Blackburn striker Diouf was charged with wounding with intent when he appeared in court in Senegal last Friday. John Williams, Club chairman, was still trying last night to verify the story after the Daily Express told him of the charges.

Diouf, received a three-month suspended prison term when found guilty of a similar charge in 2006, but this time he faces a potential two-year sentence, if the case comes to trial at Dakar’s district court.

Blackburn had given Diouf permission to travel to Senegal to attend a benefit concert for the Haiti earthquake victims, which was personally requested by the president of the country. However, he was charged in relation to an incident alleged to have happened at 6am on June 28, 2009 at the Casino du Cap Vert at coastal Almadies.

On July 2 last year, local woman Khady Sy told police the player had beaten her up in a fight in the casino, with another man Cheik Sadibou Boye – a professional wrestler who heads up Diouf’s security team – also allegedly involved.

Sy had a doctor’s certificate stating she was too badly injured to work for 20 days. Diouf escaped jail after the 2006 incident when he attacked Aicha Ba, ex-wife of his former international and club team-mate Khalilou Fadiga, and pleaded guilty to assault in the UK after being accused of spitting at Celtic fans in 2003.

According to reports Paddy Power could be seriously thinking of leaving Ireland. Chief executive Patrick Kennedy admits he is considering moving operations offshore, if the tax burden in Ireland continues to go up.

Despite high street betting turnover being up, in 2009, Paddy Power reported a 15 per cent decline in pretax profits, despite having nearly a third of Ireland’s sport betting market.

Just a 1% increase in tax on betting turnover would remove €2.5m from the company’s annual operating profits. The group plans to expand further over the next few years, so this is even more of a problem. They plan to employ about 250 more people to keep up with the increasing popularity of online sport betting.

Going offshore could cut their tax problem in half. William Hill did that last year and gained a big advantage over their competitors. Paddy Powers may be forced to move.

“This is a very competitive, cut throat market,” said Kennedy. “The gap between doing well and underperforming is very, very narrow. You can’t take too many structural impediments to your cost base, and that could lead to the tipping point.”

Kennedy stressed that the company was not looking for a reason to leave the country and said that the group retains a “strong commitment” to Ireland.

Today at the Wembley friendly, England and Egypt both wore black armbands in honor for Keith Alexander, Macclesfield manager, who died on Tuesday at the age of 53.

“He was a larger than life character — an honest man, a splendid man and he will be missed by people in all walks of life,” assistant manager Gary Simpson said.

Alexander had brain surgery seven years ago and recently had taken several days off. He collapsed at his home and later died, although the cause of death has not been revealed.

He was involved in football for more than 35 years, first as a player with Grimsby Town, Stockport County and Mansfield Town along with many non-League clubs and played international football for St Lucia.

He then became the first black manager in the Football League when he took over at Lincoln City in 1993 before spells at Peterborough and then Macclesfield.

His 100^th game was coming up next Saturday, Hereford United with the Cheshire club.

There was no apparent problems last night on the way back to Lincoln. Macclesfield midfielder Richard Butcher rode back to Lincoln with Alexander and told Sky Sports News: “He dropped me back at my car at about 11pm last night and he was fine.

“We were chatting and laughing, and I’ve been spending a lot of time travelling with the gaffer recently because we both live in Lincoln.

“For me, I’ve lost not just a manager but a friend. I’m absolutely devastated because he was a top bloke.”

Michael Owen will find out soon how long he will be out with that hamstring injury he suffered during Sunday’s Carling Cup final, but in the meantime, he is enjoying life at Manchester United.

This is the second time this season Owen has been forced out of a game due to injury. Yet that disappointment in itself does not mean Owen regards his move to Old Trafford as a failure.

On the contrary, Owen has no regrets whatsoever. “I am loving it at Manchester United,” he said.

“There are plenty of people who want to put negative spins on things.

“I have four kids, I am living at home and playing for one of the best teams in Europe. It is not all doom and gloom is it?

“We still have the Premier League and the Champions League to play for, which I have never won so I have every reason to have a smile on my face.”

Although the injury may sideline him for a few weeks, Owen expects to get more games once he is back to 100%.

He knows scoring in his first Wembley cup final appearance was a decent reward for a season’s work, but that only brought a third Carling Cup medal. Now he wants a big prize.

“Trophies drive me,” he said.

“I have not won as many as a lot of those players in that dressing room, so if they still have the hunger, I certainly have.

“Gary Neville, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes are where they are because they have a hunger to do well. I would like to think I am still hungry as well.

“I don’t think the manager would accept it if anyone wasn’t hungry to win.”

Wayne Bridge is looking forward to coming face to face with with his former club Chelsea and John Terry.

In a statement released on Thursday he claimed his presence within the England side was “untenable and potentially divisive” and that he no longer wished to be chosen by Fabio Capello.

This comes in the wake of newspaper allegations about a relationship between Vanessa Perroncel, Bridge’s former partner, and Terry. Capello stripped Terry of the England captaincy after the headlines broke.

These two defenders will come up against each other Saturday as City travels to Stamford Bridge in the Barclays Premier League.

Given said, “He is fine, Wayne Bridge is totally fine and he is looking forward to the game on Saturday and hopefully getting a good result for Manchester City, that’s the most important thing. It’s a massive game for everyone at the club.”

When asked if he was surprised by Bridge’s decision to turn his back on England, Given said: “It’s a personal thing for Wayne and a private one and I don’t really want to comment on that situation.”

England is already without captain Rio Ferdinand, due to back injury and left-back Ashley Cole with a broken ankle. Bridge’s decision is just adding salt to the wound.

The process of Portsmouth going into administration has already begun and will be completed in the High Court on Friday morning.

Balram Chainrai, Pompey owner, held talks Thursday evening with some interested groups, but a takeover failed. The club has £70million in debts.

This is the first Premier League club to ever go into administration. They have a nine point penalty which will leave them on just seven points, 16 behind.

The process of cutting costs to try to keep the club viable will be done by the administrator, Andrew Andronikou, of Insolvency Experts UHY Hacker Young. It is expected there will be a major sell-off of players.

Portsmouth manager, Avram Grant, who became the club’s manager in November, said he was “very sad” and “very angry” at the situation. He also stated he had been “more or less” told the club would go into administration and relayed that his experience at Pompey had been one of constant frustration.

He reported to Sky Sports News: “I feel very sad, very angry, but I want to understand more (about) the situation before I tell you my opinion. Of course, you can imagine. We did a football job here. Every step we couldn’t do our job. Now I’m very sad for me of course and for everybody.”

The highlight of the Champions League today are Inter Milan v Chelsea and the Champions League betting odds suggest Chelsea are streets ahead of Inter Milan. Chelsea is the second favourite to win the Champions League at 9/2 with Bet365, and they offer up to £200 in free bets to new customers. Inter Milan is miles behind at 14/1 with Boylesports and 888Sport.15 with Bet 365 and SkyBet. Or, if you think Inter Milan will knock Chelsea out you can get 13/8 with Boylesports.

Inter Milan is the slight favourite to win in the first leg in Italy. Inter is rated 7/4 with Totesport and that is the top price, while Chelsea has a top price of 15/8 with William Hill and Coral. It would be no surprise to have a draw in the first leg and that is 21/10 with Bet365 and Paddy Power. You can also bet on which team qualifies and Chelsea would be a great bet in that market at 8/15 with Bet365 and SkyBet. Or, if you think Inter Milan will knock Chelsea out you can get 13/8 with Boylesports.

Didier Drogba looks to be the most likely player to score first for Chelsea at 13/2 with Coral. If Inter were to score first, it would most likely be Samuel Etoo who is 13/2 with 888Sport.

The odds of England hosting the 2018 World cup after David Dein was given the job as President of England’s World Cup bid have been cut by William Hill. England has been the favourite to host the World Cup finals, but William Hill has shortened the price further.

England can currently be backed at 5/4 (from 6/4) with William Hill to host the World Cup and it seems England are in pole position to do so, despite many recent controversies involving the England players. It has been 44 years since England won the World Cup and the hosts have a good record in the competition so hosting the World Cup is definitely England’s best chance of winning it. William Hills offer 20/1 that England not only host the 2018 World Cup but also win it. Considering England are 5/4 with William Hill to host the 2018 World Cup the 20/1 on them winning it too looks absolutely massive.

If England were to miss out on hosting the World Cup, it is likely it will go to Australia as they are 5/2 with William Hill to make it three southern hemisphere World Cuups in a row, after South Africa and Brazil. The next best hope for Europe hosting the 2018 World Cup would be a joint bid from Spain and Portugal.

England Six Nations Betting Odds make a Grand Slam still look unlikely, but we will know more after England plays Ireland on Saturday if they do have what it takes to win the Six Nations and also the Grand Slam.

England Likely To Beat Ireland

England are still favourites to beat Ireland, despite not having shown much so far. England can be backed at evens with Sportingbet, a standout price against Ireland, whilst the Irish are 11/10 with Stan James and Blue Square. A win for England would keep them on track for the Grand Slam and they are rated at 9/1 with Sportingbet to complete that Grand Slam, it looks a good price considering they are 7/1 with most bookies. If you want to bet on England to win the Six Nations, Grand Slam or no Grand Slam, you can get 11/2 with Sportingbet.

France Odds On To Win The Grand Slam

France remain the favourites to win the Six Nations, they are just 2/5 with William Hill and even shorter elsewhere. They are also odds on for the Grand Slam, they can be backed at 5/6 with Blue Square, Coral and William Hill and that doesn’t look a bad price. Alternatively you could back no Grand Slam at 6/4 with Bet365, who offer up to £200 in free bets to new customers. If you fancy Ireland to win the Six Nations they will have to beat England, Ireland are 10/1 with Stan James to win the Six Nations, ahead of Wales who are 20/1 with Paddy Power. For more Six Nations Betting Odds click on any of the bookie links above.

Even though recent news has suggested that highly paid premier league players are likely to be receiving even higher sums of money from clubs in the future, Premier League up and comer Matthew Etherington has admitted that a large amount of money he has earned has been lost on gambling.

Etherington talked to the Mail on Sunday last week, admitting that both his career and personal life has been at breaking point due to debts of over £800,000. Etherington’s comments reveal some of the hidden gambling culture divulged in by some of England’s best paid sports professionals.

Etherington spent most of his money gambling on horse racing and greyhounds, but also lost a neat £20,000 in card schools last year.

“It was silly but there was a lot of us doing that. It can’t be good. Any normal human being, if you are losing a lot of money, you are not going to be happy and you are going to resent the person taking it off you. It couldn’t have been good for team morale. I wasn’t as focused on my football as I should have been.

With an alcoholic or drug addict you can look at them and tell, “You are not well” but with a gambler you can’t tell. Most people didn’t have a clue about the sums and the debt I was in.”

After breaking down to his family in September, Etherington spent a week at the sporting Chance centre a month later. Although Etherington has learned to manage his addiction the overall problem with excessive gambling amongst Premier League footballers is increasing, not decreasing.

Chairman of the Sporting Chance organisation, Peter Kay said:

“The sums we are seeing now with big gamblers are increasing. The problem gamblers are uniform through the leagues, but Premier League players have access to greater credit.”