FOOTBALL | IN BRIEF
Laws warns of derby destruction
BURNLEY boss Brian Laws has warned his players against letting “all hell break loose” when his team visit former boss Owen Coyle’s new side, Bolton, tonight.
More than 5,000 Clarets fans are expected to make the short trip across Lancashire to let their feelings known over Coyle’s defection earlier this month.
But Laws warned: “We have to be very focused and channel the aggression, the upset and the turmoil in the right way and play our football in the right way.
“The last thing we want to do is channel it in the wrong way and for all hell to break loose.”
Coyle, meanwhile, has strengthened the Bolton squad with the loan signings of Manchester City’s Vladimir Weiss and American midfielder Stuart Holden.
Slovakian Weiss wants first-team football ahead of the World Cup, while Holden, 24, arrives from MLS club Houston Dynamo after a successful trial.
Fresh injury woe for Kirkland
WIGAN goalkeeper Chris Kirkland has suffered yet another injury blow after a training ground accident.
The 28-year-old damaged his collarbone in a collision last week and faces up to three weeks out. Kirkland’s career has been dogged by a recurring back injury but Latics boss Roberto Martinez insisted: “It’s a completely new injury.”
Wolves net Guedioura deal
WOLVES have completed the loan signing of midfielder Adlene Guedioura from Belgian club Charleroi for the rest of the season.
The 24-year-old Frenchman joins Charleroi team-mate Geoffrey Mujangi Bia at Molineux and goes straight into the squad for tonight’s visit of Liverpool.
“Technically, he is very good and has the physical characteristics to be able to cope with the Premier League,” said boss Mick McCarthy.
Pulis eying new James swoop
STOKE boss Tony Pulis will be looking to complete the loan signing of David James this week so the Portsmouth goalkeeper can face his former club Manchester City in the fifth round of the FA Cup.
Talks between the club broke down last week but Pulis has not given up hope of landing the 39-year-old England shot-stopper.
“We are still working on it, it has taken longer than I expected,” he said.
Rovers linked to Ja-cheol move
SOUTH KOREA international Koo Ja-cheol says he has a 50-50 chance of joining Blackburn Rovers.
The 20-year-old Jeju United midfielder claims Blackburn monitored his progress on a training camp with his international team-mates in South Africa and Spain recently.
He said: “I know that negotiations are progressing. I think that it is 50-50.”