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Soccer Shorts

■ ENGLAND

No return for Shearer, yet

Kevin Keegan has revealed that Alan Shearer will not be returning to Newcastle as his No. 2 but insists there could still be a role at St James' Park for the club's greatest goalscorer. Shearer, 37, has had talks with Keegan about joining his staff but the two men have agreed that a managerial partnership would not be viable, Keegan said on Friday. More talks are planned tomorrow. Shearer has long been seen as a future Newcastle manager.



■ FRANCE

Baros in line for return

Czech striker Milan Baros has been lined up for a return to the English Premiership after Lyon confirmed on Friday that they were negotiating a loan deal with Portsmouth. A source said that the 26-year-old Baros will be loaned to the Fratton Park side with a view to making the move permanent. The former Liverpool player has scored seven times for league leaders Lyon during his stay but has struggled to hold down a permanent starting place due to the sensational form of Karim Benzema.



■ ENGLAND

US consortium eyes Rams

English Premier League basement club Derby County are set to become the latest top flight club to be taken over by a US consortium, it was reported on Friday. Derby are expected to formally announce the deal at a news conference tomorrow. But in a statement due to be published in yesterday's matchday program for the FA Cup fourth round clash with Preston, Derby chairman Adam Pearson confirmed that there will be new money coming into the Midlands club. "This new investment will establish the Derby County brand worldwide through successful alliances with sporting teams in the USA, the Far East and Africa," Pearson said.



■ SWITZERLAND

Hitzfeld reveals Swiss role

Ottmar Hitzfeld, who will leave Bayern Munich at the end of the season, confirmed on Friday that he was ready to take over the Swiss national team after Euro 2008. "Representing a country and preparing a team to qualify for the 2010 World Cup would be, for me, the best job to have before retiring," Hitzfeld told yesterday's edition of Suddeutsche Zeitung. "The pressure and expectations in Switzerland would be very important but can be coped with," he said. The Champions League-winning coach told Bayern last month that he did not want to remain with the Munich side once his contract runs out in June. He revealed in the autumn that he had been approached by the Swiss soccer federation to succeed Kobi Kuhn as national team coach after Euro 2008.



■ ENGLAND

King goes to Wigan

Wigan signed Watford striker Marlon King on Friday after the player's protracted move to Premiership strugglers Fulham broke down. King had looked set to move to Craven Cottage from the Championship club, only for reports to emerge claiming he failed a medical and Wigan boss Steve Bruce seized his chance. "I went down [to Fulham], had a long medical and for some reason there was a hitch," he told Sky Sports. "I think the two clubs were trying to renegotiate the fee, it had nothing to do with me, but when I picked up the newspapers I see I had failed a medical! I know my body is 110 percent. I didn't fail a medical. I've been playing for a season and a half now and scoring goals -- nothing has changed.
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