FOOTBALL: Strupar ready to join Smith's Derby struggle

JIM SMITH is close to signing Branko Strupar, the target man he hopes will launch his Derby County career against Leicester City tomorrow.

Derby have agreed a fee of pounds 3m with Genk for Strupar, who scored for Belgium against England in October. The 29-year-old, who was born in Croatia but is a Belgian citizen, must settle personal terms and pass a medical before becoming Derby's joint record signing alongside Craig Burley. Smith, whose side are third from bottom of the Premiership, are confident that Strupar will be registered in time to play in the East Midlands derby at Filbert Street.

Smith missed the last 15 minutes of Saturday's FA Cup defeat at home to Burnley to watch Strupar in action, but the striker was sent of for two yellow cards. "But we've seen him four times," Smith said. "We're desperate for a centre-forward, a target man, and he's the best we've seen in the market place we can work in."

Strupar, who is 6ft 2in, has scored four goals in five internationals for his adopted country, including one in Belgium's 2-1 defeat at the Stadium of Light. He was the Belgian League's top scorer with 22 in 1997- 98 and has knocked in 120 goals in just over five seasons with Genk.

Derby have lost Lee Morris for the rest of the season with a broken foot.

Tomorrow's rivals, Leicester, have suffered a double injury blow. Their England wing-back, Steve Guppy, will be out for four or five weeks after a cartilage operation, while Neil Lennon suffered a hamstring injury during Wednesday's Worthington Cup victory over Leeds and will be out for a month.

Brian Deane has escaped with a one-game suspension, from 10 January, and costs from a Football Association disciplinary commission. The Middlesbrough striker could have been given a three-game ban for a foul on Sunderland's Paul Butler, but the commission took into account his previous "excellent disciplinary record".

Directors of Premiership youth academies are to carry out a review of the rules governing the development of emerging talent in the light of concerns expressed by a number of leading clubs.

Manchester United raised the subject at yesterday's meeting of the 20 Premier League chairmen and received a measure of support, most notably from Aston Villa and Leeds.

At issue are the rules introduced about a year ago which state that young players must live within 90 minutes' travelling time of their academy, which virtually rules out the development of teenaged Irish, Welsh and Scottish talent in England.

United have already indicated their determination to deal with the regulations by offering the prospect of help with a new house and a local school place to talented teenagers and their families from outside their geographic catchment area.

Mark Hughes has been officially named as the Wales manager. The Southampton player's installation as Bobby Gould's successor was confirmed by the FA of Wales at a full council meeting yesterday. The 36-year-old will now start a four-and-a-half-year contract, the first 18 months of which will be part-time as he completes his contract at The Dell.

Gould resigned on the night Wales lost 4-0 in Italy last June, and the specially appointed selection committee which considered his successor initially recommended Terry Venables for the post. That move was blocked by the full council, and since then Hughes has been in temporary control.

Eric Harrison will now be officially confirmed as assistant manager, with Jimmy Shoulder and Mark Bowen running the Under-21s.

The Football Association has agreed ticketing policy with the England Members Club for Euro 2000. Tickets for the group games against Germany, Portugal and Romania will be allocated on an established points system based on the loyalty of members.