Fifa commend Keegan

Sepp Blatter, the general secretary of Fifa, the governing body of world football, gave his personal backing yesterday to Kevin Keegan's football philosophy. The Newcastle manager has reiterated his faith in the value of attacking football despite the disappointment of Wednesday's 4-3 defeat at Liverpool.

After their fourth defeat in the past six Premiership outings, which left them three points behind Manchester United, Keegan said: "We'll carry on playing this way, or I go."

In a fax to Keegan, Blatter aligned Fifa with the Newcastle manager. Blatter said: "I have been greatly impressed by your remarks regarding your commitment to attacking football, and your comments also about the referee's right to make human errors.

"Please allow me on behalf of Fifa, and of all those who believe in the spirit of fair play, to commend you for the positive attitude you bring to our game with comments such as these."

Blatter added that he believed Keegan's dignified response to defeat in such a crucial game exemplified all that Fifa would want to see, and was a model for the world as a whole.

n The French league agreed yesterday to remove all restrictions on European Union players from next season in the wake of the Bosman case.