足球藏经阁

　　很久没来这里做更新了，这跟此前的改版有很大的关系，在这里改版前我每天都在勤奋的做着更新维护，但自从改版后，在很多地方有BUG，坚持一段时间后，实在无法忍受便离开这里，但我说的是，我的这个博客一直没有忘记，因为在这里凝聚了我很多搜集足球资料的精华，当然这些资料性的东西，干巴巴的没什么可读性，但我一直都没有失去对他们的喜欢。

　　今天来这里同样发现了不少的BUG，但至少比我离开的时候好多了，最后希望各位博友在这里愉快，俺会经常回家看看的！

Signori signs for Hungary's Sopron
 
BUDAPEST, Oct 20 (Reuters) - Former Lazio striker and Italian international Giuseppe Signori has joined Hungarian Cup winners Sopron.

Sopron said on its website that although Signori, 37, was not in top physical condition, his knowledge of the game had not faded.

Signori, who had an earlier trial with Hungarian league champions Debrecen, has been signed to turn around the dismal fortunes of the club this season.

Sopron are 14th in the 16-team Hungarian first division and have scored just six goals in eight matches.
 
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German star Ziege retires
 
October 20, 2005
MONCHENGLADBACH, Germany (AFP) - Germany's Euro 96 hero Christian Ziege is calling time on his career after failing to shake off an ankle injury.

"There's no longer any sense in continuing," said 33-year-old Ziege, who has not played for Borussia Monchengladbach since May.

"I'm finally happy that the wavering between hope and disappointment, injury and convalescence is at an end.
 
 
"I was a league champion in Germany and Italy, I won the UEFA Cup, the Euro, I played in a World Cup final. I don't think you can win many more titles and do more in football," said Ziege.

Ziege, capped 72 times by Germany, came to the fore with Bayern Munich but spent a large proportion of his career in England during spells at Middlesbrough, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur.
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Raja Casablanca fire coach after Champions League defeat
 
CASABLANCA, Oct 20 (Reuters) - Morocco's Raja Casablanca have fired Romanian coach Alexandre Moldovan after last weekend's defeat in the African Champions League semi-finals.

Raja lost 1-0 at Tunisia's Etoile Sahel on Saturday to go out of the competition 2-0 on aggregate.

Moldovan had only been in the job since July, when he took over from the French coach Henri Stambouli.
 
It was his third spell at the club and in his first match in charge, Raja won Morocco's Thorne Cup.

Raja had surprisingly sacked Moldovan in 2002 when they were seven points clear in the standings but officials felt the team were not playing attractive soccer.

During his first stint, Moldovan led Raja to the Moroccan league title in 1997.

Moldovan has also worked with Moroccan club's Wydad Casablanca, Union Sidi Kacem and Maghreb Fes as well as Olympique Beja in Tunisia, who sacked him in February.
 
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Sverrisson named as new Iceland coach
Sverrisson named as new Iceland coach
 
STOCKHOLM, Oct 20 (Reuters) - Iceland have selected Eyjolfur Sverrisson as their new national soccer team coach after a disappointing World Cup qualification campaign, officials said on Thursday.

Sverrisson, 37, will replace the current coaches Asgeir Sigurvinsson and Logi Olafsson from Nov. 1.

"We only got four points out of the group in the World Cup," said an official at the Icelandic soccer federation.

Sverrisson was a professional soccer player with Hertha Berlin in the 1990s. He retired in 2003 and took over the Icelandic under-21 side.

Iceland finished second from bottom in European qualifying Group 8, just above Malta, with three points.
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Norway's Solbakken to coach FC Copenhagen - report
 
COPENHAGEN, June 24 (Reuters) - Norwegian Stale Solbakken will take over as head coach of FC Copenhagen when he leaves his present job with Norway's Hamarkameratene during the winter recess, Berlingske Tidende reported on Friday.

Copenhagen, who have won three Danish Superleague titles in five years, finished second this season, 12 points behind champions Brondby, but were crowned Scandinavian champions last month when they clinched the inaugural Royal League.

Their current coach Hans Backe's contract expires next year.

Solbakken was a midfielder for the Copenhagen side as recently as 2001, but was forced to end his playing career after heart failure during practice.

 
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Santos coach Gallo fired, Nelsinho takes over
 
By Brian Homewood

RIO DE JANEIRO, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Brazilian champions Santos fired coach Gallo on Tuesday and named Nelsinho as his replacement.

Nelsinho told reporters about the change at Sao Paulo airport earlier in the day after arriving from Japan where he had spent the last two-and-a-half years as coach of Nagoya Grampus.
 
The new coach said he agreed terms during a stop in Los Angeles the night before.

"I settled everything in Los Angeles, directly with Marcelo Teixeira, the president of Santos," Nelsinho said.

Santos director Luiz Henrique de Menezes said Gallo, who had been in charge since March, took the news well.

"I called him into my office and we had a chat," said Menezes. "He took the news well and professionally.

"Santos took the decision on the spur of the moment which is common in football."

Santos are fifth in the Brazilian championship, four points behind leaders Internacional, despite having had to rebuild their team following the departure of players such as forward Robinho and fullback Leo.

Nelsinho becames the third coach at the club since Vanderlei Luxemburgo left to join Real Madrid in December.

Luxemburgo's first replacement Oswaldo Oliveira lasted only 10 weeks.

Santos became the third club in the first division to change coaches in the last three days.

Corinthians, who are second in the table, fired Marcio Bittencourt on Sunday and replaced him with Antonio Lopes, who quit Atletico Paranaense to take up the post.

On Tuesday, Paranaense named 72-year-old Evaristo de Macedo, who had a brief stint as Brazil coach in 1985, as their new coach.

There have been 27 coaching changes since the Brazilian championship started on April 23.
 
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Panduru quits as coach of Romania's FC Vaslui
 
BUCHAREST, Sept 11 (Reuters) - Promoted Vaslui's Basarab Panduru on Sunday became the second coach to quit in the Romanian first division this season.

Vaslui are one from bottom with only one point from five matches.

Emil Sandoi resigned from another promoted club, Pandurii Tirgu Jiu earlier this month after four straight defeats.

"I wanted to keep Panduru as coach but eventually we agreed on an amiable separation," Vaslui's main shareholder Adrian Porumboiu told Reuters.

Porumboiu said Mircea Rednic, who steered Vaslui to promotion for the first time in the club's history, would probably return.
 
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Gabon sack Brazilian coach Jairzinho after defeat
 
LIBREVILLE, Sept 11 (Reuters) - Gabon's soccer federation have sacked the national team's Brazilian coach Jairzinho -- a member of Brazil's 1970 World Cup-winning side -- following the team's 3-0 defeat by Angola in a World Cup qualifier this month.

The September 4 defeat left the Panthers languishing fourth in their African zone qualifying Group Four for the 2006 World Cup finals, trailing well behind Angola, Nigeria and Zimbabwe on points.

Leon Ababe, president of Gabon's Football Federation (Fegafoot) said in a letter published at the weekend that Jairzinho, who had coached the national side for more than a year, was being dismissed for "unsatisfactory performance".

Federation sources said the Brazilian had already submitted a resignation letter to the Gabonese soccer body, which has been plagued by internal wrangling and financial problems.

Fegafoot were due to choose a new coaching team for the Panthers, who face Algeria in their next World Cup qualifier in early October.
 
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Betar coach Ohana quits over differences with new owner
 
By Ori Lewis

JERUSALEM, Sept 10 (Reuters) - Betar Jerusalem coach Eli Ohana quit on Saturday after just one match in the Israeli premier league season, saying he did not want to continue working under the club's new owner.

Ohana told a news conference he was unhappy with the attitude shown towards him and Betar's former bosses by Russian tycoon Arkady Gaidamak, who took over the club last month.
 
"I had come to my decision to leave on Wednesday already, but I decided to wait until after (Thursday's) news conference as I did not want to cause a row," said the charismatic Ohana.

"I had a private conversation for about 10-15 minutes with Gaidamak in which he tried to persuade me (to change my mind).

"I am not leaving because of the club's form ... but it is better to go now than in the middle of the season when, if things go badly, it could be a far more unpleasant situation," he added.

Several conflicting statements made by Gaidamak, in which he praised and criticised Betar's previous owners and Ohana, came to a head on Wednesday when the Russian was quoted in Hebrew daily Yedioth Ahronoth as saying Ohana lacked the leadership qualities to be the Betar coach.

Ohana, a former Israel international striker in the 1970s and 1980s, has been a popular figure at Betar but the club's erratic form during his two seasons in charge prompted a large section of supporters to call for his dismissal.

The day after Gaidamak's comments were reported, he called a news conference but his bid to ease matters failed in the presence of a nervous-looking Ohana and the glum-faced former owners Meir Panigel and Meir Levy.

Gaidamak was largely unknown to Israeli fans before he bought a 100 percent stake in the club last month. He broke on to the Israeli sports scene in July when he took a controlling stake in Hapoel Jerusalem basketball club.
 
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Advocaat hired as South Korean soccer coach
 
September 13, 2005
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) -- South Korea's soccer team turned to a Dutch coach once again, hiring Dick Advocaat Tuesday.

The 57-year-old Advocaat will replace Jo Bonfrere, who resigned last month. Advocaat signed a contract running through next year's World Cup, Song Ki-ryong of the Korean Football Association said. The deal can be extended until 2007 if both sides agree.

Guus Hiddink, another Dutch coach, led South Korea to the semifinals of the 2002 World Cup, when the South Koreans lost to Germany 1-0 at Seoul. Hiddink currently is coach of Australia's national team and PSV Eindhoven in the Dutch Eredivisie, the nation's top league.
 
Advocaat coached the Netherlands in the 1994 World Cup, where the Dutch lost to Brazil in the quarterfinals. He won the 1996 Dutch Cup and 1997 Eredivisie with PSV Eindhoven, then won the Scottish title twice with Glasgow Rangers.

Advocaat coached the Dutch national team during qualifying for the 2004 European Championship. He was fired by Germany's Borussia Moenchengladbach in April after less than six months as coach, and in July became coach of the United Arab Emirates national team. Song said Advocaat notified the UAE Football Association on Sunday of his intention to end that contract. The UAE failed to qualify for the World Cup.

South Korea already has qualified for its sixth straight World Cup.
 

Brazilian youngster Rafinha joins Schalke
 
(updates after news conference)

FRANKFURT, Aug 22 (Reuters) - Schalke 04 completed the signing of Brazilian youth international defender Rafinha from Coritiba on a four-year contract on Monday.

Schalke, who are preparing for a Champions League campaign after finishing as runners-up to Bayern Munich last season, will pay a fee of five million euros ($6.12 million) for the 19-year-old right-back, according to media reports.
 
"This is an investment in the future," Schalke team manager Andreas Mueller told a news conference. "He has a lot of potential and his value will go up."

Rafinha played in the Under-20 World Championship in the Netherlands earlier this year and scored the extra-time goal that put Germany out of the competition in the quarter-finals.

"Schalke have great potential," said Rafinha. "There are other Brazilians in the squad and that was also important in making this decision."
 
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Malaga agree deal for Brazilian midfielder Bovio
 
MADRID, Aug 22 (Reuters) - Malaga have agreed a deal for Brazilian midfielder Bovio to join the Andalucians from Santos in December, the Primera Liga side said on Monday.

The 23-year-old will stay in Brazil till December 29, when he becomes a free agent, and will then join Malaga on a three and a half year contract.

Malaga, who kick off the new Primera Liga season at promoted Celta Vigo on Sunday, finished 10th last season
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Portsmouth complete signing of Danish defender Priske
 
LONDON, Aug 22 (Reuters) - Portsmouth have completed the signing of Danish international defender Brian Priske from Belgian side Racing Genk, the Premier League club said on Monday.

The 28-year-old has signed a three-year deal for an undisclosed fee reported to be in the region of 750,000 euros ($917,200).

Portsmouth chief executive Peter Storrie told the club's website: "Brian is a versatile defender, who is a right back for his country and centre back for his club.

"I think he showed people his capabilities in the win over England."

Priske, who had also been negotiating with French Ligue 1 side Sochaux, played for Denmark in their 4-1 victory over England in a friendly in Copenhagen last week.

The Dane had one year remaining on his Genk contract and, if international clearance is received in time, could make his debut for Portsmouth on Tuesday when they host Aston Villa.
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Chelsea's Jarosik joins Birmingham on loan
 
LONDON, Aug 22 (Reuters) - Midfielder Jiri Jarosik has joined Birmingham City on loan from champions Chelsea, with a view to making the deal permanent at the end of the season.

The 27-year-old Czech international made 20 appearances for Chelsea after transferring from CSKA Moscow in January.

"At his best I think he's an attacking midfield player who likes to get on the end of crosses and it's his versatility that really appeals," Birmingham manager Steve Bruce told Birmingham's website.
 
Jarosik has been pushed down the Chelsea pecking order by the arrival of Michael Essien from Olympique Lyon and Shaun Wright-Phillips from Manchester City.

He will be in the Birmingham squad for Tuesday's Premier League match at home to Middlesbrough.

Jarosik takes over the position vacated by former England and Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Darren Anderton, who on Monday completed a free transfer to second division Wolverhampton Wanderers.
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Strasbourg midfielder Bassila joins Sunderland
 
PARIS, Aug 22 (Reuters) - Racing Strasbourg midfielder Christian Bassila has joined Sunderland on a two-year deal, sports daily L'Equipe's website reported on Monday.

It will be his second spell in the English Premier League, having played for West Ham United in 2001.

Bassila, 27, started his professional career at Olympique Lyon.
 
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 Zetti resigns after four games at Brazil's Ponte Preta
 
RIO DE JANEIRO, Aug 23 (Reuters) - Ponte Preta boss Zetti has resigned after only four matches in charge, becoming the 21st coaching victim since the Brazilian championship started in April.

"Zetti is no longer part of the technical commission," said a statement on the team's website on Tuesday. "He resigned this morning."

The former Brazil goalkeeper, who had a short stint at Sao Caetano earlier this year, lost all four games in charge after replacing Oswaldo Alvarez, who left to coach Japanese club Tokyo Verde.

Ponte, who led the table for nearly one month, have now slumped to eighth place in the competition.

The club said assistant coach Nene Santana would take over on an interim basis.
 
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Babunski to coach Macedonia for two World Cup qualifiers
 
SKOPJE, Aug 25 (Reuters) - Former Macedonia international Boban Babunski was appointed as his country's coach for their two remaining World Cup qualifiers, the Macedonian Football Association (MFA) said on Thursday.

The 37-year-old will be in charge for the matches away to Finland on September 7 and the Netherlands on October 12 after Serb coach Slobodan Santrac resigned two days ago citing his wife's health problems.

A new coach will be named to lead the side in the European championship qualifiers, which begin after the World Cup, the MFA said.

Under Santrac, who had been in charge since March, the Macedonian side had a disappointing spell of just one win and three defeats.

Macedonia are fifth in European zone Group One after 10 games and cannot qualify for next year's finals in Germany.

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Deportivo's Luque to join Newcastle for 14 million euros
 
MADRID, Aug 25 (Reuters) - Deportivo Coruna have agreed to sell Spain striker Albert Luque to Newcastle United for 14 million euros ($17.18 million).

Primera Liga Deportivo said the transfer was finalised late on Thursday and that the player had been given permission to travel to Newcastle on Friday to undergo a medical.

Depor president Augusto Cesar Lendoiro said the deal had been closed "on (financial) conditions very different to those that had originally been offered".
 
The 27-year-old Luque will sign a five-year contract with his new club, according to Spanish media reports.

Newcastle's decision to sign Luque seems to signal an end to their bid to sign Michael Owen from Real Madrid.

The English Premier League club had agreed a club-record fee of 15 million pounds ($27 million) with Real to sign the England striker.

But Owen appeared reluctant to move on a permanent basis, preferring to hold out for a possible move to his former club Liverpool.

Newcastle's signing of Luque marks an end to their search for a strike partner for Alan Shearer.

The Tyneside club, who are managed by former Liverpool and Scotland midfielder Graeme Souness, have only one point from their opening three league games and are yet to score this season.

Luque joined Deportivo from Real Mallorca in 2002 for 15 million euros.

He has always been a regular in Depor's first team and was the Galician side's top scorer with 11 goals last season.
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Arsenal's Aliadiere joins West Ham on loan
 
LONDON, Aug 25 (Reuters) - French forward Jeremie Aliadiere has joined West Ham United on a season-long loan from Arsenal, the Premier League club confirmed on Thursday.

The 22-year-old had been on loan at Celtic but has failed to start a competitive game.

"The signing of Jeremie is another big coup for the club," West Ham manager Alan Pardew said on the club's website.

"He is an exciting young talent from Arsenal and along with David Bellion will bring some French flair to our squad."

Bellion also signed on loan from Manchester United earlier this month.
 
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PSG midfielder Cana to join Olympique Marseille
 
PARIS, Aug 25 (Reuters) - Paris St Germain midfielder Lorik Cana is set to join Olympique Marseille while striker Danijel Ljuboja has been loaned to VfB Stuttgart, PSG said on Thursday.

"Lorik Cana, 22, who had made his professional debut with PSG, will join Olympique Marseille while Danijel Ljuboja, 27, is going to experience the German league," the club said on their website.

"Lorik wanted to leave and there was no point in trying to keep him here," a Parisian official said. "Marseille have made a substantial offer and he (Cana) has decided to go."

PSG are top of Ligue 1, level on 10 points with champions Olympique Lyon, thanks to three wins and a draw. Marseille are 19th with one point.
 

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Former Sweden goalkeeper Hedman retires
 
STOCKHOLM, Aug 26 (Reuters) - Former Sweden and Celtic goalkeeper Magnus Hedman announced his retirement on Friday, citing a lack of motivation as the reason.

"It's hard to be number one and then go to the bench," the 32-year-old told the website of the Swedish daily Expressen. "The motivation has dropped."

Hedman was Sweden's first choice at Euro 2000 and the World Cup finals two years later.

But Stade Rennes youngster Andreas Isaksson then took over in goal and Hedman was unable to force his way into the side for Euro 2004 in Portugal.

Hedman began his career with AIK Stockholm before moving to the English Premier League in 1997 to join Coventry City.

Coventry were relegated in 2001 and Hedman left for Celtic a year later.

He was unable to win a regular starting place at the Glasgow club and was released at the end of last season.
 

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Ivory Coast midfielder Tiene joins St Etienne
 
PARIS, Aug 23 (Reuters) - Ivory Coast international Siaka Tiene has joined St Etienne from South African club Mamelodi Sundowns on a four-year deal, the French Ligue 1 club said on Tuesday.

Midfielder Tiene, 23, was in Ivory Coast's starting line-up last Wednesday in their 3-0 friendly defeat by France.

A product of Jean-Marc Guillou's football academy in Abidjan, Tiene joined Johannesburg's Mamelodi Sundowns in 2003.

In his two seasons in South Africa the midfielder scored 14 goals from 46 games.
 
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Santrac resigns as Macedonia coach
 
SKOPJE, Aug 23 (Reuters) - Macedonia coach Slobodan Santrac has handed in his resignation, the Macedonian Football Association said on Tuesday, ending a disappointing spell in charge of the national team.

In a letter to Haralampie Hadjiristeski, the Macedonian FA, Santrac said his wife's health problems were his main reason for stepping down.

Santrac took over from Dragan Kanatlarovski in March but managed just one win and three defeats in four games, including the 3-0 World Cup qualifier defeat by Finland last Wednesday, triggering calls for his resignation.
 
Macedonia are fifth in European zone Group One after 10 games and cannot qualify for next year's World Cup finals in Germany.

Hadjiristeski said a replacement would be appointed soon for Macedonia's two remaining World Cup qualifiers in Finland on September 7 and the Netherlands on October 12.

A new coach would be named to lead the side in the European championship qualifiers, which begin after the World Cup.

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Bonfrere stands down as South Korea coach
 
(Adds S.Korean reaction, edits)

By Peter Rutherford

SEOUL, Aug 23 (Reuters) - South Korea coach Jo Bonfrere has resigned and the search for his successor will begin immediately with the World Cup finals less than a year away, the Korea Football Association (KFA) said on Tuesday.
 
Dutchman Bonfrere steered South Korea to their sixth consecutive finals in June, but a string of poor performances since had prompted widespread calls for him to step down before next year's tournament in Germany.

"Bonfrere informed the KFA of his decision on Monday and the members of the technical committee have agreed to accept his resignation," said Kang Shin-woo, vice chairman of the KFA's technical committee.

"The KFA did not ask Bonfrere to step down," he added in a televised news conference.

Bonfrere said there was never enough time to build a solid team because key players active in Europe would be brought back just days before a match.

"No coach in the world can bring a team together in two days," he told reporters after the announcement.

Criticism of Bonfrere's leadership increased after South Korea finished last behind China, North Korea and Japan in the East Asian championship earlier this month.

A 1-0 home defeat by Saudi Arabia in their final World Cup qualifier last week had fans and media clamouring for his resignation, prompting the KFA to convene a meeting of its technical committee.

"Bonfrere has decided that it would be difficult for him to continue in the job of coach under the current circumstances," said You Young-cheul, KFA media director.

Asked about a successor, You said the committee was meeting on the issue. It was expected to reach a decision within a month, committee chairman Lee Hoi-taek was quoted as saying by South Korea's Yonhap news agency.

Bonfrere was himself a surprise replacement for Humberto Coelho, who stepped down in April last year after a humiliating 0-0 draw with the Maldives in a World Cup qualifier.

Coelho had also cited a lack of time to work with players as one of the reasons for his side's disjointed displays.

South Korean media have already been speculating about possible replacements, among them Mick McCarthy, manager of English Premier league side Sunderland, and former Senegal coach Bruno Metsu.

With time short, former South Korean coach Kim Ho said the search might have to be narrowed to Koreans.

"It would take a little time to bring in a foreign leader at this point. I think it would be good to pick a person here," Kim was quoted as saying by YTN television.

The urgency was also reflected in an online poll conducted by the JoongAng Ilbo newspaper, where 57 percent of the respondents said they preferred a Korean coach.

The job appears to have become something of a poisoned chalice since Guus Hiddink took South Korea to the semi-finals of the 2002 World Cup on home soil.

"You in the media brought it to the people that this team wasn't as good as it was in the 2002 World Cup -- and that's not fair," said Bonfrere.

"The media and fans had too much expectation." (Additional reporting by Kim Miyoung and Jack Kim)
 
-----------------------------------
Brazilian Denilson joins Bordeaux on one-year deal
 
PARIS, Aug 23 (Reuters) - Brazilian midfielder Denilson is joining Girondins Bordeaux from Spanish side Real Betis on a one-year deal for an undisclosed transfer fee, the French Ligue 1 club said on Tuesday.

Denilson, who is 28 on Wednesday, joined Real Betis after the 1998 World Cup, when Brazil were losing finalists, for a then-world record fee of $35 million.

Renowned for his dribbling skills and mesmerising shimmy, the talented left-sided midfielder failed to live up to his billing at the Andalucian club.
 
He returned to Brazil for a brief loan spell with Flamengo in September 2000 after Betis were relegated to the second division but was on his way back to Spain after just four months when the Brazilian club failed to keep up its payments.

His second stint at Betis was hampered by a series of knee problems and last season he also fell out of favour with coach Llorenc Serra Ferrer, making just 10 appearances in the Primera Liga.

Bordeaux are fourth in the French league after three wins and one defeat in their first four games of the season.
 
Viana signs loan deal with Valencia
 
MADRID, Aug 23 (Reuters) - Valencia have signed Portugal midfielder Hugo Viana on loan from Newcastle United for this season, the Primera Liga side said on Tuesday.

The 22-year-old, who played on loan at Sporting Lisbon last season, was signed days after Brazilian midfielder Edu tore his cruciate ligament in training.

Valencia said they had an option to buy the midfielder at the end of the loan deal.
 
Viana was signed by Newcastle on the advice of Bobby Robson from Sporting Lisbon for 8.5 million pounds ($15.29 million) in July 2002, with a reputation as one of the most promising young players in Europe.

However, he struggled to adapt to English football and returned to Sporting on loan at the start of last season.

The midfielder had been linked with a move to Deportivo Coruna as part exchange for a possible deal for Spanish striker Albert Luque.
 
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South Africa striker Nomvete set to join Djurgarden
 
STOCKHOLM, Aug 28 (Reuters) - Swedish first division Djurgarden have agreed to sign South Africa striker Siyabonga Nomvete, the Stockholm-based club said on their website on Sunday.

Nomvete has spent four years with Italian Serie A side Udinese but has not managed to secure a first-team place.

He is a regular in his national team, however, and is a member of the South Africa squad that will face Burkina Faso in a World Cup qualifier on September 3 in Ouagadougou.

South Africa must win the match to have any chance of qualifying for the World Cup finals in Germany, whom they play in a friendly four days later.
 
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Everton sign Portugal defender Valente
 
LONDON, Aug 28 (Reuters) - Everton have completed the signing of Portugal defender Nuno Valente for an undisclosed fee from Porto, the English Premier League club said on Sunday.

The 30-year-old left back, who passed a medical in Liverpool on Sunday and signed a three-year deal, has 18 caps and played in Portugal's run to the Euro 2004 final. He won the Champions League with Porto the same year.

The 30-year-old is an immediate replacement for Italian Alessandro Pistone, who could be out for six months with a knee injury sustained last week.

Everton manager David Moyes is hoping to sign Dutch international Andy van der Meyde from Inter Milan after securing the services of Italian defender Matteo Ferrari on a season's loan from AS Roma.
--------------------------------------
Cagliari sack coach after one match
 
MILAN, Aug 29 (Reuters) - Serie A club Cagliari sacked their coach Attilio Tesser on Monday after just one game in charge.

Tesser led the Sardinian club for the first time in Sunday's 2-1 defeat at Siena and was dismissed less than 24 hours later.

Daniele Arrigoni, who was in charge of the team last season before leaving for Torino, is almost certain to return.

Arrigoni left Cagliari to take over at Torino but never took up the job after the Turin club's promotion to Serie A was blocked due to financial problems.

"I was contacted on Sunday night for the first time and it was completely unexpected," Arrigoni told Gazzetta Dello Sport's website.

"It was a huge surprise after everything that happened. We spoke again this morning and they asked if I was available -- I confirmed I was," he added.
---------------------------------------
Villarreal sign Uruguay keeper Viera
 
MADRID, Aug 29 (Reuters) - Uruguay goalkeeper Sebastian Viera has joined Villarreal on a four-year contract from Nacional de Montevideo, the Primera Liga side said on Monday.

The 22-year-old, whose move to Arsenal fell through earlier this month, passed a medical and is scheduled to be presented to the media at 1030 GMT on Tuesday.

Viera will compete with 21-year-old Argentine keeper Mariano Barbosa, who joined Villarreal from Banfield in June, for a place in the starting line-up. Previous first-choice keeper Pepe Reina moved to Liverpool for 9 million euros ($11.09 million).

Villarreal have qualified for the Champions League group stage where they have been drawn against Manchester United, Lille and Benfica. They lost their opening Primera Liga match of the season 2-1 at Osasuna on Sunday.
 
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Zaragoza sign former Real Madrid midfielder Celades
 
MADRID, Aug 29 (Reuters) - Former Real Madrid midfielder Albert Celades signed for Real Zaragoza as a free agent on Monday.

Celades, 29, who was born in Andorra but has been capped for Spain, began his career at Barcelona and played a season at Celta Vigo before moving to Real in 2000. He left in June after completing a five-year contract.

Zaragoza are also trying to sign Genoa striker Diego Milito, brother of their Argentine centre back Gabriel.
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Zaragoza sign Argentine striker Milito on loan deal
 
MADRID, Aug 30 (Reuters) - Argentine striker Diego Milito will join his brother Gabriel at Real Zaragoza after the Primera Liga club agreed a two-year loan deal with Italian side Genoa on Tuesday.

Zaragoza said they had also secured an option to buy the player at the end of the loan spell.

Diego's brother Gabriel, who joined Zaragoza from Independiente two years ago after a move to Real Madrid fell through at the last minute, signed a five-year contract extension with the club last month.

Genoa, who won promotion from Serie B last term, were demoted to Serie C1 after a cash payment to their opponents on the final day of the season, Venezia, was uncovered.
 ---------------------------------
Lyon sign Brazilian striker Fred
 
LYON, France, Aug 30 (Reuters) - Brazil striker Frederico Chaves Guedes, nicknamed Fred, joined Olympique Lyon from Cruzeiro Belo Horizonte on a four-year contract on Tuesday.

Lyon, who are preparing for a Champions League campaign after winning their fourth Ligue 1 title in a row, will pay 15 million euros for the 21-year-old, club chairman Jean-Michel Aulas told a news conference.

"It's a real pleasure to welcome one of Brazil's best goalscorers and a player who will become one of the great talents of the game," Aulas said.

Fred won his first cap when Brazil defeated Guatemala 3-0 in a friendly in April in Sao Paulo. He scored 56 goals in 70 games for his former club over the last two seasons.
 
-------------------------------------
 
Greek Karagounis joins Benfica from Inter Milan
 
LISBON, Aug 30 (Reuters) - Greek midfielder Giorgos Karagounis has joined Benfica from Inter Milan on a three-year contract, the Portuguese champions said on Tuesday.

The 28-year-old, who scored the opening goal of Euro 2004 in Portugal, was one of two players sought by Benfica's new Dutch coach Ronald Koeman to reinforce his squad.

No financial details of the deal were given.

Benfica have made their worst start to a season since 1977, with one draw and one defeat and no goals in two games. The Lisbon side are 14th in the 18-team Portuguese standings.
 
 
----------------------------------
Dutch international Bouma joins Aston Villa
 
LONDON, Aug 30 (Reuters) - Dutch international defender Wilfred Bouma moved to Aston Villa from PSV Eindhoven on Tuesday for a fee of around 3.5 million pounds ($6.33 million).

Villa said the versatile 27-year-old centre-back had joined in a three-year-deal.

"I had a good feeling about Villa -- with their history of being a big club," Bouma told the English Premier League side's website.
 
"The manager David O'Leary was a massive reason for my signing for Villa. I had a great talk with him and he made it clear that he believes in me and my ability."

Bouma, part of the PSV side that achieved the domestic double last season and reached the semi-finals of the Champions League, began his career as a winger but was converted into a central defender.

Villa, who have taken five points from their opening four league matches, signed Czech Republic striker Milan Baros from European champions Liverpool last week for 6.5 million pounds ($11.75 million).
 

------------------------------
Greek striker Choutos signs loan deal with Mallorca
 
MADRID, Aug 31 (Reuters) - Greek striker Lampros Choutos has joined Real Mallorca on a season-long loan deal from Inter Milan, the Primera Liga club said on Wednesday.

The 25-year-old, who has been capped for Greece, played on loan at Atalanta during the second half of last season.

Mallorca are coached by former Inter Milan boss Hector Cuper. They lost their opening match of the season 1-0 at home to Deportivo Coruna on Sunday.
 
-------------------------------
Tottenham sign Newcastle's Jenas
 
(confirms signing, adds quotes, changes slug)

LONDON, Aug 31 (Reuters) - Tottenham Hotspur have completed the signing of England midfielder Jermain Jenas from Newcastle United, the London club said on Wednesday.

Jenas, 22, completed the move after passing a medical and agreeing personal terms.
 
Jenas moved to Newcastle under former manager Bobby Robson for five million pounds ($9.04 million) in February 2004 having made his name as a teenager with Nottingham Forest.

Usually a central midfielder, he can also operate on the right. He has forced his way into the England reckoning and has 12 caps but decided he wanted to move.

"We didn't want him to leave but he's a big boy and it was his choice," Newcastle manager Graeme Souness told the club's website.

"I'm sorry he didn't see his long term future here but everyone here wishes him all the best in his career."

 ---------------------
Edman leaves Spurs for Rennes
 
PARIS, Aug 31 (Reuters) - Sweden defender Erik Edman has joined Stade Rennes from Tottenham Hotspur, the Ligue 1 club said on Wednesday.

The 26-year-old Edman, who made 31 appearances for Tottenham after joining from Dutch side Heerenveen last year, signed a three-year contract for an undisclosed transfer fee.

Rennes finished a surprise fourth in Ligue 1 last season to qualify for the UEFA Cup.
 ---------------------
Real Madrid signs defender Ramos
 
August 31, 2005
MADRID, Spain (AP) -- Real Madrid signed Sevilla defender Sergio Ramos to an eight-year contract only minutes before the transfer deadline Wednesday.

Madrid finalized the deal by satisfying the $33 million buyout clause in Ramos' contract. That made the 19-year-old Spaniard the third-most expensive transfer of the summer, behind the Chelsea signings Shaun Wright-Phillips and Michael Essien.

Madrid raised some of the funds for Ramos' transfer by selling striker Michael Owen to Newcastle on Tuesday for a reported $33 million.

Ramos' signing brings Madrid's offseason spending to about $98.7 million. Its other signings were Brazil's Robinho and Julio Baptista, and Uruguay's Pablo Garcia and Carlos Diogo.
 
-------------------------
 
(adds Diao loan signing)

LONDON, Aug 31 (Reuters) - Uruguay international Dario Silva has joined Portsmouth from Sevilla for an undisclosed fee, the Premier League club said on their website on Wednesday.

Silva, who helped Sevilla finish sixth in Spain last season, signed a two-year contract with Portsmouth. 
 
The 32-year-old striker scored 14 goals in 34 appearances after joining the Primera Liga club in 2003.

Silva has also had spells with Cagliari, Espanyol and Malaga.

Portsmouth also signed Senegal midfielder Salif Diao from Liverpool on a year's loan just before the transfer deadline.

The 28-year-old Diao joined Liverpool for 5 million pounds ($8.92 million) three years ago following the 2002 World Cup but never established himself as a first-team regular.

"Salif is a competitive midfield man and with his addition we now have a very competitive midfield in itself," Portsmouth chief executive Peter Storrie told the website.
--------------------------------
Brazilian midfielder Rochemback joins Middlesbrough
 
MADRID, Aug 31 (Reuters) - Brazilian midfielder Fabio Rochemback, who has been on loan at Sporting from Barcelona for the last two years, has joined Middlesbrough, the Primera Liga club said on Wednesday.

Rochemback joined Barcelona on a five-year deal from Internacional for $12.2 million in July 2001 but left for Sporting on a three-year loan deal two years later.

Barcelona said they had been paid a compensation fee of 1.5 million euros by Premier League club Middlesbrough.
 
-------------------------------
Reiziger joins Dutch champions PSV
 
AMSTERDAM, Aug 31 (Reuters) - Former Dutch international defender Michael Reiziger signed a two-year contract with PSV Eindhoven on Wednesday.

Reiziger will be reunited with former Netherlands team mate Philip Cocu and coach Guus Hiddink after joining the Dutch champions from English Premier League Middlesbrough.

"I played with Philip for six years and contacted him when PSV showed an interest," Reiziger told the Dutch club's website. "He explained to me what I could expect and helped me make my choice.

"I worked under Hiddink with the Dutch team, so he knows what to expect from me."

Reiziger joins PSV in the same week that defenders Lee Young-pyo and Wilfred Bouma left the club to sign for Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa respectively.

The 32-year-old Reiziger previously had spells with AC Milan, Barcelona, Ajax Amsterdam, Volendam and Groningen.
 --------------------------
Belgian leaders sign Nicolae, Dragutinovic stays
 
By Darren Ennis

BRUSSELS, Aug 31 (Reuters) - Unbeaten Belgian first division leaders Standard Liege signed Romanian international striker Marius Nicolae from Portugal's Sporting on a one-year deal on Wednesday.

In a double boost, Standard's Serbian defender Ivica Dragutinovic opted to stay in Liege after turning down a move to Olympique Marseille.
 
Dragutinovic appeared set for a move to France after both clubs agreed a fee but the 29-year-old defender, who is in Belgrade preparing for Serbia and Montenegro's World Cup qualifier against Lithuania on Saturday, was unhappy with the switch.

"Marseille are a large club, but I have one year left on my contract which I intend to see out," Dragutinovic, who has been with Standard since 2000, told the club's website on Wednesday.

"We are top of the league with maximum points. I hope to play this season and move as a free agent next summer."

Standard head the standings with 12 points after four games, two points ahead of Anderlecht.
 
----------------------------------
Slovakia defender Cech joins Porto
 
LISBON, Aug 31 (Reuters) - Slovakia defender Marek Cech has joined Porto from Sparta Prague on a four-year contract, the Portuguese Premier League club said on their website on Wednesday.

The 22-year-old is expected to take over the left side vacated by Nuno Valente who has moved to Everton.

No details of the transfer were given.

Cech, who has played nine internationals, becomes the eighth signing since Dutch coach Co Adriaanse took charge of Porto in June.

Porto have started the season with two successive wins.
 
-------------------------------
Peru's Solano returns to Newcastle
 
LONDON, Aug 31 (Reuters) - Peruvian midfielder Nolberto Solano has rejoined Newcastle United after 18 months at Aston Villa, Newcastle said on their website on Wednesday.

Solano, 30, left St James' Park for Villa in January 2004 after making over 200 appearances in nearly six years at Newcastle.

The Peruvian, who has signed a two-year contract, cost Newcastle a reported 1.5 million pounds ($2.68 million) with forward James Milner joining Villa on loan as part of the deal.
 
"It's great to be back at Newcastle and I hope we can have a really successful season here," Solano told the Newcastle website.

Solano will replace Jermaine Jenas, who joined Spurs on Wednesday, in the Newcastle squad and will link up with England striker Michael Owen, the club's major signing of the week as they try to improve on a dismal start to the season.

Newcastle are one place off the bottom of the Premier League table with just one point from four matches.
 ----------------------------------
Miccoli signs for Benfica on loan deal
 
LISBON, Aug 31 (Reuters) - Italy striker Fabrizio Miccoli has joined Benfica after the Portuguese champions agreed a one-year loan deal with Juventus, the club said on Wednesday.

The 26-year-old international, who scored 12 goals last season for Fiorentina, completes Benfica coach Ronald Koeman's transfer dealings after Greek midfielder Giorgos Karagounis signed a three-contract on Tuesday.

Benfica have made their worst start to a season since 1977, with one draw and one defeat and no goals in two games. The Lisbon side are 14th in the 18-team Portuguese standings.
 ----------------------------------
Scottish league leaders Hearts sign Camazzola
 
GLASGOW, Aug 31 (Reuters) - Scottish Premier League leaders Hearts signed Brazilian midfielder Samuel Almeida Camazzola on a season-long deal on Wednesday.

The 23-year-old, who moves from Brazilian side Juventude, becomes the eighth signing since George Burley took charge in June.

"We have said all along that to qualify for Europe we need to add depth in certain areaas of the squad and this is a signing which does that," Burley told the club's website.

The Edinburgh side have made a perfect start to the season with five consecutive league wins.
 
---------------------------------

 
Real snap up Ramos, Tottenham sign Jenas and Lee
 
By Tony Jimenez

LONDON, Aug 31 (Reuters) - Real Madrid signed Spanish defender Sergio Ramos for 27 million euros just before the end of a hectic transfer deadline day on Wednesday.

Real used the funds from the sale of Michael Owen to buy Ramos, stealing the thunder of England's Tottenham Hotspur who had been the busiest club with the signings of Jermaine Jenas and Lee Young-pyo and sale of Erik Edman.

ADVERTISEMENT
 
 
Real bought Ramos out of his contract with Sevilla after the player's brother deposited the money with the Spanish Professional Football League (LFP) just 10 minutes before the deadline expired.

"Real Madrid and the player Sergio Ramos deposited the buy-out clause after an assurance from Sevilla that this would not be seen as a hostile move," Real Madrid said in a statement.

The highly rated 19-year-old, who will sign an eight-year contract with Real, is the sixth most expensive signing in the club's history and the first Spaniard to arrive since president Florentino Perez took power in 2000.

Tottenham swooped for England midfielder Jenas, 22, who left Premier League rivals Newcastle United after passing a medical and agreeing personal terms.

Jenas cost Spurs a reported fee of seven million pounds ($12.49 million), and Newcastle had spent around 1.5 million of that by the end of the day to lure Peruvian midfielder Nolberto Solano back to the club after 18 months at Aston Villa.

Spurs also paid Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven around two million euros ($2.44 million) for international defender Lee, South Korea's KBS TV news reported.

Lee became the second South Korean to move to the Premier League, after former PSV team mate Park Ji-sung signed for Manchester United in June.

Sweden defender Edman left Spurs for French Ligue 1 club Stade Rennes for an undisclosed fee.

Edman, who made 31 appearances for Spurs after signing from Dutch side Heerenveen last year, put pen to paper on a three-year contract with Rennes.

PSV acted swiftly to sign a replacement for Lee when Middlesbrough's former Dutch international defender Michael Reiziger agreed a two-year deal with the Eindhoven club.

Inter Milan were involved in two deals before the CET midnight deadline.

The Italian Cup winners let Dutch international midfielder Andy van der Meyde move to Everton for an undisclosed fee and allowed Greek striker Lampros Choutos to join Real Mallorca on a season-long loan.

Among the other deals to go through were Italy and Juventus striker Fabrizio Miccoli's one-year loan to Portuguese champions Benfica and Slovakia defender Marek Cech's transfer from Sparta Prague to 2004 European champions Porto.

Unbeaten Belgian first division leaders Standard Liege also swooped to sign Romania striker Marius Nicolae from Portugal's Sporting, and English Premier League Portsmouth captured Uruguay striker Dario Silva from Sevilla for an undisclosed fee and Senegal midfielder Salif Diao on loan from Liverpool.

Sunderland's Estonian international goalkeeper Mart Poom joined Arsenal on loan until January and Wigan Athletic paid an undisclosed fee to lure Ireland striker David Connolly from second division Leicester City.
 

-------------------------------

Sunderland goalkeeper Poom moves to Arsenal on loan
 
LONDON, Aug 31 (Reuters) - Sunderland's Estonian international goalkeeper Mart Poom has joined Arsenal on loan until January, the clubs said on Wednesday.

The 33-year-old Poom, with 101 Estonian caps to his name, has not played for Sunderland or his country since October 2004 after suffering a knee injury that required surgery.

He is back to full fitness but has not been able to regain his place in the first team at Sunderland, although he has been included in Estonia's squad for Saturday's World Cup qualifier against Latvia.
 

---------------------------
South Korea's Lee signs for Tottenham
 
(Confirms with Tottenham quotes, changes dateline)

LONDON, Aug 31 (Reuters) - South Korea defender Lee Young-pyo has joined Tottenham Hotspur from PSV Eindhoven, the Premier League club said on Wednesday.

The 28-year-old is the second South Korean player to move to the English top flight after former PSV team mate Park Ji-sung joined Manchester United in June.
 
"He has played at PSV for three years and was in the South Korea side which reached the semi-finals of the World Cup," Tottenham head coach Martin Jol said on the club's website.

"He has played in the Champions League -- reaching the semi-finals last season -- and is the best left back in Holland.

"A number of Italian clubs would have liked to have taken him and we are happy to have got him to our club."

Lee's agent had earlier said the player had signed a contract with the London club.

"He signed the contract in the early hours of this morning," Chin Sung-won, said by telephone.

"As soon as Lee receives a work visa he will have an official ceremony to mark his joining the team."

The agent declined to give details of the terms of Lee's contract but South Korea's KBS TV news reported the transfer fee would be around two million euros ($2.47 million).

Lee and Park were both signed for PSV by Guus Hiddink after the Dutchman led South Korea to the semi-finals of the 2002 World Cup.

The two Koreans helped PSV win the Dutch title and reach the Champions League semi-finals last season.

(additional reporting by Kim Yeon-hee)
 

Celta Vigo sign Brazilian striker Baiano
 
MADRID, July 22 (Reuters) - Promoted Celta Vigo have signed Brazilian striker Fernando Baiano on a three-year contract, the Primera Liga club said on Friday.

The 26-year-old Baiano joined Malaga on loan from Brazilians Sao Caetano in January and was the Spanish side's leading scorer with nine goals from 17 games.

Protracted negotiations led to Malaga, Celta and Galician rivals Deportivo Coruna competing for the player's services in the close season before he eventually agreed to join Fernando Vazquez's side.

Celta were relegated last year but returned to the top-flight after one season when they finished as runners-up to Cadiz in the second division.

-----------------------
Georgian federation sack Giresse
 
July 22, 2005
TBILISI (AFP) - France's Alain Giresse was sacked as coach of the Georgia national team after the country's dismal performance in World Cup qualifying, the federation president Nodar Akhalkatsi said.

"Giresse has broken one of the main conditions of his contract - to clinch one of two top places in our qualifying group," Akhalkatsi said.

Giresse, 52, took over the Georgia national team in March 2004.

Georgia are currently sixth in Group Two with five points from seven matches, four points behind the fith-placed Albania.
 

------------------------

Brazilian coach Wortman joins Dynamo on one-year deal
 
MOSCOW, July 22 (Reuters) - Dynamo Moscow presented their new coach Ivo Wortman on Friday, hoping the Brazilian can turn around the fortunes of the Russian premier league club.

"I'm honoured to work with such a great European club and my aim is to make Dynamo even better and stronger," said Wortman, who signed a one-year contract on Friday.

The 55-year-old, who quit Brazilian club Juventude earlier this month, becomes the first top level coach from Latin America to work in Russia.
 
"I know that I'm the first Brazilian coach to come to Russia but hopefully my stay here will be a pleasant one," said Wortman who has extensive coaching experience at domestic and international level.

Dynamo's caretaker coach Andrei Kobelev, who had been in charge since former Russia manager Oleg Romantsev quit in mid-May, became Wortman's assistant.

On Friday Dynamo also unveiled four new signings, a pair of Nigerian internationals Joseph Enakarhire from Sporting Lisbon and Krylya Sovietov Samara's Patrick Ovie, Russia defender Denis Kolodin also from Samara and Porto goalkeeper Nuno.

Nuno's addition brings the number of Portuguese-speaking players at Dynamo to nine.

"It's always difficult to join the team in the middle of the season but at least, I shouldn't have any language barrier," Wortman said. "Our goal this season is to fight for the championship or at least for places in the UEFA Cup."

Dynamo have struggled since the start of the season despite their flamboyant owner Alexei Fedorychev spending almost $100 million on players since taking control of the club last year.

They are now in seventh place with 22 points from 16 matches and 16 points behind runaway leaders Lokomotiv Moscow following a 2-1 home defeat by Zenit St Petersburg on Sunday.
 
---------------------------------
 
Bordeaux sign Brazilian Menegazzo on loan
 
BORDEAUX, France, July 22 (Reuters) - Girondins Bordeaux have signed Brazilian Fernando Menegazzo from Italian Serie A club Siena on a one-year loan deal, the Ligue 1 side said on Friday.

A powerful defensive midfielder, Menegazzo is a former under-21 international who had been on loan at Serie B club Catania.

The 24-year-old is expected to play alongside French international Rio Mavuba in front of the Bordeaux defence.
 
 
-------------------------------
Desailly, Benarbia join Qatar Sports Club
 
DOHA, July 22 (Reuters) - Marcel Desailly, the former captain of France and Chelsea, has left Qatar champions Al Gharafa for first division rivals Qatar Sports Club (QSC).

The 37-year-old central defender scored six goals in 27 games to help Al Gharafa collect their fourth Qatar title last season.

Algerian midfielder Ali Benarbia, formerly of Manchester City, has also joined QSC from Qatar's Al Rayyan club.

"We are happy that these two fine players have agreed to join us. I think we now have a formidable line-up," said Sheikh Jassem bin Hamad Al Thani, QSC's director of football, on Friday.

Former Argentine World Cup strikers Claudio Caniggia and Gabriel Batistuta, who were playing for QSC and Al Arabi Sports Club respectively, announced their retirements towards the end of last season.

 
---------------------------
Guus Hiddink factbox
 
SYDNEY, July 22 (Reuters) - Factbox on Guus Hiddink following his appointment as Australian national coach on Friday:

1946 - Born November 8 at Wisch, Netherlands

1967 - Begins professional playing career as a midfielder at De Graafschap

1970 - Joins PSV Eindhoven

1971 - Returns to De Graafschap

1976 - Begins two year spell in U.S with Washington Diplomats and San Jose Earthquakes.

1977 - Returns to the Netherlands where he spends three years at NEC Nijmegen

1981 - Completes playing career with a final year at De Graafschap

1982 - Begins coaching career at De Graafschap

1984 - Appointed assistant manager at PSV Eindhoven before becoming manager two years later.

1986-90 - PSV win Dutch league four times in a row and Dutch Cup three times.

1988 - Treble-winning year with European Cup and Dutch league and cup triumphs

1990 - Takes over as coach of Turkish club Fenerbahce.

1991 - Spends first of spells coaching in Spain with two years at Valencia.

1995 - Appointed Dutch national coach, leads the Netherlands to quarter-finals of Euro 96, followed by semi-finals of World Cup in France in 1998.

1998 - Returns to Spain to coach Real Madrid. Won World Club Cup but sacked in February 1999 after poor domestic form and after criticising the club's financial problems.

2000 - Spends one season at Real Betis

2001 - January - Becomes South Korea national coach.

2002 - Leads South Korea to semi-finals of World Cup, the best showing by an Asian team in the tournament's history.

2002 - Returns to Netherlands to manage PSV.

2005 - Guides PSV to League and Cup double and semi-finals of Champions League, where only late away goal in second leg against AC Milan halted their run.

- July 22 - named as new Australian coach, replacing Frank Farina.
 
-----------------------------
 
Robinho factbox
 
RIO DE JANEIRO, July 21 (Reuters) - Factbox on Brazilian forward Robinho, full name Robson de Souza, who is joining Real Madrid.

1984 - Born January 25, full name Robson de Souza, in Sao Vicente near Santos.

1996 - Discovered by Santos and wins a place in the club's junior divisions.
 
 
1999 - Pele sees Robinho taking part in a youth team training session and is reported as saying: "This lad takes me back to the start of my career."

2000 - Makes his professional debut for Santos at the age of 16 in a 3-1 win over arch-rivals Corinthians.

2002 - December: Santos beat Corinthians over the two-legged final to win the Brazilian championship. The most replayed moment of the tie is when Robinho performs seven successive stepovers as he provokes an opponent into giving away a penalty.

2003 - June: Santos reach the South American Libertadores Cup final for the first time in 40 years but lose to Argentina's Boca Juniors in the two-leg final.

2004 - January: Plays in the Brazil under-23 team which amazingly fails to qualify for the Athens Olympics after being edged out by unfancied Paraguay in the South American qualifying tournament.

September: Comes on as a substitute to make his first and so far only appearance for Brazil's senior team.

November: Robinho's mother Marina de Souza is kidnapped from a barbecue at a friend's house in Santos by two armed men. Robinho is sidelined by coach Vanderlei Luxemburgo.

December: Robinho's mother is released. Two days later, Robinho returns to the side and Santos beat Vasco da Gama 2-1 in their last game to clinch their second Brazilian championship in three years. Finishes as Santos joint top scorer with 21 goals.

January: Santos deny reports that Robinho will join Real Madrid. Santos president Marcelo Teixeira later advises Robinho to stay at Santos until the 2006 World Cup.

June: Part of Brazil squad for Confederations Cup. Turns in virtuoso performance in Brazil's 3-0 win over Greece scoring one, winning a penalty for a second, and ends up being voted Man of the Match.

June 29: Brazil beat Argentina 4-1 to win Confederations Cup. After the game Robinho says he wants to join Real Madrid.

July 1: Fails to turn up to training with Santos as club president Marcelo Teixeira refuses to sell the forward for less than the $50 million buyout clause stipulated in the player's contract which lasts till 2008. Teixeira accuses Real of making an illicit approach to the player.

July 21: Real agree to sign Robinho for $29 million.
 
----------------------------
 
Malaga to sign Morales from Osasuna
 
MADRID, July 22 (Reuters) - Malaga have reached an agreement to sign Uruguay striker Richard Morales from Spanish Primera Liga rivals Osasuna.

Malaga said the 30-year-old would sign a three-year contract with the Andalucians on Monday before flying out to join the rest of the team who are in England preparing for the new season.

Morales, who joined Osasuna from Uruguayan side Nacional in 2002, was the King's Cup finalists' leading scorer with nine goals last season.
 
 
-----------------------------
Euro star Zagorakis returns to PAOK Salonika
 
July 21, 2005
SALONIKA, Greece (AFP) - Theo Zagorakis, who skippered Greece to the Euro 2004 title, has signed a two-year contract with his former PAOK Salonika team, the Greek first division squad announced.

Zagorakis, who was released by Bologna, was greeted at the airport upon his arrival here by 3,000 PAOK fans and another 5,000 supporters at the club's offices where he signed his contract.

"The reception was unbelievable and I thank the supporters for that. I always had in my mind that I would return to PAOK, which for me is the best team in Greece," Zagorakis said.
 
 
The 34-year-old has played a record 106 times for the Greek national team and was last a member of PAOK in 1998 when he left to join Leicester City in England.

He left Leicester in 2000 to join AEK Athens and last season played for Bologna in Italy
 
-----------------------------
Hiddink expected to be named Australia coach on Friday
 
SYDNEY, July 22 (Reuters) - Football Federation Australia (FFA) are expected to confirm PSV Eindhoven coach Guus Hiddink as their new national coach later on Friday.

FFA are holding a news conference at 0500 GMT (1500 local) on Friday to unveil the new coach. Media reports on Thursday in South Korea, where the Dutchman was with PSV for the Peace Cup pre-season tournament, said he was on his way to Sydney.

Hiddink, who guided co-hosts South Korea to the semi-finals of the 2002 World Cup, told reporters in South Korea on Wednesday that he would take over as Australia coach, if the Socceroos qualify for the 2006 World Cup finals. 
 
"If Australia qualify for the 2006 World Cup, then I will take over (by) November," Hiddink said after PSV's 1-1 draw with Olympique Lyon at the tournament. "We just have to agree on some details before finalising (the deal)."

Hiddink said he would stay on at PSV as coach or in an advisory capacity until November.

Australia's next matches are the 2006 World Cup qualifiers against the Solomon Islands in September.

The Oceania group winners will play the fifth-placed South American team over two legs in November to qualify for the 2006 tournament in Germany.

FFA chief executive John O'Neill has previously said he is "99 percent sure" Hiddink would take over from Frank Farina, who stepped down last month after six years in charge.

Hiddink steered PSV Eindhoven to the Dutch league title and the semi-finals of the Champions League last season.
------------------------------
Finland name Heliskoski as caretaker coach
 
HELSINKI, July 25 (Reuters) - Jyrki Heliskoski has been appointed caretaker coach of Finland for the rest of their 2006 World Cup qualifying campaign.

The 59-year-old Heliskoski replaces Antti Muurinen on a temporary basis, the Football Association of Finland said on its website on Monday.

Heliskoski has previously coached HJK Helsinki and several Finnish youth teams.

President Pekka Hamalainen said the appointment would give the Football Association of Finland time to search for a coach for the 2006-07 European Championship qualifying campaign.

Muurinen, 51, who had been in charge since 2000, was sacked after his team's hopes of reaching the World Cup finals were virtually ended by a 4-0 home defeat by the Netherlands last month.

Finland play their next qualifier against Macedonia on August 17. They are fourth in Group One, 13 points behind the Dutch and 12 adrift of the Czech Republic.
 
-------------------------------
Uzbekistan name Englishman Houghton as coach
 
TASHKENT, July 25 (Reuters) - Englishman Bobby Houghton has been named as coach of Uzbekistan's national team, signing a contract on Monday until the end of the year.

Houghton replaces Ravshan Khaidarov, who took over on a caretaker basis last month after German Heinz-Jurgen Geode was sacked following a string of poor results.

Uzbek officials said Houghton's contract could be extended through next year depending on the team's performances.
 
The 58-year-old Englishman has extensive coaching experience at club and international level in many parts of the world.

He has coached in the United States, China, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and guided Swedish club Malmo to the European Cup final in 1979.

Houghton leads the central Asian country for the first time in a World Cup qualifier against Kuwait on August 17.

Uzbekistan must beat Kuwait to set-up a two-legged Asian playoff against Bahrain, with the winners going on to face the fourth-placed team from the CONCACAF region for a spot in next year's finals in Germany.
 
------------------------
Espanyol to sign Argentina midfielder Zabaleta
 
MADRID, July 26 (Reuters) - Espanyol have reached an agreement to sign Argentina midfielder Pablo Zabaleta, the Primera Liga club said on Tuesday.

The 20-year-old, who moves from Argentina's San Lorenzo, will arrive in Barcelona on Wednesday to take a medical and sign a five-year contract.

The club will purchase all the rights to the player from an independent company.

Zabaleta captained Argentina to a 2-1 victory over Nigeria in the Under20 World Cup final on July 2.

Espanyol finished fifth in the league last season to earn a place in the UEFA Cup.
 
------------------
 
Codjo takes over as coach of Benin
 
COTONOU, July 26 (Reuters) - Edme Codjo has been named as the new coach of Benin, making him the fifth man to hold the position since African group phase qualifiers began for the 2006 World Cup a little over a year ago.

The appointment was announced by the Benin Football Federation ahead of the west African country's next World Cup qualifier at home to Sudan on August 17.

Codjo, who has won just two of 19 games in charge of the national side in two previous stints at the helm, replaces Serge Deveze after the Frenchman's contract expired earlier this month.

Benin have also used Ghana's Cecil Jones Attuquayefio, Wabi Gomez and Frenchman Herve Revelli as coaches in the current World Cup qualifying campaign.

Benin are fifth in Group 3 on two points after seven games and cannot advance to next year's finals in Germany.
 
 
-----------------------
Davids joins Tottenham on free transfer
 
LONDON, July 26 (Reuters) - Dutch international Edgar Davids has joined Tottenham Hotspur on a free transfer from Inter Milan, the Premier League club announced on Tuesday.

The 32-year-old midfielder, who wears distinctive eye glasses on the pitch as protection for glaucoma, will undergo a medical and agree personal terms later this week, the club said.

"He is one of the most versatile midfielders, a ball-winner with great stamina and huge charisma and one of the best midfielders to come out of the Netherlands in the last 10 years," Spurs coach Martin Jol told the club's website.
 
"This is a player who went to Barcelona when they were middle of the league and took them close to winning the title.

"It's terrific that he is joining us. This is the player we have spoken about who will lift the team's mentality. We have a young squad with an average age of 23 and I believe Edgar will come in and lead by example."

Davids, one of the most experienced midfielders in world football, joined Inter from Juventus last July having spent time on loan at Barcelona.

His previous clubs also include Ajax Amsterdam and AC Milan.

Spurs finished ninth in the Premier League last season. The north London side won the Peace Cup pre-season tournament in Korea on Sunday.
 
--------------------------------
Portsmouth striker Kamara joins West Brom
 
July 26, 2005
LONDON (AFP) - Portsmouth striker Diomansy Kamara has joined fellow Premiership side West Brom from Italian club Modena in a 1.5-million-pound (2.2-million-euro) transfer, the buying club said.

The Senegal international has put pen to paper on a three-year deal which also has a further year's option in the club's favour.

Kamara, who completed the move after passing a medical, has become Albion's fourth signing of the summer after Darren Carter, Steve Watson and Chris Kirkland.

The 24-year-old signed for Portsmouth for 2.25 million pounds last summer but the south coast club invoked an escape clause in the contract which meant they recouped 1.5 million pounds of their outlay and the player was loaned to Modena.

He has made six appearances for his country and helped them reach the quarter-finals of the 2004 African Nations Cup.

Albion manager Bryan Robson said: "One of the big reasons we have brought Diomansy onboard is because he is very versatile. He can play in three different positions - wide left, wide right or through the middle as a centre-forward.

"He has got loads of pace and, on the occasions I saw him play for Portsmouth last season, I thought he looked a real threat. The sheer pace he has got makes him very dangerous and we're delighted we've snapped him up."

French-born Kamara scored 11 goals in Serie A during two seasons for Modena after helping them to gain promotion three years ago.

Prior to that, he also had spells with Italian sides Chievo and Catanzaro between 1999 and 2002.
 
------------------------------
Senegal's Sarr joins Istres on loan from Lens
 
LENS, France, July 26 (Reuters) - Senegal midfielder Pape Sarr has joined Ligue 2 side Istres from RC Lens on a one-year loan, the Ligue 1 club announced on Tuesday.

The defensive midfielder, who played at the 2002 World Cup finals, had been on loan at Spanish side Alaves since January 2005.
 
-----------------------------
Wigan switch for Henchoz
 
July 26, 2005
LONDON (AFP) - Stephane Henchoz was to sign for Premiership newcomers Wigan after passing a medical.

The former Liverpool and Blackburn defender joined the Latics on trial last week after being released by Celtic and has impressed manager Paul Jewell enough to be offered a deal.

The 30-year-old Switzerland international will become Jewell's fourth signing of the summer after Rotherham goalkeeper Mike Pollitt and defenders Pascal Chimbonda and Ryan Taylor from Bastia and Tranmere respectively.
 
Henchoz joined Celtic last season after failing to win a place in Rafael Benitez's first team at Liverpool.

He had been a key member of the side under previous boss Gerard Houllier and starred in the 2001 cup treble success.

Henchoz first came to England when he joined Blackburn from Hamburg in 1997. He moved to Liverpool in a 3.5 million pound deal two years later
 
---------------------
Ballack named German Player of Year
 
July 27, 2005
BERLIN (AFP) - Bayern Munich midfielder Michael Ballack picked up another accolade when he was named German Player of the Year in a poll conducted by Kicker magazine.

The Germany captain collected 516 votes from German journalists Wednesday with FC Cologne striker and international team-mate Lukas Podolski his nearest rival with 103 votes.

Ballack, 28, was a driving force for Bayern last season helping the Bavarian giants to a league and cup double.
 
Bayern manager Felix Magath collected the German Manager of the Year award winning 433 votes after winning the double in his first season at the club.

Mainz 05 handler Jurgen Klopp finished just behind Magath receiving 328 votes for keeping the minnows in the German top-flight against all the odds.
 
------------------
 
Argentine defender Berizzo signs for newly promoted Cadiz
 
MADRID, July 27 (Reuters) - Experienced Argentine centre-back Eduardo Berizzo has signed a one-year deal with newly promoted Cadiz, the Primera Liga side said on Wednesday.

The 35-year-old joins last season's second division champions on a free transfer after being released by Celta Vigo.

The former Argentine international, who began his career at Newell's Old Boys, signed for Celta from River Plate in 2001 and remained with the club when they were relegated from the top flight in 2004.

Uruguayan forward Fabian Estoyanoff and Portuguese defender Mario Silva are the other leading close-season recruits for the Andalucians as they prepare for their first campaign in the top flight for 12 years.
------------------------------
 
England striker Vassell joins Manchester City
 

LONDON, July 27 (Reuters) - England striker Darius Vassell
has joined Manchester City from Premier League rivals Aston
Villa, City confirmed on Wednesday.

The 25-year-old completed the two million pounds ($3.48
million) transfer after undergoing a medical.

"The striker flew home from Villa's pre-season tour of
Sweden to agree personal terms on the four year contract," City
said on their website.

"He successfully concluded a medical on Tuesday afternoon
and will join his first training session with his new team mates
this morning."    

Vassell has scored six goals in 22 internationals but found
the net only three times for his club last season when he was
out of action for four months because of injury problems.

City signed former Manchester United striker Andy Cole from
Fulham last week.
---------------------------------------
Livorno loans midfielder Osei to Timisoara
 
BUCHAREST, July 27 (Reuters) - Livorno have loaned Ghanaian midfielder Emmanuel Osei to Romanian first division club Politehnica Timisoara for a year, media reports said on Wednesday.

"I liked Osei, who is a strong player," Timisoara coach Cosmin Olaroiu was quoted as saying in the daily Gazeta Sporturilor.

Osei played six matches for the Serie A side during 2004-2005.

Timisoara finished sixth in the first division last season.
----------------------------------
 Bosnia coach Sliskovic takes over Zrinjski Mostar
 
SARAJEVO, July 28 (Reuters) - Bosnia coach Blaz Sliskovic will also take over champions Zrinjski Mostar, Bosnia's Football Association (NSBIH) said on Thursday.

"The NSBIH's executive board allowed Sliskovic at his request to take over Zrinjski, but on condition that the national side remain his priority," NSBIH press official Fudo Krvavac said.

The 46-year-old was due to sign a two-year contract with his hometown team, Bosnian media reported.

He replaces title-winning coach Franjo Dzidic, who was fired after Zrinjski's surprise exit from the Champions League first qualifying round at the hands of Luxembourg's F91 Dudelange. Dudelange beat the Bosnian champions 3-1 in Mostar to erase their 1-0 advantage from the first leg.

Sliskovic was sacked by Croatian champions Hajduk Split in April after series of poor results.

He has coached Bosnia since 2002 but failed to take them to Euro 2004 in Portugal. They have only a theoretical chance of qualifying for next year's World Cup in Germany. Bosnia are fifth in the six-team European Group Seven with seven points from six games.

The bearded, chain-smoking midfielder made his name with Velez Mostar in the 1980s as one of the most talented players in the former Yugoslavia but erratic form on the pitch and flamboyant lifestyle limited his impact.

He played 26 times for the former Yugoslavia, scoring three goals, and captained Bosnia for one match.

Sliskovic also played for Olympique Marseille, Italy's Pescara and Croatia's Hrvatski Dragovoljac before ending his career with Zrinjski in 1998.
 
--------------------------
Ballack named Bundesliga player of year
 
BERLIN, July 28 (Reuters) - Germany captain Michael Ballack has been named Bundesliga player of the season for the third time in four years in Kicker magazine's poll of sports journalists. The midfielder, who helped Bayern Munich win the league and cup double, was the clear winner with 516 votes ahead of young Germany and Cologne striker Lukas Podolski (103) and Hertha Berlin's Brazilian midfielder Marcelinho (99).

Ballack, recently linked with a move away from Bayern, was also voted best player in 2002 and 2003.

Bayern's Felix Magath won the coach's award, with 433 votes, ahead of Mainz 05's Juergen Klopp, Schalke 04's Ralf Rangnick and Germany's Juergen Klinsmann.

Marcelinho won the most votes in a poll of Bundesliga professionals by Kicker published at the end of May.
 
------------------------Pompey sign Zambian striker
 
July 28, 2005
LONDON (AFP) - Zambian striker Collins Mbesuma completed his move to Portsmouth when the 21-year-old was granted a work permit to play in the Premiership.

Mbesuma has joined from South African champions Kaizer Chiefs where he scored 35 goals last season.

"Everybody knows his goalscoring rate is phenomenal and he deserves his chance in the best league in the world," said Portsmouth chairman Milan Mandaric.
 
"He has to be allowed time to settle into his new surroundings but we have now signed seven players and all of them internationals."

Chief executive Peter Storrie believes Mbesuma can become the long-term successor to Nigerian ace Aiyegbeni Yakubu who was sold to Middlesbrough for 7.5million pounds at the end of last season after scoring 19 goals in each of his two Premiership campaigns at Fratton Park.

He, too, needed to appeal against the rejection a work-permit renewal.

Storrie, who attended the Mbesuma appeal hearing, said: "As in all transfers there is an element of risk and Collins will need a period of adjustment here but he has exceptional talent. The right decision has been made.

"Yakubu was a risk when he first came here but in reality it did not turn out that way."

Top clubs all over Europe were said to be chasing Mbesuma. Despite this, he was turned down for an automatic work-permit to play in this country two weeks ago after agreeing a three-year deal with Portsmouth who are understood to have agreed a price of just 500,000 pounds for him.

The sticking point was that Zambia, although ranked 62nd in FIFA's latest lists, have not figured regularly in the top 70 over the last two years.

Ironically it is Mbesuma's goals - he netted a hat-trick in a recent World Cup qualifier against Congo, scoring eight goals in all in five international games - that have propelled them up the rankings table.

Portsmouth's French manager Alain Perrin has already signed compatriots Laurent Robert - on loan from Newcastle - and Gregory Vignal plus Irish international Andy O'Brien, Colombian midfielder John Viafara, Norwegian striker Azar Karadas and Dutch goalkeeper Sander Westerveld.
 
-----------------------------------
Atletico loan out Uruguayan midfielder Sosa to Osasuna
 
MADRID, July 28 (Reuters) - Uruguayan midfielder Marcelo Sosa has been loaned out by Atletico Madrid to fellow Primera Liga side Osasuna for next season.

Atletico said that the 27-year-old international would undergo a medical with the Navarrans who had an option to buy him at the end of the season.

Sosa joined Atletico from Spartak Moscow at the start of last season, but was unable to hold down a regular place in the first team.

His departure frees up one of the club's three berths for non-European Union players.

Fellow midfielder Jesper Gronkjaer is also on the verge of leaving Atletico to sign for Stuttgart, while the club are negotiating with Real Zaragoza to sign Argentine winger Luciano Galletti as his replacement.
 
--------------------------
Tacchinardi signs one-year deal with Villarreal
 
(Adds career details)

MADRID, July 28 (Reuters) - Former Italian international midfielder Alessio Tacchinardi has signed a one-year deal with Villarreal, the Primera Liga club announced on Thursday.

The experienced 30-year-old, who began his career at Atalanta, joins Villarreal after 11 years at Juventus where he won five league championships, one Italian Cup, the European Super Cup and the World Club Cup.
 
He did not play in the final when Juventus won the Champions League in 1996, but was involved in their defeats in the 1997, 1998 and 2003 finals.

Villarreal are in the third qualifying round of the Champions League after finishing in a best ever third place in the Primera Liga last season.

As well as Tacchinardi the club have also signed Argentine goalkeeper Mariano Barbosa and Ecuador midfielder Antonio Valencia to strengthen their squad in the close season.
 
--------------------------
Brazilian football star Jaja dies
 
July 28, 2005
RIO DE JANEIRO (AFP) - Brazilian football legend Jair Rosa Pinto who was known as "Master Jaja" has died at the age of 84 at his home here after suffering from a lung related disease, local press reported.

Jaja, who gave advice to players like Pele and Didi, was known for his small feet (size 4/37) but it failed to hinder his talent as he was the player who invented the dead ball free-kick and step-over.

During his final years with Santos, Jaja spent time coaching a certain youngster by the name of Pele who at 19 was already a world champion with Brazil.
 
Jair Rosa Pinto never experienced World Cup fame like Pele, he played 41 matches and scored 21 goals for the national team.

Jaja was a member of the Brazilian world cup team that played in the "final of all finals" at the Maracana stadium in 1950 in which they lost 2-1 against Uruguay.

He couldn't understand how they had lost after leading 1-0 and he often asked God for an explanation.

Born in 1921 in Barra Mansa, near Rio, Jaja started his career in Madureira before playing for a number of big Brazilian clubs, Flamengo, Vasco de Gama, Santos, Ponte Preta and Palmeiras with which he experienced his greatest moments on the pitch.
 

-----------------------------
Panathinaikos close to signing Southampton's Nilsson
 
By Barney Spender

ATHENS, July 29 (Reuters) - Swedish international Mikael Nilsson is due in Athens later on Friday to complete a move from English second division Southampton to top Greek side Panathinaikos, according to local media reports.

Panathinaikos, who will discover their opponents in the third qualifying round of the Champions League on Friday, have made no official comment.

But national broadcaster ERT said Nilsson, an ever-present for Sweden at Euro 2004, would be in Athens to complete negotiations.

The Southampton website said the 27-year-old utility player would cost a fee of 600,000 euros ($724,000).

($1=.8287 Euro)
-----------------------------------
Australia captain Moore joins Newcastle
 
(adds quotes)

LONDON, July 29 (Reuters) - Australia captain Craig Moore has joined Newcastle United, the Premier League club said on their website on Friday.

The 29-year-old defender signed a two-year contract after passing a medical.

Free agent Moore has been without a club since ending a brief spell with German Bundesliga team Borussia Moenchengladbach at the end of last season.

"I've watched the Premiership for many years and it's always been a place where I would like to play," said Moore. "I am really delighted to be given this opportunity.

"I don't feel as if I'm an old player, I think 29 is a good age. It's an extremely tough league but one I'm really looking forward to playing in."

Moore joined Rangers in 1993 and spent five seasons at Ibrox before leaving for Crystal Palace.

Moore, who has won 30 caps for Australia, spent six months with Palace before returning to Rangers.

He moved to Moenchengladbach on a free transfer in January.
 

----------------------------
Celtic sign Japan's Nakamura then look to China captain
 
By Kenny MacDonald

GLASGOW, July 29 (Reuters) - Celtic paraded their 2.75 million pounds ($4.83 million) Japan midfielder Shunsuke Nakamura on the eve of the new Scottish season and confirmed that China captain Du Wei is to arrive for a week's trial.

Nakamura, the first Japanese footballer to play in Scotland, told a packed news conference at Celtic Park on Friday that all he knew about the country was bagpipes and Highland dancing.

 
"When I arrived I saw many media people and the attention was on me so I want to contribute to the set up and the Celtic team and the fans as well," he said via an interpreter.

Celtic manager Gordon Strachan said Nakamura should make his debut next week, adding. "It will not be tomorrow (Saturday) because he has not really trained and is just getting himself together. Hopefully, it will be next Saturday.

Celtic, who lost a Champions League second round qualifier 5-0 at Artmedia Bratislava in midweek, open their Scottish Premier League campaign at Motherwell this Saturday followed by a home game against Dundee United the following weekend.

Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell confirmed Celtic's interest in China defender Du Wei. "He will be here on Saturday night and he will be training with us for a week, just to see how things go," said Lawell.

Strachan added: "Obviously, it is very hard to see players in that area but he comes highly recommended and we're looking to bring people in who will make the team better and take it on a level.

"So we are open-minded and there are a couple of Chinese lads who have done very well in England with their play, their attitude and their fitness and we thought, 'Yeah, we'll have a look.'"

Strachan compared the aftermath of the crushing Champions League defeat in Slovakia as being "like a death in the family".

"You get something like that two or three times in your career," he said. "I think I have had about two of these games ...and I have sat down and watched the video tape and I really do think it was a freakish result.

"Everything went right for them and everything that possibly could go wrong, went wrong for us."

The winners of the two-legged tie will face Partizan Belgrade or Sherif Tiraspol in the third qualifying round but with Celtic unlikely to progress after Tuesday's second leg at home, Strachan is trying to deal with the consequences.

"This game itself won't go away...ever. We need to start winning games now and help erase the memory of the game but I don't think it will ever totally go away.

"I said this morning (to the players), 'I don't care how you feel , you can still be depressed, you can laugh...but deal with it.'

"It is like a death in the family, and I am sorry if anyone has had a death in the family but it's like that.

"People deal with suffering in different ways, some laugh through it, some get depressed, some go silent. I said, 'I don't care how you get through it but tomorrow we have to be angry and put right some of the wrongs from Wednesday.'

"We cannot be emotional, we have to stay focused."
 
-----------------------------
Czech striker Bednar joins Hearts
 
July 29, 2005
PRAGUE (AFP) - Czech striker Roman Bednar has signed a five-year contract with Scottish side Hearts, Bednar's agent Pavel Zika said.

The 22-year-old, who moves from Czech first division outfit Mlada Boleslav, joins compatriots Michal Pospisil and Rudolf Skacel who were signed by the Scottish Premiership side earlier this summer.

Bednar's transfer fee was put at between 20 million koruna (663,000 euros, 804,000 dollars) and 30 million koruna, according to agency reports although Mlada Boleslav declined to release the figure.

 
Bednar, 22, played for lower-division Bohemians Praha for three seasons before joining Mlada Boleslav. He goes abroad after playing only 25 matches in the Czech first league.

Sparta goalkeeper David Bicik may also join the team if a deal is struck for him to be on loan to Lithuanian team FBK Kaunas.

"We are still checking the possibilities relating to Kaunas and a permanent contract with Hearts," Zika said.
 
Atletico Madrid sign Argentina's Galletti
 
MADRID, July 29 (Reuters) - Atletico Madrid have signed Argentina winger Luciano Galletti from Real Zaragoza, the Primera Liga club said on Friday.

Galletti, who had one year left on his contract with Zaragoza, has agreed a three-year deal, with media reports putting the fee at 3.5 million euros ($4.24 million).

With unsettled Danish winger Jesper Gronkjaer negotiating a move to German side VfB Stuttgart, Galletti will be the ideal replacement. The versatile 25-year-old can operate on either flank.

Galletti is coach Carlos Bianchi's fourth major signing of the close season after Bulgarian midfielder Martin Petrov, Serbia & Montenegro striker Mateja Kezman, and Argentine forward Maxi Rodriguez.

He will fly out to join the rest of the squad at their pre-season training camp in England on Saturday.
 
-------------------------
Getafe sign former Boca defender Matellan
 
MADRID, July 31 (Reuters) - Argentine centre-back Anibal Matellan was unveiled by Getafe on Sunday after signing a one-season deal with the Primera Liga club.

Matellan, who can also play at left back, has spent most of his career at Boca Juniors but has played in Europe before when he had a three-year stint at German side Schalke 04 between 2001 and 2004.

"I opted for Getafe because my greatest wish since becoming a footballer was to play in Spain and this club has opened the door for me to fulfil that ambition," the 28-year-old told a news conference.

Getafe surprised many pundits last season with a highly creditable 13th place finish in their first ever campaign in the top flight.

Former German international Bernd Schuster has taken over as coach this season after Quique Sanchez Flores quit to take charge of Valencia.
 
Atletico Madrid agree to sell Gronkjaer to Stuttgart
 
MADRID, July 29 (Reuters) - Atletico Madrid have agreed to sell Denmark winger Jesper Gronkjaer to VfB Stuttgart.

"It wasn't easy to make this decision but the offer from Germany was very interesting and perhaps life will be easier than here in Spain," Gronkjaer told Atletico's website on Friday.

"I can speak German and the culture is more similar to that of Denmark's. Also I will be much closer to my family which is very important to me."
 
The Spanish newspaper Marca said earlier in the day that Stuttgart would pay a fee of around six million euros ($7.26 million) for Gronkjaer.

The 27-year-old put in a transfer request because he was unable to settle in the Spanish capital after joining from Birmingham City in January.

Media reports said Atletico paid English Premier League Birmingham a fee of two million euros for the former Chelsea winger.

Despite making a promising start to his Atletico career, Gronkjaer's season was cut short when he cracked a bone in his right leg at the start of May.

"When I signed for Atletico I had every intention of completing my contract. But the world is a strange place and things didn't go as I had hoped," he said.

Atletico moved to fill his place by signing Real Zaragoza's Argentine international winger Luciano Galletti earlier on Friday.
 
----------------------
Cologne sign Turkish defender Alpay
 
BERLIN, Aug 1 (Reuters) - Newly promoted Bundesliga side Cologne have signed fiery Turkish defender Alpay Ozalan on a one-year contract, the German second division champions said on Monday.

The former Turkey international, 32, has 86 international caps and was instrumental in Turkey's passage to the World Cup semi-finals in 2002.

However, Alpay has courted controversy in recent years and has been unable to keep his volatile temper in check.
 
He was fired by Japan's Urawa Reds at the end of June after picking up three red cards in seven matches, with six months remaining on his contract.

Two years ago, he clashed with David Beckham in a Euro 2004 qualifier, taunting the English captain over a missed penalty.

Alpay stuck a finger in Beckham's face as the players walked off at halftime, although he later claimed Beckham had spat on his shirt.

The incident brought an abrupt halt to his spell at English premier league side Aston Villa.

Germany's Bundesliga kicks off on Friday. Cologne host near neighbours Mainz 05 the following day.
 
---------------------
Argentine Samuel moves from Real to Inter
 
(Adds background, byline)

By Simon Evans

MILAN, Aug 1 (Reuters) - Inter Milan have signed Argentina defender Walter Samuel from Real Madrid, the Italian club said on Monday.

ADVERTISEMENT
 
 
Inter said in a statement on their official website the central defender had signed a four-year deal with the Serie A club.

Samuel, 27, has previously played in Italy for AS Roma where he won the Italian league in 2001.

Inter are also in negotiations to sign Real's Portuguese midfielder Luis Figo, having already brought in Argentine winger Santiago Solari from the Spanish club.

Samuel leaves Real after completing just one season of a five-year deal signed when he joined the club for a fee of 25 million euros ($30.25 million) from Roma last July.

He was brought in to strengthen the club's shaky back four, but struggled to adapt to the more open style of football in Spain and was given little support by an attack-minded midfield in the early part of the season.

His performances improved after mid-season signing Thomas Gravesen added steel to the centre of the midfield and turned in some confident displays to help Real end the campaign with their best defensive record in a decade.

However, the quietly spoken Argentine never managed to win over the Real Madrid fans and was deemed surplus to requirements by the club's coaching staff.

Samuel's departure leaves the door open to England defender Jonathan Woodgate to claim a place in the starting line-up if he can complete his recovery from a thigh injury that has kept him on the sidelines for 16 months.

At Inter, Samuel will be expected to partner tough Colombian Ivan Cordoba in the centre of defence and joins a large Argentine contingent working under coach Roberto Mancini.

As well as Solari, Inter captain and defender Javier Zanetti, midfielders Juan Sebastian Veron, Esteban Cambiasso and Kily Gonzalez and striker Julio Ricardo Cruz have all played for the Argentine national side.

Inter are aiming to join rivals AC Milan and Juventus in the title race this season after finishing third last term.

Mancini's first season in charge at the San Siro showed signs of improvement with the team winning the Italian Cup and reaching the quarter-finals of the Champions League but a leaky defence cost them vital points in the fight for the 'scudetto'.

Inter have not won the Italian league since 1989.
 
-------------------------------
Nilsson quits Saints for Panathinaikos
 
By Barney Spender

ATHENS, Aug 1 (Reuters) - Sweden's Mikael Nilsson has joined Panathinaikos from England's Southampton, the Greek side said on Monday.

No details were given but second division Southampton, who were relegated from the Premier League last season, are expected to receive in the region of 600,000 euros ($726,000) for the international midfielder.

"I am really glad about the completion of the deal and I am looking forward to playing for Panathinaikos," the 27-year-old midfielder told the Greek club's website. "They are a great side and this is an excellent career opportunity for me."

Nilsson, who has signed a three-year contract, is recovering from a hamstring injury and is expected to be fit for Panathinaikos's third qualifying round Champions League tie against Wisla Krakow in Poland on Aug 10.
 
---------------------------------
Schalke pull out of Baros deal, but sign Larsen
 
BERLIN, Aug 1 (Reuters) - German Bundesliga side Schalke 04 have pulled out of a potential deal to buy Czech striker Milan Baros from Liverpool but have completed the transfer of Danish forward Soren Larsen.

Schalke coach Ralf Rangnick told German media on Saturday the German club and Baros had agreed personal terms.

However, the respective clubs could not agree a transfer fee and English Premier League side Liverpool were unwilling to loan Baros out to the Schalke, the German club said on Monday.

"The club will only sell and not loan out," said sporting director Rudi Assauer. "But it's almost impossible to agree to eight to 10 million euros. So Milan Baros will not be moving to Schalke 04."

Baros, 23, had previously said he wanted to remain at Liverpool, but manager Rafael Benitez did not select the striker for the first two qualifying rounds of the Champions League this season.

The European champion's asking price -- believed to be around nine million euros ($10.89 million) -- has been a sticking point. Aston Villa have reportedly had an earlier offer of seven million euros turned down.

"It would only work if we were guaranteed of playing in the Champions League three times in a row. But no one has such a guarantee," Assauer said.

Schalke have, however, signed Denmark striker Soren Larsen from Swedish league leaders Djurgarden.

The Bundesliga runners-up have agreed a four-year contract with the 23-year-old, who was presented with the prized number nine shirt when he signed the deal on Monday.

German media said his transfer cost Schalke around two million euros.

The German side, who have qualified for the group stage of the Champions League, are also interested in Greece defender Sotiris Kyrgiakos.

The 26-year-old is currently on loan from Panathanaikos to Scottish side Rangers.
 
--------------------------
Goalkeeper Prunea joins National Bucharest
 
BUCHAREST, Aug 2 (Reuters) - Goalkeeper Florin Prunea signed a two-year contract with Romanian first division team National Bucharest on Tuesday.

"My deal with National is now valid and I can play in the first championship home match against FCM Bacau this weekend," Prunea, who left Greek club Xanthi, told Reuters.

Prunea, who turns 37 next week, played 40 internationals for Romania and helped the team to reach the 1994 World Cup quarter-finals.

He also played for other Romanian clubs, including Dinamo Bucharest.
 
--------------------------
Wigan agree fee with Wolves for Senegal striker Camara
 
LONDON, Aug 2 (Reuters) - Premier League Wigan Athletic have agreed an undisclosed fee with Wolverhampton Wanderers for Senegal international striker Henri Camara.

"Wolves have this morning confirmed that they have accepted an offer from newly-promoted Wigan Athletic for striker Henri Camara," the English second division club said on their website.

The 28-year-old has not played for Wolves since their relegation from the top flight in 2004 and spent last season on loan, first at Scottish side Celtic and then back in the Premier League with Southampton.

Wigan, promoted last season, host English champions Chelsea in their first match at the top level of English football on August 14.
 
----------------------------
 
Alkmaar defender Kromkamp to sign for Villarreal
 
MADRID, Aug 2 (Reuters) - Dutch international defender Jan Kromkamp has reached an agreement to join Villarreal, the Primera Liga club said on Tuesday.

Villarreal said that the 24-year-old right back, who has played for AZ Alkmaar since 2000, would sign a contract for four or five years with the club.

According to Spanish media reports, Villarreal are expected to pay around six million euros ($7.26 million) for the defender.

Kromkamp played an instrumental role in the Dutch side's run to the semi-finals of last season's UEFA Cup and gave an impressive display against Villarreal when they knocked the Spaniards out in the quarter-finals.

As well as Kromkamp, Villarreal have also signed Italian midfielder Alessio Tacchinardi, Argentine goalkeeper Mariano Barbosa and Ecuador midfielder Antonio Valencia to strengthen their squad in the close season.

The club are preparing for a difficult tie against Everton in the third qualifying round of the Champions League after finishing in a best ever third place in the Primera Liga last season.
-------------------------------
Wilfried Dalmat follows brother Stephane to Racing
 
MADRID, Aug 2 (Reuters) - French midfielder Wilfried Dalmat will play alongside his brother Stephane at Racing Santander next season after signing a one-year deal with the Primera Liga side on Tuesday.

The club said that the 23-year-old, who played for Grenoble last season, had impressed the coaching staff while training with the club and they had decided to offer him a contract for the forthcoming campaign.

Before joining Grenoble the former France Under-21 international had spells with Lecce, Nantes, Olympique Marseille and Chateauroux.

Brother Stephane, who is also a midfielder, signed a five-year contract with Racing last month.
 
-------------------------------
Uruguay captain Montero signs for San Lorenzo
 
BUENOS AIRES, Aug 4 (Reuters) - Uruguay captain Paolo Montero has signed a one-year contract to play for Argentine club San Lorenzo, a club spokesman said.

The 33-year-old, who has won 57 international caps, had spent the last 13 seasons in Italy, firstly with Atalanta and then with Juventus.

"I'm grateful for everything that Italy's given me but I've turned down other offers to continue in Europe," Montero said in a radio interview on Wednesday before agreeing terms.
 
"After 13 seasons, it's time to come back," added Montero, who has earned a reputation as one of the game's most ruthless defenders.

"Money's not important but I want to train with a group," said Montero, who has been training alone since leaving Italy.

San Lorenzo, who finished 16th in the Clausura championship held in the first half of the year, have also signed 34-year-old Paraguay striker Jose Cardozo from Mexico's Toluca.
---------------------------
Monaco's Rodriguez joins Rangers
 
PARIS, Aug 4 (Reuters) - Monaco defender Julien Rodriguez has joined Glasgow Rangers, the Ligue 1 side announced on Thursday.

Sources inside the club say he is to sign a four-year deal with the Scottish champions.

Centre back Rodriguez, 27, has won the French title with Monaco in 2000.
 
---------------------------
Luiz Alberto to leave Sociedad and sign for Santos
 
MADRID, Aug 4 (Reuters) - Real Sociedad defender Luiz Alberto will be returning to his home country of Brazil to play for Santos, he announced on Thursday.

"I'm hoping to travel to Brazil as soon as possible, either today or tomorrow, to pass a medical and sign a contract," the 27-year-old centre-back told a news conference in San Sebastian.

Luiz Alberto signed for Sociedad from St Etienne in January 2001 on the recommendation of then coach John Toshack, but was loaned out first to Porto Alegre and then Atletico Mineiro following the Welshman's dismissal in March 2002.

He returned to Sociedad last season and became a regular first-choice in the back four, playing 28 of the team's 38 league games.
 
----------------------------
\Romania defender Contra to sign loan deal with Getafe
 
MADRID, Aug 4 (Reuters) - Atletico Madrid's Romanian international defender Cosmin Contra will join Getafe in a loan deal until the end of next season, the Primera Liga club said on Thursday.

The 29-year-old right back, who spent last season on loan at West Bromwich Albion and then Romanian first division side Poli AEK Timisoara, joined Atletico in 2002 and still has two years to run on his contract with the Primera Liga side.

Contra moved to Spain in 1999 when he signed for Alaves from Dinamo Bucharest. He had two brilliant seasons with the modest Basque side and played a big part in their shock run to the final of the UEFA Cup in 2001.

He moved to AC Milan immediately after the final but failed to earn himself a regular place in the starting line-up and returned to Spain a year later to sign for Atletico.

A serious ankle injury sustained at the start of the 2003-2004 season hampered his progress at the club and he has struggled to find his form since.
 
------------------------------Atletico Mineiro coach resigns twice in five days
 
RIO DE JANEIRO, Aug 4 (Reuters) - Atletico Mineiro coach Tite has resigned for the second time in five days following Wednesday night's 2-2 draw with fellow strugglers Paysandu in the Brazilian championship.

Tite, who also lost his job at Corinthians earlier in the year, quit for the first time following Saturday's 3-1 defeat by Goias.

The directors persuaded him to stay on but he resigned again after watching his side twice throw away the lead against the championship's bottom club, Atletico said on their official website.
 
 
"I'm frustrated," Tite told reporters after becoming the 18th coaching victim of the championship which started on April 23.

"Usually, I have left teams with a stamp of quality but this time it didn't work out."

Atletico, who won the inaugural Brazilian championship in 1971, are 21st in the 22-team table with 13 points, ahead of Paysandu on goal difference.

Meanwhile, second-placed Ponte Preta named former Brazil goalkeeper Zetti as their new coach.

Zettti, who led Fortaleza to promotion from the second division last year, replaces Oswaldo Alvarez, who left the team to take over at Japan's Tokyo Verdy.
 
----------------------------------
Konstantinidis returns to PAOK from Panathinaikos
 
ATHENS, Aug 5 (Reuters) - Greek international midfielder Pantelis Konstantinidis completed his return to former club PAOK Salonika when he signed a one-year contract with the option of a second, the club announced on Friday.

The 29-year-old, who has 20 caps, has spent the last three years at Panathinaikos with whom he won the league and cup double in 2003/4.

He is the second big name to return to PAOK in the off-season following the signing of Greek captain Thodoris Zagorakis from Bologna.

 
"I am very satisfied that I am returning to PAOK," said Konstantinidis.

"I return feeling more mature and more experienced and I believe that together with the other players I will help the team reach its goals."

Panathinaikos, meanwhile, are expected to complete the loan signing of Hungarian striker Sandor Torghelle from relegated English club Crystal Palace in the coming days.
 
------------------------------------
Figo moves from Real to Inter Milan
 
By Simon Evans

MILAN, Aug 5 (Reuters) - Former World and European Footballer of the Year Luis Figo signed for Inter Milan on Friday, ending his five-year spell with Real Madrid.

The 32-year-old Portuguese international had a year left on his contract with the Spanish club but after completing a medical agreed a two-year deal with Inter.

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Real spent a then world record $56 million to buy Figo from rivals Barcelona in July 2000 in one of the most controversial transfers in Spanish football history.

Figo becomes the third player to move from Real to Inter during the close season following Argentines Santiago Solari and Walter Samuel as Inter coach Roberto Mancini looks to end the clubs 16 year wait for an Italian title.

The skillful winger will operate in a midfield featuring Argentine internationals Juan Sebastian Veron and Esteban Cambiasso and will be expected to provide the ammunition for Inter's prolific Brazilian striker Adriano.

Despite remaining one of the biggest names in the game, Figo will have a point to prove at Inter following a disappointing end to his time in Madrid.

The winger fell out with Real coach Vanderlei Luxemburgo after being consigned to the bench for the latter part of last season and had been given permission to negotiate with other clubs.

Real are reported not to have demanded a fee for the player who had also been linked with Liverpool and Valencia.

Figo began his career at his home club of Sporting Lisbon, making his name as part of the golden generation of Portuguese youngsters who won the World under-16 and under-20 championships in 1989 and 1991.

He moved to Spain in 1995 to sign for Barcelona, quickly becoming a favourite among the club's fans for his committed and skilful performances on the right wing.

He won seven trophies in a five-year spell at the Catalan club, including two league titles, two King's Cups and the Cup Winners' Cup.

But Figo was transformed from hero to villain in the eyes of the Nou Camp faithful when he defected to arch-rivals Real in July 2000.

The midfielder, viewed as Real's first Galactico signing, helped his new club to the league title in his first season and played an important part in their victories in the 2002 European Cup and 2003 Spanish championship.

Now he faces a new and tough challenge as Inter's fans, tired of years of domination by rivals AC Milan and Juventus, expect him to play a key role in their title challenge.

Figo could make his debut for Inter in the Italian Super Cup against champions Juventus on August 20 -- a week before the start of the Serie A season.

The Portugal international will be presented to the press at Inter's training ground on Saturday.
 
-------------------------
 
Birmingham complete signing of Pandiani
 
LONDON, Aug 5 (Reuters) - Birmingham City have completed the signing of Uruguay striker Walter Pandiani from Spanish side Deportivo Coruna, the Premier League club said on Friday.

The two clubs agreed a three million pounds ($5.34 million), three-year deal after the 29-year-old spent a successful loan spell at St Andrew's during the second half of last season.

Pandiani originally moved to Birmingham on loan in February after Depor opened disciplinary proceedings against him for publicly criticising coach Javier Irureta and some of his team mates.
 
The burly English-style centre-forward, noted for his strength in the air, moved to Depor from Penarol five years ago but struggled to secure a first-team place and had a spell on loan at Real Mallorca before returning to Deportivo.

Pandiani impressed during his loan spell, scoring four goals in 14 appearances.

Birmingham who were 12th in the Premier League last year, open their new campaign at Fulham on August 13.
 
 --------------
Salas returns to Universidad de Chile
 
SANTIAGO, Aug 3 (Reuters) - Chile striker Marcelo Salas has returned to his homeland to play for Universidad de Chile, the club where he began his career.

Salas, 30, signed a one-year contract late on Tuesday after more than two weeks of negotiations. He said he had turned down several offers to play for clubs abroad.

"I thought about it for a long time and decided I wanted to be in my country, with my daughters," he told reporters. "I was fed up with all the travelling and being alone."

Salas, whose recent career has been plagued by injuries, played for the club from 1993-96, scoring 50 goals. Since then he has played for Lazio and Juventus in Italy and had two spells with River Plate in neighbouring Argentina.

In June, he became Chile's leading international goalscorer after claiming his 35th goal in a 3-1 win over Bolivia.
 
------------------
Sanchez dismissed as UNAM beat Guadalajara in Mexico
 
MEXICO CITY, Aug 7 (Reuters) - Outspoken UNAM coach Hugo Sanchez was sent off again as his team beat Guadalajara 1-0 in a passionate Mexican championship match on Sunday.

Sanchez, who has tried to improve his behaviour after frequently dismissals in the past, said he suspected he was being victimised after he was ordered from the touchline late in the game.

"It surprised me," he said. "It seems there are indications on the part of the (Mexican Football) Federation pressuring the referees to find a motive to send me off."

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The former Real Madrid and Mexico striker has angered the Mexican federation with his non-stop criticism of national team coach and bitter personal rival Ricardo La Volpe.

UNAM president Aaron Padilla said he was also baffled by the dismissal.

"Hugo has promised not to get sent off in the championship, he has been behaving himself and we don't know why he was sent off," he said.

Argentina striker Bruno Marioni scored with a spectacular left-foot volley on the hour as the Pumas kept up a 100 percent record after two games at the start of the Apertura championship.

Guadalajara, who field only Mexican players, have one point.

Cruz Azul, who beat Atlas 1-0, are the only other team to have won both their opening games.

The Cement Mixers are playing under assistant coach Isaac Mizrahi after the kidnapping of Ruben Omar Romano, who was abducted by heavily-armed men as he drove home from a training session last month.

On Friday, police said that the kidnappers had made the first contact for negotiations, raising hopes the 47-year-old Argentine could soon be released.

In other matches, defending champions America drew 0-0 at Pachuca and Toluca, coached by Argentina's 1978 World Cup winning midfielder America Gallego, beat newly-promoted San Luis 2-1.
 
---------------------------
Hoegmo appointed Rosenborg Trondheim coach
 
OSLO, Aug 8 (Reuters) - Per Mathias Hoegmo has been appointed as coach of Norwegian champions Rosenborg Trondheim, the club's sporting director Rune Bratseth said on Monday.

Hoegmo replaces Per Joar Hansen, who stepped down on Sunday after the team's 2-1 defeat by Lillestrom.

The club had started the season chasing a record 14th consecutive league title but instead are suffering their worst run since the 1970s. They are languishing in eighth place in the 14-strong league.

Former Tromso coach Hoegmo was recently working as a soccer expert for Norway's national broadcaster NRK.

His first game in charge will be on Wednesday when Rosenborg travel to Steaua Bucharest for the first leg of their third round qualifying encounter in the Champions League.
 
--------------------------
 
Everton complete Phil Neville signing
 
(Updates after signing completed, adds quotes)

LONDON, Aug 4 (Reuters) - Everton have completed the signing of Manchester United's England defender Phil Neville for an undisclosed fee, the Merseyside club said on Thursday.

The 28-year-old full back, who has 52 international caps, signed a five-year contract after passing a medical.
 
 
He completed the transfer in time to be eligible for Everton's Champions League third qualifying round tie with Spanish side Villarreal, the first leg of which takes place at Goodison Park on Tuesday.

Neville, who can also play in midfield, has spent his entire 10-year playing career at United after coming through the trainee ranks alongside brother Gary.

He won six Premier League titles, three FA Cups and the Champions League.

However, he struggled to command a regular starting position last season and with next year's World Cup on the horizon he opted to move.

"I spoke to Alex Ferguson and it was made clear that I wasn't going to get enough football next season," Neville told the Everton website.

"I was frustrated last season, he knew that, and we came to an agreement that it would be best if he gave me permission to talk to other clubs."

Everton manager David Moyes said: "We are absolutely delighted to have concluded a deal with a player of Phil Neville's calibre and experience.

"Phil is a quality footballer who will, I feel certain, improve and enhance the squad we are putting together here at Everton.

"He is very much a professional's professional."
 
 ------------------------------------
Kleberson joins Besiktas in four-year deal
 
ISTANBUL, Aug 8 (Reuters) - Brazilian midfielder Kleberson signed a four-year deal with Turkish club Besiktas on Monday after two disappointing years at Manchester United.

The 26-year-old, a World Cup winner in 2002, struggled at United after joining from Atletico Paranaense in 2003 and lost his place in the national side as a result.

"Today I have come from one big club Manchester United to another big club so I am very happy," Kleberson told reporters at a signing ceremony in Istanbul.

Besiktas executives said they had been trying to sign the Brazilian for a year. The deal consists of a three-year contract with the option of a one-year extension, the club said.

He will join Brazilian striker Ailton, who signed for Besiktas last month from Schalke 04.
 
---------------------------------------
Celtic's Balde set to join Olympique Marseille
 
PARIS, Aug 8 (Reuters) - Celtic's Guinean defender Bobo Balde is set to join Olympique Marseille, the Ligue 1 club said on Monday.

"He should sign a three-year deal before Wednesday," Marseille's sports director Jose Anigo told the club's website.

"It should work. I have not often seen someone who wanted to come so badly."

The Guinean, 29, joined Celtic from Toulouse in 2001 and has been a mainstay of the Glasgow club's defence.

He was dropped for a match by new manager Gordon Strachan after the 5-0 defeat to Artmedia Bratislava in the first leg of second qualifying round of the Champions League.
 
---------------------------------------
Newcastle set to sign Italy defender Coco on loan
 
LONDON, Aug 8 (Reuters) - Newcastle United hope to tie up the loan signing of Inter Milan defender Francesco Coco in the next 24 hours, the English Premier League club said on their website on Monday.

The 28-year old left-back, who has won 17 caps for Italy and previously played for AC Milan and Barcelona, has been training with Newcastle.

"We are in negotiations with Inter Milan over Francesco Coco coming here on loan for the rest of the season with an option to purchase," said Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd.
 
--------------------------------------
Former youth coach succeeds Giresse as Georgia manager
 
TBILISI, Aug 8 (Reuters) - Former youth coach Gaioz Darsadze was named carateker manager of the Georgian national team on Monday.

Darsadze, 41, takes over from Frenchman Alain Giresse, who was sacked last month following the country's dismal showing in the 2006 World Cup qualifying campaign.

The executive board of the Georgian soccer federation (GSF) voted unanimously to hand the vacant job to Darsadze, who had served as GSF's technical director since last year. The GSF said they would appoint a permanent coach at the end of the year.

Darsadze will make his debut coaching the senior side in a World Cup European Zone, Group Two qualifier against their former Soviet rivals Kazakhstan in Almaty next Wednesday.

Georgia, with five points from seven games, and pointless Kazakhstan occupy the bottom two places in their group.
 
---------------------------------------
Dynamo Kiev sack coach after Champions League exit
 
KIEV, Aug 9 (Reuters) - Dynamo Kiev have sacked coach Leonid Buryak after just two months in the job, the Ukrainian club said on Tuesday, following a string of poor results.

Dynamo, the winners of 13 Soviet and 11 post-Soviet league titles, have recently suffered a series of humiliating defeats and were knocked out of last week's second qualifying round of the Champions League by unfancied Swiss side Thun.

Buryak was replaced as acting coach by Anatoly Demyanenko, 45, previously a senior member of the coaching staff.

Buryak, 52, had replaced Josef Sabo in June at the helm of the most celebrated club in Soviet and post-Soviet history. He had also coached the Ukrainian national side in 2002-2003.

Dynamo finished second behind Shakhtar Donetsk in the league last season but did manage to defeat their rivals in the Ukrainian Cup final.
-------------------------------------
Tunisia's Esperance name new coach
 
TUNIS, Aug 9 (Reuters) - Tunisia's Esperance named Khaled Ben Yahia on Tuesday as their new coach after Sunday's 2-1 home defeat by Egypt's Zamalek in the African Champions League.

Ben Yahia, a former Tunisian international, replaces Mourad Mahjoub.

Sunday's defeat continued Esperance's downward slide after years in the elite of African clubs. They are without a win in four group matches and lost to a newly promoted team in the opening game of the new domestic championship season.
 

-------------------------------------
Juanfran joins Ajax on loan from Besiktas
 
AMSTERDAM, Aug 12 (Reuters) - Spanish international Juanfran is joining Ajax Amsterdam on loan from Besiktas this season, the Dutch first division club said on Friday.

Ajax have an option to buy the 29-year-old defender at the end of the season. The club will kick of their 2005/06 campaign next weekend away to RBC Roosendaal.

Juan Francisco Garcia, known as Juanfran, played for Levante, Valencia and Celta Vigo in Spain before moving to the Istanbul club Besiktas in 2004.
 
-------------------------------------
AC Milan sign Australian keeper Kalac
 
MILAN, Aug 12 (Reuters) - AC Milan have signed Australian goalkeeper Zeljko Kalac as understudy to their Brazilian international Dida.

Kalac was available on a free transfer after his Serie B club Perugia were refused a licence due to their financial troubles.

The 32-year-old, who made his name in Australia with Sydney United before moving to Dutch club Roda JC Kerkrade, had been with Perugia for the last three seasons.
 
Milan said Kalac, who is an Australian international, had signed a three-year deal with the club after passing a medical.

Kalac is the second keeper to join Milan in the off-season following the signing of Greek Dimitrios Eleftheropoulos from Messina.

Under Italian rules preserving a city's right to compete in the professional game a new Perugia club has been formed and will play in Serie C1 in the new season.
------------------------------------
Striker Dani joins Olympiakos Piraeus
 
By Barney Spender

ATHENS, Aug 12 (Reuters) - Spanish striker Dani has joined Greek champions Olympiakos Piraeus on a free transfer from Spanish club Espanyol.

"I am here to score goals, that's my job and I am confident I will succeed," Dani was quoted as saying on the club's website on Friday.
 
The 30-year-old striker has signed a two-year contract with the option of a third.

Dani joined Espanyol in July 2004 after ending his contract with Barcelona following a brief loan spell at Real Zaragoza.

He scored five goals for Espanyol last season but faded out of the reckoning at the tail-end of the campaign and said he was affected by the negative atmosphere amongst the players at the club.

The striker, who began his career at Real Madrid, made his name when he scored 12 league goals for Real Mallorca in the 1998-99 season.

He won the first of five international caps in November 1998 and secured a $15.5 million move to Barcelona at the end of the season.

Despite scoring 11 goals in 27 games in his first season at the Nou Camp, he was then virtually ignored by successive coaches, playing just 23 league games from 2000-2001 before leaving the club by mutual consent after almost three years on the sidelines.
---------------------------------------

Ilie poised to join Belgium's Beerschot
 
BUCHAREST, Aug 13 (Reuters) - Romanian forward Adrian Ilie is to sign a one-year contract with Belgian side Germinal Beerschot.

"I'm ready to sign with Beerschot, who have offered me a contract," Ilie told Reuters on Saturday. "The deal is subject to a medical examination."

Ilie, once nicknamed 'Cobra' for his deadly striking ability, left Swiss club FC Zurich in June after the expiry of his contract.

The 31-year-old has been without a club for two months after refusing several offers from Romanian first division clubs. As a result Romania coach Victor Piturca omitted Ilie from his squad for the World Cup qualifier against Andorra on August 17.

Germinal Beerschot won the Belgian Cup last season and are in this season's UEFA Cup.

-------------------------------------
Belgium's Beerschot bag Romanian Ilie
 
BRUSSELS, Aug 16 (Reuters) - Belgium's Germinal Beerschot have snapped up Romanian forward Adrian Ilie on a free transfer.

The 31-year-old will sign a one-year contract pending a medical examination on Tuesday, the Antwerp club's website said.

Beerschot see the striker's experience as a key element in their UEFA Cup bid following their surprise Belgian Cup win last term.
 
Ilie, capped 55 times by his country, has been without a club since leaving Switzerland's FC Zurich where he scored seven goals in 23 matches last season.

Beerschot are still to register a point in the Belgian league this season having lost their first two matches.

Meanwhile, Ghent are considering a move for former Irish international Dominic Foley.

The 29-year-old striker is at the centre of a row over money with his current club Bohemians in Ireland and is refusing to turn out for the Dublin side.

Foley, capped six times by the Republic of Ireland, impressed Ghent boss Georges Leekens during last month's Intertoto Cup tie between the two teams.

"We are monitoring the situation, but are still very much interested," a club official said on Tuesday.
 
-------------------------------
 
Rapid Bucharest reinstate coach Lucescu
 
BUCHAREST, Aug 16 (Reuters) - Rapid Bucharest coach Razvan Lucescu has been reinstated as coach.

Lucescu was sacked just two games into the Romanian league season on Monday but was given a reprieve after support from players and supporters.

Rapid conceded a last-minute equaliser in a 1-1 home draw against Arges Pitesti on Sunday, prompting team owner George Copos to dismiss him and the club's executive president to resign in protest.
 
"Copos decided to reinstall Lucescu on the bench after the whole team asked the boss not to fire their coach," club spokesman Cristian Costache told Reuters.

Lucescu had received the full support of the club's executive president Gheorghe Dinu, who announced his resignation after saying the coach was good enough to build a strong side.

"Large groups of Rapid fans also supported Lucescu... they said they would strongly protest against any new coach replacing him," Costache said.

A group of around 100 supporters gathered at one of Rapid Bucharest headquarters to protest Lucescu's dismissal. They shouted slogans against Copos, urging the Romanian government's vice-prime minister to leave the club.

Former Rapid coach Mircea Rednic had been lined up to return to the club for the third time.
 
--------------------------------------
 
Flamengo sack third coach this year
 
RIO DE JANEIRO, Aug 16 (Reuters) - Celso Roth has been fired by Flamengo, making him the third coach this year to be dismissed by Brazil's most popular club.

Flamengo football vice-president Gerson Biscotto confirmed the decision in a television interview on Tuesday morning after it had been announced by the media the previous evening.

"We intended to tell him later on Tuesday but the information leaked out," said Biscotto. "We didn't want him to find out through the media, unfortunately that's what happened."
 
Roth was visiting his family in Porto Alegre when he learned of his fate.

The decision came after Sunday's 2-0 defeat at Goias sent Flamengo back into the relegation zone of the Brazilian championship.

Flamengo are 19th in the 22-team table with 20 points from 20 games. The bottom four go down.

Flamengo, the club where Zico spent most of his career, were once regarded as Brazil's top club but recently have been routinely involved in the fight against relegation.

Julio Cesar Leal started the season in the hot seat but was fired after three games. He was replaced by Cuca, who was dismissed shortly before the start of the Brazilian championship in late April for publicly demanding new players.

The Brazilian championship, which has yet to reach the halfway mark, has already claimed 19 coaching victims.
 
-----------------------------------
Hodgson frontrunner to coach Finnish national team
 
(repeats with correct slug)

HELSINKI, Aug 16 (Reuters) - Former Blackburn Rovers and Inter Milan coach Roy Hodgson is the frontrunner to be the next coach of Finland's national soccer team, the head of the Finnish football association said in comments published on Tuesday.

"Talks with him have gone so well that choosing him is a likely solution," association president Pekka Hamalainen told Helsingin Sanomat daily. 
 
Hodgson, 58, is currently in charge at Norway's Viking Stavanger and would take over from 59-year-old Finn Jyrki Heliskoski, who was appointed caretaker coach for the rest of Finland's 2006 World Cup qualifying campaign.

"We have agreed with Viking on his transfer to Finland. So we have agreed on compensation. But talks with Hodgson have not been finalised," Hamalainen told Finnish news agency STT.

The association president was not immediately reachable for comment.

Viking had hoped to hang on to Hodgson until 2008, but had now given Finland permission to start talks with him, club Chairman Ole Rugland said in statement on Viking's Web site.

Hodgson achieved near-hero status in Switzerland after taking the national team to the World Cup finals in 1994.

"I have missed being a trainer of a national team," he said in a statement. "That has tempted me for a long time since the period with Switzerland."

Antti Muurinen, who had been in charge of the Finnish national team since 2000, was sacked in June after his team's hopes of reaching the World Cup finals were virtually ended in a 4-0 home defeat by the Netherlands.

Finland play their next qualifier against Macedonia on Wednesday. They are fourth in Group One, 13 points behind the Netherlands and 12 adrift of the Czech Republic.

(Additional reporting by Alister Doyle in Oslo)
 

Spurs striker Kanoute joins Sevilla
 
(Adds quotes from Sevilla sporting director)

MADRID, Aug 17 (Reuters) - Sevilla have signed Mali striker Frederic Kanoute on a four-year contract from Tottenham Hotspur for a fee of 6.5 million euros ($8 million), the Primera Liga club said on Wednesday.

Spurs said on their website the 27-year-old had agreed personal terms with Sevilla and would sign for the Spaniards subject to a successful medical.
 
Sevilla said they would present the player to the media at their Sanchez Pizjuan stadium at 0800 GMT on Thursday.

Kanoute, who joined Spurs in August 2003 from West Ham United, will compete with Argentine striker Javier Saviola and Brazilian forward Luis Fabiano for a place in the Sevilla attack.

The three players will attempt to fill the gap left by leading striker Julio Baptista, who signed for Real Madrid last month for a fee of up to 24.5 million euros.

Sevilla, who finished sixth last season to earn a place in the UEFA Cup for the second year in succession, said Kanoute was signed at the request of the club's technical staff and new coach Juande Ramos.

GREAT ATTACK

"He's going to bring us the sort of skills we thought the team needed," said Sevilla sporting director Ramon "Monchi" Rodriguez.

"He's tall, good in the air, skilful and strong and can play up front or just behind the lead striker. With the players we've signed we've now got a great attack and the coach will have plenty to choose from."

Kanoute began his career at Olympique Lyon and went on to becom an Under-21 international for France, although he later changed his allegiance to Mali for whom he played at the 2004 African Nations Cup.

The lanky striker moved to West Ham in 2000 but had an unsettled period at Upton Park blighted by injury and a lack of first team football.

He made the short trip across London to join Spurs after West Ham were relegated in 2003 and scored 21 goals in 72 appearances while at White Hart Lane.
 
-------------------------------
Villarreal defender Armando Sa set to move to Espanyol
 
MADRID, Aug 17 (Reuters) - Villarreal defender Armando Sa is set to join Espanyol on a two-year deal, the two Primera Liga sides said on Wednesday.

The 29-year-old Mozambique international joined Villarreal from Benfica at the start of last season and played 20 league games for the Mediterranean side.

However, coach Manuel Pellegrini made it clear that he was surplus to requirements following the recent signing of Dutch international fullback Jan Kromkamp.

Espanyol, who finished fifth in the league last season to earn a place in the UEFA Cup, have made six other signings in the close season including Argentine youth international Pablo Zabaleta and Real Madrid midfielder Juanfran.
-------------------------------
　新浪体育讯　8月18日，前意大利国门卢卡-马切吉亚尼宣布，由于无法找到一支新的球队效力，他决定结束自己的职业球员生涯。

　　马切吉亚尼生于1966年6月2日，今年39岁，上赛季他在意甲切沃队效力，在赛季结束后自由离队。在夏天的时候，马切吉亚尼试图为自己寻找新东家，但未能如愿，这使得他最终作出了告别绿茵场的决定。

　　“夏天的时候，曾经有一段时间，罗马队和我看起来将要达成一份协议，但最终什么都没有发生。”马切吉亚尼透露说，他职业生涯的巅峰时期是在拉齐奥度过的，凭借出色表现入选过意大利国家队。在1994年的美国世界杯上，由于主力门将帕柳卡在首场比赛中吃到红牌，马切吉亚尼曾短暂的接替主力国门位置。

　　在谈到自己挂靴的决定时，马切吉亚尼说，自己其实已经考虑了很久，即使退役，也不会离开足球圈。“我已经想了很长一段时间，现在我决定退出。我将继续学习，争取成为一名守门员教练。”-------------------------------
Benfica defender Miguel joins Valencia
 
LISBON, Aug 18 (Reuters) - Benfica defender Miguel Monteiro has joined Valencia of Spain on a five-year contract, the Lisbon club said on Thursday.

The 25-year-old international, who cancelled an extension of his contract to 2008 with the Portuguese champions, will complete the move after medical tests.

Benfica did not reveal the transfer fee, which has been put at eight million euros ($9.78 million) in Portuguese media reports.

Valencia have undergone a major overhaul following their disappointing seventh-place finish last season, with former player Quique Sanchez Flores taking over from Antonio Lopez as coach and a host of top-class new players joining the club.

Miguel is the fifth newcomer after Dutch striker Patrick Kluivert, Brazilian midfielder Edu, Spain centre-forward David Villa and Uruguay winger Mario Regueiro.
-----------------------------

Promoted Alaves sack coach after a month
 
(Adds background on Monfort, corrects spelling of surname)

MADRID, Aug 18 (Reuters) - Alaves have sacked coach Rafael Monfort just a week before the start of the Spanish season and a little over a month after he took charge of the promoted team.

Monfort, who was appointed to the post on July 6, will be replaced by former coach Chuchi Cos who steered the club to a return to the top flight last season.

A former Espanyol youth team coach, Monfort was in charge for just six pre-season friendly matches with a record of four wins, one draw and one defeat.

Alaves shot to fame when they reached the final of the UEFA Cup in a fairytale debut European campaign in 2001, losing 5-4 to Liverpool on the golden goal rule.

They were relegated two seasons later, but are now back in the Primera Liga after claiming the final promotion place in the second division.

The Basque side are controlled by the outspoken Ukrainian-born American entrepreneur Dimitry Piterman who took charge in July 2004 after buying a majority shareholding in the club.
 
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Czech striker Baros joins Aston Villa
 
(adds details, more quotes)

LONDON, Aug 23 (Reuters) - Czech Republic striker Milan Baros joined Aston Villa from European champions Liverpool for 6.5 million pounds ($11.69 million) on Tuesday.

The 23-year-old has signed a four-year contract with Villa.

"Of course, I am very pleased to join Villa. It is not easy to leave Liverpool but Villa are also a big club, so I am happy to come here," Baros told the Villa website.

"Hopefully, my best years are still to come. I am still young and very ambitious. I want to achieve things here with Aston Villa.

Baros said Villa manager David O'Leary and midfielder Patrik Berger, a fellow Czech, had influenced his decision to move clubs.

"I spoke to David O'Leary at length and he was a big factor in my deciding to come here," he said.

"It was a big decision for me, but if the manager wants you it is easier. I used to play alongside Patrik Berger at Liverpool and also with the Czech Republic and he said many good things about Villa.

"I think there are some quality players here and hopefully we can qualify to play in Europe next season."

Baros joined Liverpool from Banik Ostrava for 3.6 million pounds ($6.48 million) in December 2001 and was under contract with the club until 2007.

He has scored 25 goals in 40 appearances for the Czech Republic, including five at Euro 2004 in Portugal where he was the tournament's top scorer.

Baros will make his Villa debut at home to Blackburn Rovers on Saturday. O'Leary's side have lost one and drawn one of their first two games of the season. 
 

Israel coach Grant quits after World Cup failure
 
(adds quotes, detail, byline)

By Ori Lewis

TEL AVIV, Oct 26 (Reuters) - Israel coach Avraham Grant has resigned after failing to steer the country to the World Cup finals in Germany next year, the Israeli FA said on Wednesday.

Israel finished third in European zone Group Four behind France and Switzerland despite being unbeaten in their 10 World Cup qualifying matches after four wins and six draws.

The 50-year-old Grant had a one-hour meeting with Israeli FA chairman Itzhak Menahem where he handed in his notice. He said he was not prepared to continue with the uncertainty of whether he would be offered a third two-year term in the job.

"Enough. I am tired of the demonic dance (in the media over whether I will be offered a third term). I will not continue to coach the national team," Grant said in a statement to Israel's Channel 5.

Menahem said he was surprised by Grant's announcement but refused to answer repeated questions from reporters wanting to know whether he was disappointed with the coach's decision.

"The timing surprised me. On Monday I was due to name my candidate for the next two years...and we were due to announce whether Grant would continue. Now I will present his letter to the IFA secretariat," Menahem said.

Israel's veteran captain Avi Nimni expressed disappointment and said he was unlikely to continue his international career following Grant's departure.

"After all that has happened I am not surprised, it is a little disappointing for me and other players...he should be appreciated for bringing the respect which we have earned from our rivals in Europe. We must now look ahead to a new future," Nimni said.

Talk of a replacement for Grant and Menahem's refusal to silence those voices were the reason for Grant's decision. He said he would be willing to stay until his contract expires next June.

Media reports in Israel have said that Grant has been linked with a move abroad or possibly to a high-paying position with Betar Jerusalem who have recently been acquired by big-spending Russian tycoon Arakdy Gaidamak.

The prime candidate to take over from Grant is Hapoel Tel Aviv coach Dror Kashtan whose defensive and counter-attacking style led his club to the quarter-finals of the UEFA Cup in 2001.

A Hapoel official said on Wednesday that Kashtan would be expected to honour his contract which ends in June.

Grant got the Israel job only after Kashtan could not agree personal terms with the IFA in 2002 and has held the post since May that year when he left Maccabi Haifa to replace Dane Richard Moeller Nielsen.

Moeller Nielsen quit after Israel just missed out on a playoff place in Euro 2004 qualifying.
 
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Troussier named as Morocco's national coach
 
(Updates with appointment, adds byline, changes dateline)

By Michel Debono

RABAT, Oct 26 (Reuters) - Frenchman Philippe Troussier has been confirmed as the new coach of Morocco's national team.
 
A spokesman at the Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) said on Wednesday that Troussier had signed a five-year deal through to the 2010 World Cup finals worth 50,000 euros ($60,330) a month plus bonuses.

The 50-year-old Frenchman will have the title of General Manager and National Coach. Earlier this week, the FRMF appointed French-Moroccan Nasser Larguet as technical manager of the squad.

Troussier replaces Badou Zaki who resigned earlier this month after Morocco failed to qualify for the 2006 World Cup finals in Germany.

The move represents something of a home-coming for Troussier, nicknamed the "white witchdoctor" for his successes working in African soccer, coaching in Ivory Coast, Nigeria and South Africa as well as Japan, Qatar and his native France.

He also coached South Africa and Japan at the 1998 and 2002 World Cup tournaments respectively.

Troussier had a brief spell working in Morocco in the mid-1990s, taking the second division outfit FUS Rabat to the Throne Cup title in 1995 and has always kept a home in the country.

He will take charge of a side made up mainly of French-based professionals who were unlucky to miss out on a World Cup place and will be looking to make amends in the African Nations Cup in Egypt next year.
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Real Madrid sack coach Luxemburgo
 
(Adds quotes, paras 3-5)

By Simon Baskett

MADRID, Dec 4 (Reuters) - Real Madrid coach Vanderlei Luxemburgo was sacked on Sunday just over 11 months after taking charge of the nine-times European champions.

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The 53-year-old Brazilian, who was Real's fifth coach in the space of two and a half years, was dismissed following an emergency board meeting at the club's Bernabeu stadium.

"The Real Madrid board has decided that Vanderlei Luxemburgo will not continue as coach of the first team," club vice-president Emilio Butragueno told a news conference.

"It wasn't an easy decision, but the board considered that we had reached a point where we needed a change.

"The team were not living up to expectations and that worried both us and the fans and that was the fundamental reason for our decision, which was unanimous."

The announcement came a day after Real's lacklustre 1-0 win at home to Getafe, but the detonating factor was a humiliating 3-0 home defeat by arch-rivals Barcelona two weeks ago.

Butragueno said Luxemburgo's four Brazilian assistants would also be dismissed and that reserve team coach Juan Ramon Lopez Caro would take over on a caretaker basis.

He added that a decision on a definitive replacement would be made in the next few weeks.

Juventus boss Fabio Capello, who led Real to the league title in 1997, former Celta Vigo and Porto coach Victor Fernandez, England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson and Liverpool's Rafael Benitez have all been mooted as possible long-term replacements for Luxemburgo.

The former Brazil and Santos coach was appointed at the end of December 2004 in place of Mariano Garcia Remon when the club was in fifth place in the Primera Liga, 13 points behind arch-rivals Barcelona.

He leaves the team in fourth place in the standings with 25 points from 14 games, six behind joint leaders Barcelona and Osasuna. Real have also booked their place in the last 16 of the Champions League.

The Brazilian got off to a dream start at Real when his side snatched victory in a frantic seven-minute mini-match against Real Sociedad and then went on to win seven league games in a row.

However, his brief honeymoon period came to an end when Real were knocked out of both the King's Cup and the Champions League, though the team recovered in the league to finish four points behind champions Barcelona.

The club then spent nearly 90 million euros ($105.3 million) in reconstructing the squad during the close season, bringing in Brazilian strikers Robinho and Julio Baptista, the promising Spanish international defender Sergio Ramos and Uruguayan duo Pablo Garcia and Carlos Diogo.

But the expensive makeover failed to bring about an improvement in the team's performances and they slumped to defeats against Olympique Lyon, Celta Vigo and Espanyol in the opening weeks of the season.

Injuries to a succession of leading players did not help Real but more than anything it has been the side's lack of flair that has caused consternation among directors and fans alike.

Further defeats against Valencia and Deportivo Coruna and their 3-0 thrashing by Barcelona at the Bernabeu in which fans ended the game applauding the opposition and whistling the home players further undermined confidence in Luxemburgo.

Outwardly the club expressed its faith in the feisty Brazilian, but his failure to deliver the stylish victories that the club demanded meant that his days were numbered.

Saturday's narrow victory over modest local rivals Getafe, which was not helped by David Beckham's second half dismissal and ended with more jeering for the home side, finally sealed his fate.

Real have failed to live up to their "Galactico" billing ever since Vicente del Bosque was discarded in July 2003 after steering the club to two European Cups and two league titles. They have not won a major trophy since the former midfielder was cast aside.

Since then the club has gone through four other coaches in an attempt to find a person capable of getting a star-studded squad that includes the likes of Ronaldo, Zinedine Zidane, Beckham and Robinho to live up to expectations.

The task now falls to Lopez Caro, a 42-year-old who has excelled as coach of the club's reserve team Real Madrid Castilla but who has no experience of the Spanish top flight.
 
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Naval coach Cajuda resigns
 
December 5, 2005
LISBON (AFP) - Manuel Cajuda said he has quit as coach of Portuguese first division club Naval following a string of disappointing results which have left the club in the relegation zone.

"I decided to meet with the president of the club after reflecting on our four consecutive losses and we felt this was the most lucid thing to do," he told Lisbon-based news radio TSF on Monday.

Naval currently lie in 15th place in the 18-team league with 11 points from 13 matches following a 1-0 home loss on Saturday to Academica.

Cajuda is the fifth coaching casualty of the season. He will be temporarily replaced by club officials until a new coach is found.

 
Ex-Brazil coach Lazaroni fired by Juventude
 
RIO DE JANEIRO, Oct 5 (Reuters) - Former Brazil and Jamaica coach Sebastiao Lazaroni has been fired by Juventude after Tuesday's 3-2 defeat at Ponte Preta in the Brazilian championship, the club's official website said Wednesday.

Lazaroni, who had been in charge for 16 games, became the third coach to leave the club since the competition started on April 23. He had replaced Zetti, who lasted only four games in the hot seat.

Lazaroni coached Brazil at the 1990 World Cup, when they were knocked out in the second round, and last year coached Jamaica in the qualifying competition for the 2006 World Cup.

He resigned after the Reggae Boyz failed to make the final stage of the CONCACAF qualifiers.

The Brazilian championship has claimed 28 coaching victims in 30 rounds of matches. Juventude, who are 16th in the 22-team table, said Valteir Gomes Franco would take over on an interim basis.
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Guidolin confirmed as new Monaco coach
 
October 4, 2005
MONACO (AFP) - Italian Francesco Guidolin has been appointed coach of French first division side Monaco on a two year deal, club chairman Michel Pastor confirmed.

Guidolin, 50, takes over from former France captain Didier Deschamps who quit the Riviera outfit on September 19.

Guidolin coached Italian side Palermo for the 2005-2005 season and helped them qualify for the UEFA Cup for the first time in their history.
 
He had been appointed to promoted Serie A side Genoa at the beginning of the season, but broke his contract when the club were demoted to the third division for match-fixing, and had been without a club since then.

Deschamps' deputy Jean Petit had been acting as Monaco caretaker coach for the past three weeks but insisted he would not continue beyond last Sunday's 1-0 league win over Lille, which lifted the club to 11th in the table.

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Former PSG coach Halilhodzic signs with Trabzonspor
 
ISTANBUL, Oct 2 (Reuters) - Former Paris St Germain coach Vahid Halilhodzic signed a one-year contract with Turkey's Trabzonspor on Sunday, Anatolian news agency said.

The Bosnian-born 53-year-old replaces Senol Gunes who resigned last month.

Halilhodzic told a news conference he would start duty next Thursday at Trabzonspor, who are seventh in the Turkish Premier League.

"Trabzonspor are a club that I know of. They are one of the biggest four clubs in Turkey," he said.

Halilhodzic, a former Nantes striker, steered PSG to victory in the French Cup in 2004 but was sacked by the Paris club last February. He had previously coached Lille and Stade Rennes in France.
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Sadukov named Lokomotiv Plovdiv coach
 
SOFIA, Oct 5 (Reuters) - Bulgaria's Lokomotiv Plovdiv have named Ayan Sadukov as their new coach in place of the sacked Eduard Eranosyan, the club said on Wednesday.

The former Bulgarian champions made the switch late on Tuesday after being knocked out of the UEFA Cup last week.

"Eranosyan has been sacked for poor results and for making unacceptable statements," club chief executive Emil Nakov told reporters.

Eranosyan made disparaging remarks about the future of the club following the shooting death of president Georgi Iliev last month.

Sadukov, 44, returns to the club for a second spell.
 
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Bottom Belgian club La Louviere sack coach
 
BRUSSELS, Oct 4 (Reuters) - La Louviere, bottom of the Belgian championship, have sacked coach Emilio Ferrera.

The decision was taken at a meeting on Monday night, the club said on their website.

La Louviere have taken only four points from nine games this season and have yet to win.

They were beaten 3-0 at home by FC Brussels on Saturday.
 
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New Monaco coach Francesco Guidolin
 
MILAN, Oct 4 (Reuters) - Factbox on Monaco's new Italian coach Francesco Guidolin who was appointed on Tuesday.

1955: Born in Castelfranco, in the Veneto region of Italy's north-east

1975: Makes debut as a player in Serie A for Hellas Verona. A hardworking midfielder, he stays with the club until 1984 although had seasons loaned out at Sambenedettese (77-78), Pistoise (79-80) and Bologna (82-83). He ends his career with two seasons at Venezia before retiring from professional playing in 1986

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1988: Begins coaching career with fourth division (Serie C2) team Giorgione

1989: Coach of Treviso (Serie C2)

1990: Fano (Serie C1)

1991: Empoli (Serie C1)

1992: Ravenna (Serie C1)

1993: Gets his Serie A chance with Atalanta Bergamo but experience is shortlived and he is replaced after just two wins in 10 games

1994-95: Takes Vicenza to promotion from Serie B

1996-97: Leads Vicenza to first major honour with an Italian Cup win in 1997

1997-98: Vicenza reach semi-finals of European Cup Winners' Cup where they are defeated over two legs by Chelsea

1998-99: In charge of Udinese, takes them to sixth in Serie A.

1999: Joins Bologna where he is in charge for four seasons

2003-04: Moves down to Serie B to take over at ambitious Palermo and leads them to promotion ending three decades of exile from top flight

2004-05: Palermo exceed all expectations on their return to Serie A and finish sixth, earning a place in the UEFA Cup for the first time in their history

July 2005: Joins Genoa, who won promotion from Serie B, but never actually takes charge of the team as club is demoted to Serie C1 after investigations found evidence of match-fixing in their final game of last season

October 2005: Appointed new coach of French club Monaco, replacing Didier Deschamps who resigned in September.

 

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Japanese icon 'Kazu' set to sign for Aussie A-League club
 
October 4, 2005
SYDNEY (AFP) - Decorated Japanese footballer Kazuyoshi 'Kazu' Miura is expected to become Australian A-League club Sydney FC's second big foreign signing.

Miura, a former Asian player of the year who represented Japan in 91 internationals and was the first Japanese footballer to play professionally in Europe, is likely to link with Sydney FC's other high-profile signing former Manchester United striker Dwight Yorke.

While in the twilight of a career which featured stints with Genoa in Italy's Serie A and Croatia's Dinamo Zagreb, Miura, 38, remains one of the most charismatic personalities in Japanese football.

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Sydney FC want to secure 'Kazu' for the world club championships in Tokyo in December.

Sydney FC chief executive Tim Parker said Tuesday he expected Kazu, playing for Yokohama FC in the J-League second division, to sign with the club in the next few weeks as the league's first guest player.

Miura would be available to play up to four A-League games as part of the short-term loan. He would also be available for the world club championships.

Sydney FC are hoping that with Australia officially joining the Asian confederation from January 1 the inclusion of Miura will give the club a major boost in the lucrative Asian market.

"For Sydney FC it's a double-whammy, what he can do for us on the pitch is one thing, what he can do for us off the pitch in terms of getting Japanese support behind the club is another," Parker said Tuesday.

"Asia is a very important audience for us long term, we want to build all the bridges we can there.

"So if we can go over there with a squad that is as strong as ours is normally, and we can add to that and show that we can embrace and understand another country and its football culture, so much the better."

Sydney coach Pierre Littbarski, a former World Cup winner with Germany, was manager of Yokohama last year and has been negotiating with Miura for several months.

Yokohama vice-president Hisao Sakamoto said Tuesday the clubs had reached a verbal agreement on a short-term loan.

"No contract has been signed yet but we have reached a basic accord. I don't think there will be any reverse now," Sakamoto said.
 
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Former Genoa and Tunisia coach Scoglio dies
 
ROME, Oct 3 (Reuters) - Former Genoa and Tunisia coach Franco Scoglio has died after being taken ill during a live television broadcast, the Italian news agency ANSA reported on Monday.

The 64-year-old Scoglio was taking part in a lively telephone debate with Genoa president Enrico Preziosi on the private television station First Channel.

The transmission was stopped when he started to feel unwell and the emergency services called but Scoglio died in the studio. The cause of his death has not yet been confirmed.

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Scoglio, nicknamed 'The Professor', began his coaching career as head of Reggina's youth team in 1972.

After years of working in the lower reaches of Italy's professional game he finally arrived in the top flight in 1988, winning the Serie B title with Genoa before avoiding relegation from Serie A the next season.

A decade of moving between jobs in the top two divisions followed, including top-flight stints with Bologna and Torino.

Scoglio then moved on to the international stage when he took charge of Tunisia in 1998.

He led Tunisia to fourth place in the 2000 African Nations Cup before returning to Genoa a year later.

But Scoglio soon packed his bags again for north Africa, this time to take over as coach of Libya.

His tenure lasted less than a year and in September 2002 he was sacked amid media reports he had fallen out with top international Al-Saadi Gaddafi, the son of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.
 
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Sparta Prague fire coach after poor run
 
PRAGUE, Oct 3 (Reuters) - Czech champions Sparta Prague have fired coach Jarosalv Hrebik after a series of losses, team boss Daniel Kretinsky said on Monday.

No replacement has been appointed but the club is in talks with several Czech and Slovak coaches and will pick one by the end of the week, Kretinsky said.

Sparta have only one point from their two Champions League Group B matches so far and are ninth in the domestic league.

They have also lost captain Karel Poborsky, now on loan with second division Ceske Budejovice for opposing Hrebik.
 
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Zafran quits as coach of struggling Sakhnin
 
By Ori Lewis

JERUSALEM, Sept 25 (Reuters) - Momi Zafran became the second coaching casualty of the Israeli Premier League season when he quit as boss of strugglers Bnei Sakhnin on Sunday after only six months in charge.

Zafran cited pressure from the club's supporters as the reason behind his decision, adding that he would not reconsider his position despite pleas to do so by the club's management.
 
"There is a very divisive atmosphere in (the town of) Sakhnin and I do not want to stay on in a place where I do not feel welcome," Zafran said on Sunday.

Betar Jerusalem coach Eli Ohana resigned earlier this month after just one match this season, saying he did not want to continue working under the club's new owner.

Zafran guided Sakhnin to Premier League promotion at the end of the 2002-03 season but then resigned after saying they had no chance of surviving in the top flight without a proper financial base.

Sakhnin, the only Arab club in the Israeli Premier League, are without a point this season after scoring just two goals in three league matches. They are bottom in the 12-team standings.

Zafran replaced former coach Eyal Lachman in April and helped the club avoid relegation for the second season in a row.

Lachman was appointed following Zafran's resignation at the end of the 2002-2003 season and led the club to unprecedented success when they won the State Cup in 2004.

It was the first time a club representing Israel's minority Arab sector had won the coveted trophy and earned them a spot in last season's UEFA Cup where they became the first Arab team to play in a European competition.