Every morning, TheScore.ie brings you the sport stories you need to know with your morning coffee.
1. #PAY CUT After the announcement yesterday of a dozen redundancies and wage cuts by the FAI, Ireland boss Giovanni Trapattoni is likely to take a voluntary pay cut, according to the Irish Examiner.
Trap meanwhile – who may be in Dublin on Tuesday to sort the wage issue – says he would listen to any call from Stephen Ireland – after yesterday’s intriguing tweet.
Senior refs, meanwhile, are preparing an angry reply to the Association’s axing of their chief Pat Kelly, according the Star.
2. #YOUNG GUNN The front page of this morning’s Irish Sun screams that ‘Arsene Wenger’s mistress’ is pregnant. The 39-year-old French rapper Sonia Tater says she has received death threats over the affair.
3. #FRIENDS REUNITED Declan Kidney will name his side to face Argentina this lunchtime with the Pumas scheduled to reveal their starters today too.
Former Leinster man Felipe Contepomi meanwhile says that old pals Brian O’Driscoll and Gordon Darcy ‘scare him’, reports the Irish Mirror. The pair are expected to be named in the first XV.
Munster assistant coach, meanwhile, Jason Holland says that Keith Earls deserves a shot at No 13 – instead of BOD.
4. COMING TO AMERICA Robbie Keane is being lined up to move to the US in January. The Irish Sun says that the unsettled Ireland captain will leave Spurs when the transfer window opens with Vancouver Whitecaps, Portland Timbers and the New England Revolution all apparently interested in the Dubliner.
5. DUBAI Another mid-round stutter dealt further blows today to Graeme McDowell’s hopes of winning the European Tour money list this weekend. Keep up here.
6 #AFL SWITCH The Irish Independent reports that Cork are to lose another rising GAA star. Footballer Ciaran Sheehan will move to Carlton Blues for pre-season training next October and start his AFL career with them in the 2012 season.
7. #SORRY! Wayne Rooney has at last apologised to Manchester United fans for essentially holding the club for ransom. It wasn’t exactly grovelling though: “I feel like I have already apologised to the fans, but everyone keeps saying that i haven’t.”
8. #SAD Aiteen Thirtythree was gifted the Grade Two GPG Novices’ Chase at Newbury yesterday after the well-regarded Tell Massini suffered a fatal injury at the fifth-last.
9. YOU’RE FIRED Cluj manager Sorin Cartu was sacked yesterday after smashing up the visiting team dugout during the UEFA Champions League clash at Basel. I know how he feels.
