Rooney’s agent given 18-month ban

Wayne Rooney’s agent Paul Stretford has been fined £300,000 and banned for 18 months in the wake of charges brought by the Football Association.

The charges relate to how Stretford acquired the right to represent Rooney and making false and/or misleading statements to police and in court.

Stretford described the verdict of the independent commission as “a travesty” and has already said he will appeal.

The ban will not come into force until after any appeal has been heard.

The second nine months of the suspension will not be invoked if Stretford is found to have not broken any other regulations.

The commission ruled as “proved” seven of nine charges brought by the FA against Stretford for breaches of the Fifa players’ agent regulations.

The charges included failing to protect Rooney’s interests and failing to respect the rights of third parties when he came to represent the Manchester United and England star.

An FA statement read: “The commission found that Mr Stretford encouraged Mr Rooney and his parents to enter into a representation agreement with Proactive Sports Management Limited on 17 July 2002 although he knew Mr Rooney was still then under contract with Pro-Form Sports Management Limited.”

Villa complete Sidwell transfer

Aston Villa have made their first signing of the summer after Chelsea midfielder Steve Sidwell finalised his £5m move and signed a three-year deal.

The 25-year-old passed a medical on Thursday and is now expected to join Villa’s pre-season tour of Switzerland.

“I am over the moon,” Sidwell told the club’s website. “It’s taken a while but I’m looking forward to meeting my new team-mates and playing football.

“I’ve had a year of not playing much so to get on the pitch is my first aim.”

Sidwell failed to establish himself at Stamford Bridge after moving from Reading on a free transfer last summer.

He is the likely replacement for Gareth Barry when the Villa captain finally completes his move to Liverpool.

Sidwell was part of the Arsenal side that won the FA Youth Cup in 2000 and 2001 and had loan spells with Brentford and Brighton.

Blatter irks Man Utd over Ronaldo

Manchester United have disputed Fifa president Sepp Blatter’s suggestion that winger Cristiano Ronaldo should be allowed to leave the club if he wants.

Ronaldo, 23, has been heavily linked with Real Madrid and said it would be a “dream” to play for the Spanish side.

Blatter insists players should be free to play where they want, comparing transfer trends to “modern slavery”.

But a United spokesman said: “All our players enter into their contracts after an open and free negotiation.”

And the statement continued: “Most of whom do after taking advice from a Fifa-registered agent.

“Many do so on a number of occasions and enjoy long and successful stays at Old Trafford.”

Portugal international Ronaldo, who scored 42 goals as United won the Premier League title and Champions League last season, has a deal until 2012 and the club have repeatedly said he is not for sale.

But Blatter told Sky News: “I’m always in favour of protecting the player and if the player wants to leave let him leave.

“If the player wants to play somewhere else, then a solution should be found because if he stays in a club where he does not feel comfortable to play then it’s not good for the player and for the club.

“I think in football there’s too much modern slavery in transferring players or buying players here and there, and putting them somewhere.

“We are trying now to intervene in such cases. The reaction to the Bosman law is to make long-lasting contracts in order to keep the players and then if he wants to leave, then there is only one solution, he has to pay his contract.”

Real president Ramon Calderon is keen to sign Ronaldo and last week he said that the player will be the one who ultimately decides where he plays next season.

source:bbcsports