Second Murali in the making?

Colombo: Sri Lankan cricket officials have their eyes on a 17-year-old schoolboy who has the potential to become another spin wizard, a la Muttiah Muralidharan.

Sameera Ranatunga, who hails from the same Kandy region where Muralidharan grew up, was being groomed by his school coach to follow in the footsteps of the world’s top Test wicket-taker, according to report in a local newspaper. “The young off-spinner is showing much promise and turns the ball as much as Muttiah Muralidharan does by following a similar action,” the report said.

Ranatunga, no relation of 1996 World Cup-winning captain Arjuna’s, is being guided by the same coach who spotted Muralidharan’s talent as a schoolboy in Kandy.

Santini to coach Spurs

London: France coach Jacques Santini will take over as head coach of English Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur after Euro 2004, the club announced on Thursday. “I am an ambitious man and it has always been a dream of mine to coach a big English club in the most exciting league in the world,” he said. Tottenham, without a manager since Glenn Hoddle was sacked in September, finished 14th in the 20-team Premier League.

France have lost only one of their 23 matches after the 53-year-old Santini was appointed national coach in July 2002.

Ballack set for Barcelona

Berlin: Bayern Munich playmaker Michael Ballack was set to meet Barcelona president Joan Laporta and his deputy Sandro Rosell in Zurich next Monday to finalise a move to Spain. The Bild said Ballack, training with Germany’s Euro 2004 squad, had been given permission by the German federation to make the trip after Sunday’s warm-up against Hungary. Barcelona, who were reported to have made a 15 million euro bid, were also chasing Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Bernd Schneider.

Queiroz sure of United return

Lisbon: Sacked Real Madrid coach Carlos Queiroz has confirmed he will to return to English Premiership side Manchester United as manager Sir Alex Ferguson’s assistant. And he has his sights set on becoming the future Old Trafford boss. Ferguson’s contract runs out in June 2006.

Queiroz, who was sacked after a disappointing first season as Real coach said he is set to put pen to paper. “It’s practically a done deal. There are just some legal details to sort out,” Queiroz told the A Bola.

Mourinho threats

Lisbon: New Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho says he walked away from Porto’s Champions League celebrations last month because he had been threatened.

Mourinho was criticised in Portugal for not joining his players after their win over Monaco at Gelsenkirchen. He pulled off his winner’s medal and strode into the tunnel to find his young children. “These serious threats, which targeted my family, caused me to change my behaviour,” he said.

He said he was forced to call on “professionals” after the death-threats on the eve of the match.

Hungarian dies on pitch

Budapest: A Hungarian soccer player collapsed and died on the pitch during a training session, Hungarian website Nemzetisport reported on Thursday.

The cause of death of 26-year-old Istvan Szabo was not known. Szabo, from third division village team Uraiujfalu, is the second Hungarian footballer, after Miklos Feher to die on the pitch this year.

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