"We are delighted to be able to nominate two such excellent stadiums," said FA chairman Geoff Thompson, adding that documents for the bids were due to arrive at UEFA's headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland on Friday.

"English football now offers some of the best in the world and we believe that Wembley and the City of Manchester Stadium would be wonderful host venues for UEFA's competitions."

The new 90,000-capacity Wembley is scheduled to open for the 2006 FA Cup final, while Manchester City's 48,000-seater stadium successfully hosted the 2002 Commonwealth Games before the club moved in.

England has not hosted the UEFA Cup final since it became a one-off event in 1997/98 but Old Trafford hosted the UEFA Champions League final between AC Milan and Juventus in 2003.

The old Wembley Stadium staged the 1992 European Cup final between Barcelona and Sampdoria.

HOULLIER IN RACE FOR WALES JOBAFP, London
Former Liverpool and France coach Gerard Houllier and Fulham manager Chris Coleman have stepped into the frame for the job of Wales coach following Mark Hughes departure for Blackburn Rovers.

Players' favourite Gary Speed, who retired from international football after Wednesday's 3-2 home defeat to Poland, could lose out because his club Bolton have demanded 750,000 pounds in compensation for the midfielder.

And former Welsh boss John Toshack is unwanted by the players.

Houllier's experience and expertise at setting up programmes to develop youth talent, which he showed in France, was believed to have tilted the balance in his favour.

The players' choice would be a combination of captain Speed and former Swansea and Wrexham manager Brian Flynn.

However, Speed's chances of getting involved with Wales' managerial set-up may be hampered by his club manager Sam Allardyce, who sees the midfielder as a crucial part of his plans at Bolton.

Speed is under contract at Bolton until 2006 and Wanderers are in no mood to let their midfield star go unless there is a fee.

But the Daily Mail reports that Fulham boss Coleman, Swansea-born and capped 32 times, is also interested in the job.

MALAYSIA OUTLAWS LEGAL BETTING
Reuters, Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia has rejected a bid to run a legal betting service for English Premier League soccer matches, with officials saying there was already enough gambling in the mostly-Muslim country, local media said on Saturday.

The government had last year approved in principle a bid by Ascot Sports Sdn Bhd to collect bets from Malaysians who, media reports say, bet over one billion dollars a year on the English League and other international soccer matches through illegal bookies.

But mainstream newspapers said on Saturday the deal was off and there will be no licence for Ascot -- a firm owned by local tycoon Vincent Tan who runs a property, resorts and betting empire through the Berjaya Group Bhd.

There are no legal bookmakers inn Malaysia. But the Southeast Asian nation has a casino, horse-racing and lottery operations.

Ascot, if licensed, would have collected bets through Tan's Berjaya Sports Toto lottery outlets.

The New Straits Times said Malaysians place around 5 billion ringgit ($1.3 billion) annually with illegal bookies and Ascot's operations could have diverted some of that to local coffers

MORIENTES TARGETS LIVERPOOL MOVE
BBC Online, Liverpool

Fernando Morientes has put Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez on red alert by saying he would consider a move to Anfield in the January transfer window.

Benitez is believed to have wanted Real Madrid's Morientes as part of the deal which saw Michael Owen move to Spain.

"The return to form of Owen can be excellent for Real, but it is also a new problem for me," said 28-year-old Spanish international Morientes. He added: "Liverpool could be a great option for January."

Morientes appears to be growing increasingly frustrated at the lack of first team opportunities at Real where he seems to be behind Raul, Ronaldo and Owen in the pecking order.

"My situation at Real is not pleasant," he said.

"If things continue like this I will have to think about leaving. I am tired of sitting on the bench.

"Liverpool is a club where any player would be happy to play. It is a club with a history of having great supporters, a good coach and now Spanish players."

Benitez has been encouraged by the comments of Morientes.

He said: "It was good to hear, because when a good player talks about a good club, it is good for us."