willo McDonagh, Jonathon Wattis of Bolton Wanderers and Sunderland's Keith Graydon to the under-20 panel he is assembling in Dublin on Monday week for a training camp. Smith is preparing the squad for the World Youth Championships in the United Arab Emirates which are scheduled to take place in November and December.
