Football: Adams rejects Forest job talk

MICKY ADAMS has ruled himself out of the running for the manager's job at Nottingham Forest. The former Brentford and Swansea manager was placed in caretaker charge at the City Ground following the dismissal of Dave Bassett. Ron Atkinson is the favourite for the post in the long term - but Forest's England midfielder Steve Stone has urged the club's board to consider Adams.

Adams insisted yesterday he is not interested in the position permanently. "I don't want the job and I won't be applying for it," he said. "It's flattering of Steve to suggest I should be considered but I'm just keeping the seat warm for whoever takes over."

However, Stone backed Adams by saying: "I think he should be given the job until the end of the season. He's a good motivator, a good coach and he has the respect of everybody in the dressing room."

Wolves have denied reports they were set to make a move for Bassett. The club had been linked with him late last year, while he was still in charge at the City Ground, before they appointed Colin Lee in succession to Mark McGhee.

John Richards, Wolves' managing director, said: "These stories are untrue. There has been no contact between ourselves and Dave Bassett, nor is there any planned. Colin Lee was offered and accepted the post of team manager at Wolves until the end of the season."

Wolves hope to complete the purchase of the Norwegian international striker, Havard Flo, from the German Bundesliga club Werder Bremen for pounds 700,000 today. Benfica's Swedish forward, Martin Pringle, is expected to join Charlton on loan today.

Robbie Fowler and his club, Liverpool, have insisted they are still in negotiations over a new contract despite reports claiming he had rejected a deal worth pounds 35,000 a week.

Bolton have completed the pounds 800,000 transfer of the utility player Paul Warhurst from Crystal Palace, while the Dutch left-winger Willem Korsten has finalised his move from Vitesse Arnhem to Leeds on loan for the rest of the season.

The Inland Revenue has issued a High Court winding-up order claiming unpaid tax of pounds 435,000 from the struggling First Division club, Portsmouth.

Paolo Di Canio's future will today come under discussion by the Sheffield Wednesday board. Di Canio's threat to reveal details of a letter containing his grievances against the club unless officials meet with him in Italy, has added to the resentment between the player and the club. The chairman, Dave Richards, and his directors are likely to consider transfer-listing Di Canio, although any fee offered would be at a fraction of the pounds 4.5m club-record paid to Celtic in the summer of last year. With Wednesday holding his registration, Di Canio under contract for another two-and- a-half years to the club, could be subjected to a worldwide ban by the club.

Middlesbrough hope their former Internazionale striker Marco Branca will return to the club soon after months of speculation over a career-threatening knee injury.

Dietmar Hamann, the Newcastle United midfielder, wants to quit the club. He was signed from Bayern Munich in the summer for pounds 5.25m by then Newcastle boss Kenny Dalglish but is unhappy at the way he has been used by Ruud Gullit.

Marbella's mayor Jesus Gil was jailed on yesterday on suspicion of diverting town hall money to Atletico Madrid, the Spanish football club he owns.