Football: Brentford put faith in Webb

DAVE WEBB, who was discarded by one west London club last week, was installed as manager of another yesterday, the 47-year-old East Ender moving the six miles from Chelsea to Brentford.

Phil Holder, the previous incumbent at Griffin Park, paid the price for the Bees' fall from the First Division the same day as Webb was clearing his desk at Stamford Bridge. After he had revived Chelsea's spirits and fortunes, many were surprised by Webb's sudden departure and Brentford wasted little time in securing his enthusiastically applied services.

'I like my teams to play open football. If the team is not capable I shall have to shift a few players around, but I will have to work within a budget,' Webb said. His No 2 is Kevin Lock, a former colleague at Southend.

Speculation was flowing south of the Thames about the future of Steve Coppell in the wake of Crystal Palace's relegation from the Premier League. Responding to rumours that Coppell's nine-year tenure at Selhurst Park was about to end, the club chairman, Ron Noades, said: 'There is no question of us firing Steve Coppell. If he still wants the job he can carry on - just as long as he enjoys it.'

Gordon Strachan's capacity to continue his 18-year playing career was placed in doubt yesterday. Doctors took a scan of Strachan's back to discover the seriousness of his inflamed sciatic nerve, a condition that almost forced the Leeds United midfielder into retirement last year.

'Gordon has a very difficult decision to make about his future,' Howard Wilkinson, the Leeds manager, said of the 36-year-old whose contract at Elland Road expires this summer. 'He is having a scan today and looking for confirmation that the injury is not as serious as last time.' Strachan will hear the specialists' verdict today.

The excellent reflexes of both England goalkeepers at Wembley have disrupted Graham Taylor's plans for the World Cup qualifiers in Poland and Norway. Chris Woods, of Sheffield Wednesday, and Arsenal's David Seaman made important saves in Saturday's laboured FA Cup final, so ensuring the necessity of a replay on Thursday evening when both keepers, along with six other finalists, were supposed to be reporting for national service. Taylor has postponed the rendezvous until Friday.

Roland Nilsson, Wednesday's Swedish right-back, will represent his country against Austria in Stockholm tomorrow before flying back for the replay, a private jet setting Hillsborough's paymasters back pounds 8,000.

Sunil Gulati, the chairman of US Cup '93, said yesterday that he was working with Fifa and the Italian authorities to convince Lazio to allow Paul Gascoigne to play for England in next month's tournament. Lazio have refused to release him for the friendly series. 'We are working with Fifa and the Italian Federation to try to seek the services of Mr Gascoigne with the English national team for part of the tournament,' Gulati said.