Hitzfeld pulls out of United frame

Bayern Munich's manager, Ottmar Hitzfeld, the man the Old Trafford hierarchy had apparently earmarked to replace Sir Alex Ferguson when he retires at the end of the coming season, has ruled himself out of the running for the post.

Hitzfeld, who is a good friend of Sir Alex, has the perfect credentials to take over at the club after leading both Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich to European Cup success in recent years. But the 52-year-old is contracted to the German champions until 2004 and insists he will not be tempted by the lure of Old Trafford before then.

Hitzfeld, who has won 17 trophies as a manager including three successive Bundesliga titles, said: "I have been aware of speculation this summer that Manchester United are thinking of me as their future manager. It is a great honour but there is no question about this for me. I have a contract with Bayern Munich and I intend to honour it. I have never broken a contract in my career."

The German's announcement follows Arsène Wenger's decision to sign a two-year extension to his existing contract at Arsenal, which was due to expire next in June.

Away from all United's succession speculation, the club's captain has spoken of the positive effect Ferguson's summer signings are already having on the squad. Roy Keane, who was outspoken in his criticism of the side last season, believes the signing of Ruud van Nistelrooy and Juan Sebastian Veron has given the Premiership champions the lift they badly needed.

"I think the edge is back," Keane said. "I asked for that at the end of last season and even in training now there seems to be a bit of a buzz."

The Barcelona president, Joan Gaspart, has played down suggestions that the Spanish club had unduly influenced Uefa's appeals body following their decision to reduce Frank de Boer's one-year suspension after he tested positive for nandrolone, freeing him to play in their Champions' League campaign from 1 September. Holland's most capped player was banned for a year from Uefa-organised games on 14 June while, one month later, Fifa followed suit and imposed a similar ban.

"All that Barcelona have done is support the player, but it is the lawyers who have taken the decision," Gaspart said. "I am very happy; a player of his level deserves this decision. I am also happy for Barcelona because a longer suspension would have been against our interests."

De Boer has admitted that medicine given to him by the club could have been to blame. "In February, Barcelona gave me two or three yellow tablets because my level of white blood cells was low," said the 31-year-old defender. "I am not blaming Barcelona, but this has to be investigated further."

The Argentinian Carlos Marinelli's late strike saved Steve McClaren's blushes as he added to goals from Hamilton Ricard and Alen Boksic to earn Middlesbrough a 3-2 victory over Mansfield. Sunderland's Kevin Phillips and their summer signing Lilian Laslandes scored two goals apiece as Peter Reid's side cruised to a 5-0 victory over Torquay.

The Wimbledon striker David Connolly also got off to a good start with a hat-trick in his side's 7-0 victory away to Northampton, while Kevin Keegan's Maine Road revolution took a backward step with a 1-0 defeat for Manchester City at Tranmere.

The Leicester manager, Peter Taylor, is hopeful of completing the £3m capture of Ipswich's James Scowcroft this week. The striker was in the stands at Carrow Road yesterday as Leicester were held to a 2-2 draw by Norwich.

The Dunfermline manager, Jimmy Calderwood, has signed a two-year extension to his contract which will keep him at East End Park until 2005.