Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was a proud man after netting for England in their friendly draw Sunday against Brazil in the Maracana Stadium - but his father, who played in the side which famously won in Rio 29 years ago, missed the moment after nodding off back home in front of the television set. In the event, neither father nor son could recall much about the neat strike which levelled Fred's opener for Brazil in an entertaining 2-2 draw.

English Premier League club Stoke have appointed Mark Hughes as their new manager, taking over from fellow Welshman Tony Pulis. Pulis' seven-year stay with the club ended last week, and the 49-year-old Hughes quickly emerged as favourite to succeed him. Hughes, the former Manchester United, Barcelona and Bayern Munich striker, has been out of work since being sacked by QPR last November. He previously coached the Wales national team, former club Blackburn, Manchester City and Fulham, before taking over at QPR. bur/lp

Wayne Rooney famously announced his return from injury in time to feature at the 2006 World Cup with the bold declaration "the big man is back". But, at the end of a worryingly inconsistent season, it was perhaps fitting that Rooney's latest return to the spotlight was a rather more tepid affair. After a month spent languishing in unwanted exile at Old Trafford, Rooney was back in action for England's friendly against the Republic of Ireland at Wembley on Wednesday, but this was hardly the kind of dynamic display he needed to erase the bitter taste of recent weeks.

England manager Roy Hodgson sought to defend his tactics after seeing his side held to a 1-1 draw by their Republic of Ireland neighbours in an end-of-season friendly fixture at Wembley Stadium. Ireland were indebted to goalkeeper David Forde for a pair of crucial late saves to thwart Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Theo Walcott, as England's attempts to find a winning goal were frustrated.