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British roundup Neville says Man U may break up if Ferguson retires
MANCHESTER, England (AP) -- Manchester United could fall apart without manager Alex Ferguson. That's the opinion of defender Gary Neville, who believes the team may break up if Ferguson retires after the 2001-2002 season, as he promises to do. "It will be frightening for a lot of us who have been here for 15 years, all under one manager," Neville was quoted Friday in The Sun. "Some of the lads have been at the club since they were 13 or 14 and don't know any different. "When the manager leaves, it may be that five or six of his side will leave. And before you know it, you are trying to create another team." Neville said he'd like Ferguson to stay, an opinion he said was shared by the entire team. "This team probably has another five or six years together. It would be nice to play under the one manager for the rest of my career." The England defender also predicted trouble for Ferguson's replacement. "It will be a difficult time for everyone at the club. The players will have to answer to someone else, listen to and take instructions from someone else. There will also be the problem of comparing whoever comes in with Alex Ferguson. ... Whoever takes charge has a really difficult task." West returning to DerbyDERBY, England -- Nigerian defender Taribo West is returning to Derby after disappearing briefly following a World Cup qualifier last weekend against Sudan.Derby manager Jim Smith said West was late returning because of illness in his family. West was expected to face Sunderland on Saturday after missing a 2-1 loss to Charlton on Tuesday. West arrived from Italian side AC Milan in November and signed a three-month contract. He has verbally agreed to stay until the end of the season. Still hopingLONDON -- Bruce Grobbelaar still hopes to coach in England despite a reputation tarnished by a match-fixing scandal."I dream of going to coach in Europe and England once I have done my apprenticeship here in Africa," he told the London Evening Standard. "With the present predicament I don't think the FA would want me to come back." "I have known this from the start. But I don't believe the fans have deserted me. I still go back to Liverpool today and I am still welcomed with open arms." The former Liverpool and Southampton goalkeeper won a libel action against The Sun newspaper over its allegations that he accepted money to fix matches. The libel action followed his acquittal of matchfixing charges in a criminal court. But a Court of Appeal overturned the award. Grobbelaar is appealing the judges' ruling. Falling throughWIMBLEDON, England -- John Hartson's on-and-off transfer from Wimbledon to Coventry has fallen through yet again.Coventry manager Gordon Strachan hoped to bring the Welsh striker to his struggling side after failing to land him last month. Last month's deal fell through when Cedric Roussel refused to move to Wimbledon. Hartson's earlier attempts to move to Tottenham and Rangers both fell through when he failed medical exams. "Unfortunately the transfer deal with John Hartson will not be completed for a purely technical reason," Coventry chairman Bryan Richardson said. "It is an absolute rule of this club that every player is insured for the full amount of the transfer fee and associated costs. "For historical reasons, and nothing to do with John Hartson"s current situation, we have been unable to secure the necessary insurance cover." Hot prospectLONDON -- West Ham has picked up 18-year-old centerhalf Alessandro Zamperini from AS Roma on a free transfer."He looks a decent prospect," Redknapp told the club website. "He has been on the Roma bench five or six times and they are top of the league. He's a tall lad with a good left foot and has every possibility of being a good player. He also has a great physique, a good build, and is good in the air. 'They don't sign their contracts in Italy until they are 19 or whatever so for a free it is not a gamble at all." Zamperini, who was previously with Roma's rival Lazio, has not played in a Serie A match for the league leaders.
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