Football: Ratcliffe tipped for Wales job

KEVIN RATCLIFFE has emerged as the clear favourite to succeed Bobby Gould as the Wales manager. The Football Association of Wales' influential Football Committee meets today in the mid-Wales town of Caersws. Top of the list for discussion will be a replacement for Gould, who resigned as national manager a fortnight ago in Italy.

It is expected that a shortlist of candidates will be drawn up with Ratcliffe, the Chester City manager, the front-runner. The list will be put to a full FAW council meeting in Cardiff next Thursday.

Ratcliffe has made contact with FAW officials and has publicly expressed an interest in the job. Neville Southall and Mark Hughes were put in charge for the 2-0 Euro 2000 qualifying defeat by Denmark at Anfield last week, but lack managerial experience.

Uefa, European football's governing body, yesterday fined the Football Association of Ireland 50,000 Swiss francs (pounds 20,000) following the postponement of the Euro 2000 qualifying match between the Republic of Ireland and Yugoslavia earlier this month.