Radcliffe faces race against time

Paula Radcliffe has started light running again following a stress injury to her left thigh - but with just 42 days to go until the start of the Beijing Games, it is likely to be too little too late.

Radcliffe, 34, is renowned as a formidable trainer who pounds the roads.

Yet following the injury which she sustained in May, Radcliffe had to rest before progressing onto a cross-training machine.

The marathon world record holder has been training at her base at Font Romeu in the French Pyreneesm.

England to unveil Smith next week

London Irish director of rugby Brian Smith will be announced as England's new attack coach next week.

Smith will be the final piece in the coaching jigsaw for team manager Martin Johnson.

Johnson retained defence coach Mike Ford, forwards supremo John Wells, kicking coach John Callard and scrum coach Graham Rowntree when he took over from Brian Ashton.

Ashton had always taken responsibility for the attacking side of the game and his departure left a hole in the set-up.

England stars 'will compete in IPL next year'

Players' chief Sean Morris has warned the ECB that several England stars will compete in the Indian Premier League next season, despite the recent agreement with Sir Allen Stanford.

The ECB had hoped that the announcement of the five-year £50m winner-takes-all series between England and the Stanford all-stars would be enough to persuade players not to compete in the IPL.

But Morris has moved quickly to dismiss such hopes.

"There are several lucrative offers from IPL franchises on the table," he told Undercover Sport.

"I am sure that three or four England players will be competing in the IPL next season.

"They want to compete against the best - and that means playing in the IPL, not the Stanford matches.

"The Stanford games and the IPL do not clash, so I don't see how the ECB can prevent the plyers competing in the IPL.

"Were they to try and contractually stop the players taking part in the IPL, that would be very restrictive. I don't think they will do that."

Sheva influential in hunt for new boss

Chelsea's prolonged and messy search for a new manager has revealed even more about the internal divisions and fiefdoms at the club.

Chief executive Peter Kenyon told the BBC's Mihir Bose (Bose predictably described him as a "top-level source") that there were three names on the shortlist to succeed Avram Grant.

The trio were Mark Hughes, Roberto Mancini and Luis Felipe Scolari.

A day later, Roman Abramovich offered the job to AC Milan's Carlo Ancelotti, which suggests that Kenyon has not got a very firm hand on the tiller.

There are many, many advisers who have the ear of Abramovich... his "personal scout" Piet de Visser, director of scouting Frank Arnesen, uber agent Pini Zahavi and now, Serbian agent Vlado Lemic.

Yet Chelsea flop Andriy Shevchenko was the man who persuaded Abramovich to offer the job to Ancelotti, Undercover Sport understands.

Shevchenko worked with Ancelotti for several seasons at Milan and holds the Italian in the highest regard.

And despite his dismal two seasons at Stamford Bridge, Shevchenko is still very close to Abramovich.

This explains why the club turned down an offer from Milan to re-sign the striker, and why Abramovich quickly turned to Ancelotti without even informing his chief executive.

Lippi fears for Capello chances

World Cup winner Marcello Lippi fears the number of foreigners in the Premier League will make it almost impossible for Fabio Capello to succeed as England boss.

The number of English players in the league hit an all-time low last season.

"Only 38% of players in the Premier League are English - that is why it is difficult for Capello to put together a national team," Lippi told Undercover Sport.

"England do have some great players - Gerrard, Rooney, Rio Ferdinand and Joe Cole - but there are not that many."

Lippi stepped down as Italy's coach after leading them to their World Cup triumph in 2006.

He added: "The impression I have is that once you go beyond the top eight to 10 English players, there are not that many of the same standard.

"In Italy, the figure of Italians playing in Serie A is closer to 70%."

Lippi pitted his wits against Capello in Italian football for 20 years and offered some hope to England fans.

"Let's just say, if anyone can make it happen, Capello can, because he has always got the best out of the people he has worked with," he said.

"England have certainly put their trust in a manager who could make anything happen. As to whether England will return to the heights of world football, I can't say.

"But if they have the chance to do it, they will do it under Capello."