Football: Gascoigne happy to stay a Roman

PAUL GASCOIGNE, substituted yesterday, is not leaving Lazio, his agent insisted yesterday. Far from being dissatisfied with the England midfielder, as one newspaper report suggested, the Roman club are considering making him captain.

'Paul is quite happy at Lazio and Lazio are quite happy with him,' Mel Stein, his agent, said. 'Lazio are planning to make him their captain. Lazio have not in any shape or form indicated to me that they want me to sell Paul.'

Alan Shearer, Gascoigne's England team-mate, has refused to count himself out of the World Cup qualifier with San Marino at Wembley next month despite having cartilage surgery last week. He said: 'I have spoken to Graham Taylor and asked him not to rule me out yet. There are still three or four weeks to go and I feel there is still time for me to make it.'

Eric Cantona, the Manchester United striker, has failed to shake off a hamstring strain and will miss tonight's important FA Premier League game at Queen's Park Rangers.

Graham Kelly, the Football Association's chief executive, could face a vote of 'no confidence' at a meeting in London today. Torquay United are so incensed over Kelly's recent court appearance, in which he defended Gary Blissett, a Brentford player who had injured John Uzzell, a former Torquay defender, during a match, that they have requested the Devon representative, Dave Henson, to raise the matter at a Football Association Council meeting.