Ireland's Given retires from international football

Ireland goalkeeper Shay Given is retiring from international football after winning a record 125 caps for his country.

"After a lot of thought and consideration, I have made the most difficult decision to retire from international football," the Aston Villa player said on his personal Twitter account.

"It's been a great honour and privilege to play and on occasion captain the team," added the 36-year-old. "I wish to thank all the players, managers, staff and most importantly the most wonderful fans in the world."

The news was confirmed by the Football Association of Irelandm, who explained that Given had informed Irish coach Giovanni Trapattoni of his decision.

The Italian paid tribute to the player's 16-year international career, saying: "I understand the difficult decision that Shay had to make, and appreciate all of his efforts during his international career.

"He is a strong player, with a great character and his love of playing for his country always shone through.

"It has been a pleasure to work with him during my time with the team. I wish him the very best in his future."

According to the FAI, Given has informed the FAI that he would "happily return to assist with goalkeeping duties" should there ever be any squad emergency.

McCoist looking at duo

Ally McCoist has taken Brazilian midfielder Andre Moritz and former France under-20 defender Sebastien Faure on trial as Rangers announced they had paid off money owed to Scottish clubs.

Both players trained at Murray Park on Monday morning, with Rangers saying left-sided Moritz, who has an Italian passport, would not need a work permit and would come as a free agent.

The 26-year-old has spent five years in Turkish football with Kasimpasa, Kayserispor and Mersin Idmanyurd. Faure, 21, was released by Lyon at the end of last season and had a trial spell at Leeds last month. He has returned to Murray Park after training with Rangers last week.

McCoist is looking to add to the five players he has signed since the Rangers newco were handed the Ibrox club's Scottish Football Association membership, before a 12-month transfer embargo kicks in on September 1.

One of the conditions of the membership was that the new company paid off the original club's football debts of about £3million, a third of which was owed to Scottish rivals.

Hearts were owed £800,000 when Rangers were consigned to liquidation, while Celtic, Dundee United and Inverness were among the other creditors. Hearts were due £500,000 this summer and the rest of the transfer money for Lee Wallace in a year's time.

The club has said that they would pay Hearts the final payment when it is due in July next year. Chief executive Charles Green said in a statement: "As of now, Rangers do not owe other Scottish clubs a penny. These debts were incurred prior to the club going into administration and there was no obligation on the consortium buying the club to pick them up.

"From the outset, I have made it clear that I firmly believe the correct thing for the club to do is settle these football debts as a priority and we kept our word. That is what we have done and substantial funds were lodged with the SFA 10 days ago to be discharged to settle the outstanding debts.

"Furthermore, the club was given a written commitment from the SPL in May that it would settle an outstanding debt to Dundee Utd.

"It was frustrating to be informed by the SFA several days after they received the funds that they did not wish to be a 'clearing house' and in fact wanted us to settle the debts directly. Arrangements were then put in place by the club."

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Special One Mourinho now wants to be the Only One

LISBON (Reuters) - Real Madrid's Jose Mourinho said that he should be labelled the "Only One" instead of the 'Special One', after becoming the only coach to win the top three leagues in European football.

Mourinho has won titles in Spain (once, with Real Madrid), Italy (twice, with Inter Milan) and England (twice, with Chelsea), as well as in his native Portugal (twice, with Porto).

"Like me or not, I am the only one who won the world's three most important leagues. So, maybe instead of the 'Special One', people should start calling me the 'Only One'," Mourinho said in an interview with Portuguese television channel SIC.

Mourinho, 49, was nicknamed the 'Special One' by the English press after referring to himself as just that, during a news conference following his arrival at Chelsea from Porto in 2004.

In an interview televised on Monday he explained that, as his career has progressed, he has become less selfish and less focused on his individual goals.

"Things have been going well for me, thank God. I am focused on others much more these days. The pleasure of winning with Inter Milan was seeing a club which had not won for 50 years winning again.

"That is what entices me more and more, instead of pursuing individual goals."

Real Madrid kick off their 2012-13 campaign against Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup on August 23.

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Liverpool ease into Europa League play-offs

Liverpool booked their spot in the Europa League play-off round thanks to a Luis Suarez-inspired 3-0 victory in the second leg of their qualifier against FK Gomel at Anfield.

Suarez, who was sensational throughout the first half, set-up Fabio Borini and Steven Gerrard to put the result beyond doubt by the break; the skipper netting his 150th Liverpool goal in the process.

 Glen Johnson completed the scoring with a volleyed third from outside the box with 20 minutes remaining as a much-improved side that featured Pepe Reina and Lucas in the starting line-up, completed the task with efficiency to run out as 4-0 aggregate winners over their Belarusian opponents.

Liverpool were in the ascendency from the outset; the return of Suarez from Olympic duties with Uruguay adding a dimension that was missing from their trip to Belarus.

The striker, who announced earlier in the day that he would sign a new deal with the Anfield side, was cheered every time he touched the ball, and seemed to use the affection given by the crowd to boost his performance.

Switching between the left and right flanks, he was simply impossible to deal with and fed off the excellent service provided by both Gerrard and Borini to go test Gomel goalkeeper Vladimir Bushma four times inside the first 40 minutes.

And yet it was Suarez who turned provider when the goals were to be had. First he picked up a low pass inside the opposition box, used his skill to skip past his marker and saw his deflected cross fall to the feet of Borini, who scored his first Liverpool goal by volleying the loose ball under Bushma.

Then, after some wonderful build-up play from Jonjo Shelvey and Johnson, he nicked past his man again, drew Bushma off his line and then calmly pulled the ball across the face of goal to leave Gerrard with a six-yard tap-in that the England captain simply couldn’t miss.

Gomel, and in particular their Russian striker Aleksandr Alumona, had looked a threat during the first leg of this third round qualifying encounter, but with Lucas and Shelvey proving excellent where Jordan Henderson and Jay Spearing had been lacklustre a week earlier, the visitors barely got a look-in.

A more concerted effort to close off Liverpool’s attacks in the second half did at least keep the scoreline bearable, but in truth, the home side were worth far more than their three goals; the last of which came when Johnson’s volleyed effort from outside the box took a slight deflection off the back of Sergei Matveychik.

Brendan Rodgers, who oversaw a win on his first game in charge at Anfield, will see his side face more difficult opponents in the coming weeks, but the signs were encouraging. And with Swansea midfielder Joe Allen present in the stands to watch the victory ahead of a potential £10million transfer, there is every reason for the new boss to be optimistic of the season ahead.

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US win women's football gold number three at Olympics

Two goals from midfielder Carli Lloyd, a header after eight minutes and a rasping left-foot shot from the edge of the box in the 54th, set the U.S. on their way to a fourth Olympic gold from the five women's tournaments played.

Japan, who beat the U.S. in last year's World Cup final, halved the deficit after 63 minutes when the U.S. failed to clear their lines, and Yuki Ogimi scored from close range. Japan dominated from then on but could not find an equaliser.

The official attendance of 80,203 was a record for a women's match at an Olympics and was the biggest crowd to watch a women's soccer match in Britain.

Canada clinched the bronze medal when a goal seconds from the end of time added on gave them a 1-0 win over France in Coventry.

With extra time looking inevitable and 92 minutes on the clock, midfielder Diana Matheson pounced on a loose ball that bounced off a defender's thigh to break French hearts after they had dominated the second half but wasted chance after chance.

On Monday, Canada were devastated when they lost 4-3 in the semi-final to the United States, whose winning goal came in the third minute of added time at the end of extra time.

On this occasion it was the French women who were left stunned and in despair after losing a game they should have won convincingly.

France hit the post, had a shot cleared off the line and enjoyed most of the possesion, but Gaetane Thiney, Camille Abily, Eugenie Le Sommer and Louisa Necib were all guilty of missing chances that looked easier to score.

To their credit, Canada defended well even if the defending was frantic and frenzied at times but with extra time looming, they counter-attacked swiftly and scored after France failed to deal with the break.

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Notts County midfielder Alan Judge has turned down the offer of a new contract at the League One club.

Judge insists he is happy at Notts and is not trying to force a move away from Meadow Lane but the 23-year-old feels he deserves a better deal and is now waiting to see if the Magpies make him an improved offer.

"It's just the way negotiations go," Judge, who has a year remaining on his current contract, told the Nottingham Evening Post.

"I wouldn't say to any of the fans to panic because I'm sure I'll be here for the season. I'm very happy here and it's not about me wanting to leave or anything like that.

"They might come back with a new offer, they might not. We will just have to wait and see. I have just got to sit tight and wait and see what happens. The ball is in their court now.

"I'm very confident I will be here for this season anyway."

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Jess joins Posh

Former Scotland midfielder Eoin Jess has joined Peterborough as first-team coach.

Jess, who had two spells with Aberdeen during his playing career but also spent time in English football with Coventry, Bradford, Nottingham Forest and Northampton, as well as winning 18 internationals caps, has agreed a three-year deal at London Road.

The 41-year-old replaces Mark Robson, who left the npower Championship club in June to become Barnet's head coach.

"I have been very patient and quite meticulous in getting the right one in. After doing my research on him, it became apparent that his philosophies are exactly the same as ours and that was the most important thing," boss Darren Ferguson told the club's official website.

Gavin Strachan, son of former Coventry, Southampton, Celtic and Middlesbrough manager Gordon, had been working as acting first-team coach but will now revert to his normal role of youth team manager.

Ferguson added: "It is no slight on Gavin Strachan, in fact it is a compliment to him that I want him to remain with the youth team because I see that as a such an important role in getting players through."

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