Football: Boro deny receiving three bids for Juninho

Middlesbrough's chairman, Steve Gibson ,last night dismissed speculation that Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool have all made bids of over pounds 10m for their Brazilian international Juninho.

Gibson revealed that the only concrete offer the relegated Premiership side have received was from Atletico Madrid, which Boro had rejected.

"Several English clubs have shown interest and some have asked to be kept informed," Gibson said. "I am totally relaxed about the situation. There is still part of me that thinks Juninho will be with us next season.

"Juninho is going nowhere unless we get an offer that meets our valuation. Juninho has a great talent, but I have to look after the interests of the player and the club."

Juninho has said he wants a move to boost his prospects of playing in the World Cup finals next year, but Boro are reported to want pounds 12m for him.

Mick McCarthy can breathe more easily after being given a two-year extension to his contract as manager of the Republic of Ireland, taking him up to the Euro 2000 finals in the Netherlands and Belgium.

McCarthy was given overwhelming support by a Football Association of Ireland board meeting in Athlone, with 19 delegates providing their support, none against and two abstentions. The original deal for McCarthy, who was appointed in February last year as successor to Jack Charlton, was due to expire at the end of the World Cup in France.

The Polish national coach, Antoni Piechniczek, has resigned a week after his side lost 2-0 to England, ending their chances of qualifying for next year's World Cup finals. Deputy coach Krzysztof Pawlak will take over for the time being.

Another coach to go over the weekend was Claudio Ranieri, who has left Fiorentina after a disappointing season in which the club finished ninth in Serie A and therefore failed to win a spot in the Uefa Cup. Reports suggest that Alberto Malesani, the coach of Second Division side Chievo, was likely to take over from Ranieri.

Lothar Matthaus was dropped as the captain of the German champions, Bayern Munich, on Saturday following the newspaper publication of his "Secret Diaries", an insight into the club's turbulent season. The Bayern chairman, Franz Beckenbauer, said that the defender Thomas Helmer would take over as captain.