Football

Fabrizio Ravanelli, Middlesbrough's Italian international striker, had a scan yesterday to establish the extent of the hamstring injury he suffered on Monday at Manchester United. Bryan Robson, Middlesbrough's manager, said the injury was not as serious as first feared and that Ravanelli may still be able to play in the FA Cup final against Chelsea on Saturday week. "It's not snapped," Robson said. "It's not as bad as we first thought."

Hereford United, who were relegated from the Third Division last weekend, have persuaded Graham Turner, the club's director of football, to withdraw his offer to resign.

Shrewsbury Town have dismissed their manager, Fred Davies, following the club's relegation to the Third Division.

Mick Jones, Plymouth Argyle's caretaker manager since the sacking of Neil Warnock in February, has been given the job on a permanent basis. Jones, who has managed Mansfield, Halifax and Peterborough in the past, has signed a two-year contract at Home Park.

The Argentinian Cesar Luis Menotti is expected to join Sampdoria as soon as the Italian League season ends next month. Sven Goran Eriksson, of Sweden, is leaving the Genoa-based club to move to Lazio.

Zdenek Zeman, the Czech coach who was sacked earlier this year by Lazio, the Italian Serie A side, is to coach their city rivals, Roma, next season.

The Sporting Lisbon striker Ricardo Sa Pinto has been banned from the national squad until the end of the 1998 World Cup for assaulting the national team coach, Artur Jorge.