2007 World Rowing Championships Three Seattle rowers advance at world championships

[Mary]

He may have been installed as the bookmakers' favourite – and amount to a tantalising and available prospect for the Football Association – but Jose Mourinho has no intention of succeeding Steve McClaren as England manager.

A source close to Mourinho said yesterday that the 44-year-old had not been sounded out by the FA and "if he was he would not be interested". The source insisted that the former Chelsea manager, who is on holiday in the United States, wants to remain in club management.

Indeed, he said that Mourinho is "already aware" of the club he is likely to join next year. It is thought that the Portuguese will take up a post in Italy, with one of the Serie A giants such as Milan, Internazionale or Juventus.

The terms of Mourinho's severance agreement from Chelsea – from whom he and his coaching staff received a record £18m in compensation – prevent him from taking charge of another English club this season, but there is nothing stopping him from managing the English national team.

Should England fail to qualify for Euro 2008, that is likely to tempt the FA to make a move and they would be willing to meet Mourinho's £5m-a-year wage demands. Indeed, Mourinho, through his advisers, has let it be known in the past that he would be interested in coaching England but that is thought to have been more to do with his mischievous nature – and an antipathy towards McClaren – than any great intent. The FA may well test that resolve especially as, following McClaren's lacklustre regime, they will be keen to appoint a more charismatic and driven manager.

Jürgen Klinsmann would also fall into that category and it will have been noted that he has recently signalled his intention to return to management having taken time out following last year's World Cup. Klinsmann, who wanted to be linked to the Chelsea manager's job, is also now willing to uproot his family away from California, something he refused to do when coach of the German team. But his nationality may be an issue with some with the FA – and some sections of the media.

Luiz Felipe Scolari, the coach of the Portuguese national team, would be interested, despite the debacle the FA created in approaching him before McClaren was appointed. The 58-year-old Brazilian will leave his present post next summer, after five years in charge, and wants to remain in Europe. However, as before, he will not break his contract, which runs until after Euro 2008, while his demands, in terms of the control he wants, are unlikely to be met with approval.

England will have to rule out any attempt to employ Guus Hiddink even if the Dutchman confirmed that he is yet to sign the two-year contract extension with Russia. Among English club managers, Sam Allardyce is likely to be interested even though he only took over at Newcastle United last summer while Arsène Wenger, having signed a new three-year deal at Arsenal, would be unobtainable.

The FA have certainly not begun the process of considering who might succeed McClaren. However, just 15 months into a four-year, £2.5m-a-year contract, he is hanging to his post by a thread following the disastrous loss to Russia on Wednesday evening which has taken qualification for next summer's tournament out of England's hands.

The FA chief executive Brian Barwick – who led the organisation's appointments committee and championed McClaren's succession of Sven Goran Eriksson – only gave the manager qualified backing yesterday. "Steve's job is to prepare the team for Austria and Croatia," he said. "You wouldn't expect me to say anything else. He has my support. Steve will be getting the team ready for the friendly against Austria [on 16 November] and then Croatia [21 November].

"We'll of course support him. He's got a job to do and we've got to look elsewhere for help [in qualifying]. Steve will get those players ready and we will do whatever we need to do against Croatia, hopefully with things having worked in our favour in other games away from that."

Asked if England were in a crisis, Barwick said: "Let's keep 'crisis' in perspective. Steve's job is to make sure he gets his players ready for the Croatia game and the Austria friendly before that, and that's where we are. We have to now look to other teams to do a favour for us, but equally we have to concentrate on the game we have. What we are in the game of here at the moment is concentrating on trying to qualify. We know now it's out of our hands, but we have to concentrate on our own games and look for help elsewhere. [The reaction] is all part and parcel of this wonderful game we are involved in. The reality of it is Steve is concentrating now to get us ready for Croatia. That's the absolute reality of the situation."

Where now for the Golden Generation? Who'll still be around come 2010

England's probable failure to qualify for Euro 2008 is likely to bring the curtain down on a number of international careers from the so-called "Golden Generation". Age, injury problems and the emergence of new talent will force the retirement of those who do not, like Paul Scholes and Jamie Carragher, jump first. Whoever does play ought to have a chance of a decent tournament. The 2010 World Cup will be played in the South African winter which, while not exactly freezing, should suit England's running and pressing game more than any World Cup since Argentina in 1978. England, of course, did not qualify then, either.

Goalkeepers

Paul Robinson (age 30 when the 2010 World Cup starts) is still young for a goalkeeper, but he can expect a period on the sidelines while alternatives are given a chance. Rob Green (30) is the form man, and the most experienced, but has rarely figured on Steve McClaren's radar. A change in management may offer him a chance. Of the younger generation Scott Carson (24) is first in line with Ben Foster (27) sure to be given a run, when fit, if he can get a regular game at club level.

Defenders

Gary Neville and Sol Campbell (both 35) are unlikely to survive a failure to qualify but Rio Ferdinand (31) can expect to become the defence's senior statesman. He may find Micah Richards (21) alongside him. John Terry (29) is young enough but his injury record casts doubt on his chances of making 2010. Should that happen there will be a vacancy at right-back. Glen Johnson (25) has the talent, but does he have the attitude and aptitude? Ashley Cole (29) will still be at left-back.

Midfielders

It is finally goodbye to David Beckham (35), who faces being stranded three shy of 100 caps. Unless Shaun Wright-Phillips (28) develops a final ball Aaron Lennon (23) should be on the right with Joe Cole (28) on the left. Centrally, Steven Gerrard (30) and Frank Lampard (31) will still be around along with Owen Hargreaves (29) and Michael Carrick (28) plus Gareth Barry (29), David Bentley (25) and Manchester City's Michael Johnson (22). Stewart Downing (25) remains unconvincing while Phil Neville's (33) time has probably passed.

Strikers

Michael Owen (30) will not be axed; he remains England's best chance of a goal and the need to qualify for 2010 means he will continue. However, his injury record suggests future England managers will be wise not to rely on his attending a fourth successive World Cup. Wayne Rooney (24) will be approaching his prime, injuries permitting, and may finally have stopped making daft challenges. Jermain Defoe (27) has failed to convince successive managers and could be overtaken by Matt Derbyshire (24), while we wait to see if Theo Walcott (21) is the real deal. There is also interest in Chelsea's Scott Sinclair (21).

[Mary]

Chelsea have confirmed John Terry has undergone knee surgery which will keep him out of action for three weeks.

The Blues have also revealed Ashley Cole faces up to a month on the sidelines with an ankle injury he sustained on international duty.

Terry has been forced to go under the knife to cure the knee problem which forced him to miss England's 2-1 defeat to Russia in midweek.

The England skipper missed last weekend's win over Estonia with the injury and although he was pencilled in to feature in Moscow he broke down in training ahead of the match.

Terry is now set to be sidelined for up to three weeks and he faces a race against time to be fit for England's crucial Euro 2008 qualifier with Croatia.

Cole also faces a battle to make the Croatia tie after suffering an ankle injury in the 3-0 win over Estonia.

The news is a double blow for Avram Grant as it means both players will miss key Premier League and UEFA Champions League games for Chelsea.

Operation

"John Terry had an operation today and will be out for two or three weeks," said Grant.

"John had a problem and tried his best to be available for the national team

but in the last moment of the training, he got injured again.

"He had the operation today and I hope everything will be well. Ashley Cole is

injured as well.

"I want all the players to be fit, especially John Terry. But we have a big

squad and we need to handle this.

"Chelsea are not a one-man team but John is important. But it has happened and we need to play and win games without him."

Grant also backed Frank Lampard to overcome the critics who have made his life uncomfortable while on international duty with England.

Lampard was booed by England fans when he came on as a substitute against Estonia last weekend but Grant has no worries about whether the midfielder will be able to cope with the flak.

Strong character
"Frank is a strong character and he wants to play for England," added Grant.

"I want him to play for England because I think he deserves it.

"Frank has shown in the past he has a strong character. When he gets on the

pitch he gives 100 per cent."

[Mary]

Terry is expected to be sidelined for up to three weeks after breaking down during England training in Moscow on Tuesday, while Chelsea's England left-back Ashley Cole has been ruled out for at least a month with ankle ligament damage.

Chelsea coach Avram Grant said: "John Terry had an operation today and will be out for two or three weeks.

"John had a problem and tried his best to be available for the national team but in the last moment of the training, he got injured again.

"He had the operation today and I hope everything will be well. Ashley Cole is injured as well and he is likely to be out for four weeks."

Terry, who has recently been playing whilst wearing a protective mask after he was caught by an elbow from Fulham's Clint Dempsey two weeks ago, has told England coach Steve McClaren he will do everything in his power to be fit for the Croatia game next month.

Meanwhile, Chelsea have said they expect Didier Drogba to abide by the terms of his contract, which runs until 2010.

Drogba, 29, told France Football magazine that he was determined to leave the club.

However, a Chelsea statement said: "Drogba signed a new four-year contract last year.

"We're sure Didier is committed to Chelsea and intends to honour that contract."

[Mary]

Arsenal striker Eduardo da Silva's 10th goal in qualifying for next year's European Championship gave Croatia a 1-0 win over Israel in Zagreb and kept them firmly on course to reach the finals.

Croatia stay top of Group E and will qualify on Wednesday if England win or draw in Moscow against Russia. If Russia win, Croatia will need one point from their remaining two fixtures in Macedonia and England to be mathematically sure of qualifying.

Eduardo settled the issue in the 52nd minute when he sidefooted home a cross from Manchester City defender Vedran Corluka.

The Czech Republic and Romania, who beat Holland 1-0, both look good bets to make the finals.

A close-range strike by defender Dorin Goian left Romania top of Group G with 23 points – three clear of the Dutch, now likely runners-up. Liverpool's Ryan Babel was dropped from Holland's starting line-up after he overslept on match day for the second time and missed a team meeting.

In the same group, Luxembourg ended a 12-year wait for victory in European or World Cup qualifiers, winning 1-0 in Belarus through Fons Leweck's late header.

Sweden and Spain should go through from Group F, which they lead with 22 points apiece – six more than Northern Ireland. The Swedes won 3-0 in Liechtenstein while Spain, even without injured strikers David Villa and Fernando Torres, were 3-1 winners in Denmark.

Holders Greece opened up a four-point lead in Group C with a 3-2 home win over 10-man Bosnia, who had Mirko Hrgovic sent off for a bad tackle a minute after he levelled at 1-1.

Second-placed Turkey were held to a surprise 1-1 draw in Moldova, which raises the stakes for their meeting with Greece in Istanbul on Wednesday.

Portugal, the Euro 2004 hosts and losing finalists, are in a four-way race in Group A after a 2-0 win in Azerbaijan, who had captain Aslan Kerimov sent off after 29 minutes for elbowing Cristiano Ronaldo.

Poland lead the group on 24 points after Euzebiusz Smolarek scored a 10-minute hat-trick in a 3-1 home win over Kazakhstan. Portugal and Finland have 20 points each, Serbia 17.

[Mary]

David Nalbandian capitalized on an uncommonly error-prone Rafael Nadal and beat the second-ranked Spaniard 6-1, 6-2 Friday to reach the semifinals at the Madrid Masters.

Nadal, playing in his first tournament in five weeks to treat tendinitis in both knees, hit five winners but had 29 unforced errors against Nalbandian.

"It's not an easy match to analyze. It's hard to play worse, which makes it a lot easier to go forward from this," Nadal said. "I didn't go in with a clear enough idea of the match I wanted to play."

It was Nadal's most lopsided loss since Julien Benneteau beat him 6-3, 6-0 in Lyon three years ago.

"I took advantage of all of Rafa's bad shots," Nalbandian said. "I think Rafa never felt comfortable out there."
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The 33rd-ranked Argentine next plays Novak Djokovic, who earlier beat Mario Ancic of Croatia 7-6 (2), 6-2.

Roger Federer defeated Feliciano Lopez 7-6 (4), 6-4 to set up a matchup against 112th-ranked Nicolas Kiefer, who beat the fifth seed, Fernando Gonzalez, 7-6 (5), 6-2.

Lopez hit 28 winners in saving 10 break chances, but the Spanish wild card also committed 34 unforced errors against the top-ranked Federer.

"It would have been nice to break (more), but he served well and I didn't really have a chance," Federer said.

Nadal refused to blame his fatigue after Thursday's 7-6 (5), 6-4 win over Andy Murray.

"I don't want to come up with an excuse; when you lose, you lose. I think the result reflects enough," Nadal said. "It wasn't my day. I never felt good at any point."

Nadal was slow against Nalbandian's groundstrokes and was broken by the third game.

A double fault in the fifth set up another break chance for the Argentine with Nalbandian's forehand clipping the net to skip beyond Nadal for 4-1.

After holding at love, Nalbandian reached Nadal's overhead smash for a crosscourt winner and the set.

Nadal's inactivity appeared to manifest itself when he looped returns out of play or into the net, including on Nalbandian's break point chance in the second game.

It's Nalbandian's first semifinal of 2007.

"I'm feeling great after this match. I'll try to do the same tomorrow," the former Wimbledon finalist said.

Federer remained unbeaten in six meetings with Lopez.

"I created so many chances," Federer said. "Maybe he got a little frustrated midway through the second set and maybe he gave me some easier points. And maybe that kept it from going to a second tiebreraker."

Lopez battled all match to hold his serve, saving five times in the eighth game as they went to deuce eight times. Lopez finally won with an ace.

After missing two set-point chances, Federer just got the back of his racket to the ball to drop it along the inside of the line and out of Lopez's reach for the tiebreaker.

After both players held serve to start the second set, Federer scored the only break in the ninth game, pushing Lopez's volley past him to clinch it with a triple-break advantage. The defending champion won at love to complete the victory.

Djokovic's serve bailed him out of tight spots in the first set, and the third-seeded Serb broke twice in the second to close it out.

Djokovic, the U.S. Open finalist who won Masters titles in Miami and Montreal this year, needed treatment on his left ankle before the second set after hurting it near the end of the tiebreaker.

Gonzalez earned a break in the third game against Kiefer and appeared on course to face Federer in a rematch of last year's final.

Kiefer immediately broke back and both held serve until the tiebreaker, where the German's powerful strokes frustrated Gonzalez into unforced errors.

The Chilean couldn't recover and Kiefer finished off Gonzalez in one hour, 39 minutes.