FA hopeful of agreeing Wembley rescue deal

The Football Association is to make an announcement on Wembley this Friday and there are real hopes that a financial deal will then be in place to save the national stadium project.

Talks with a German bank about financing the scheme are understood to be close to completion, meaning the biggest obstacle to the Wembley plan has been overcome.

The FA had been given until today to come up with a financial package for the £715m project, but, with local elections taking place tomorrow, the Government is not able to make any major statement until they are over.

The FA and its subsidiary company, Wembley National Stadium Ltd, still have to make sure the final plans comply with conditions drawn up by the Government, and ministers will not make a statement before next week at the earliest. The main hurdle, however, is in securing finance, and the talks with West Deutsche Landesbank, known as West LB, have progressed to the stage where the bank's board are understood to have approved the deal. The FA is seeking a loan of hundreds of millions of pounds towards the stadium.

Sven Goran Eriksson is to meet England's World Cup referee Graham Poll this week to discuss ways in which his players can avoid red cards and suspensions at the tournament.

The England manager will be informed of how Fifa is considering the introduction of video evidence this summer as part of its intended clampdown on diving.

Peter Taylor, who resigned as Brighton's manager on Monday, landed another job yesterday, albeit in a temporary capacity. The former England Under-21 coach will act as a summariser for Channel 5 during its coverage of this month's European Under-21 Championship.

Kelham O'Hanlon is ready to team up with the former Scotland manager, Craig Brown, in the new managerial team at Preston North End. The former caretaker has opted to stay at Deepdale despite being overlooked for the main job when Brown was appointed.

O'Hanlon was also linked with a move to Everton to join David Moyes' backroom staff, but his loyalty to Preston has swayed the decision. Brown may still need new appointments, as Moyes is tipped to raid the club for more of his old team during the summer.

The Wimbledon goalkeeping coach, Stuart Murdoch, will take charge of the First Division club until a replacement for Terry Burton is found. Burton was sacked last week, and Murdoch will take temporary charge of affairs.

He said: "I had an interesting meeting with the chairman and I'm in temporary charge until such time as they appoint a new manager. They have nobody lined up and they will wait until the play-offs have ended before making an appointment.

"It will be difficult without Terry because we will be expecting to see him coming round the corner all the time."