Soccer Capsules: Togo team bus attacked in Angola; 9 hurt, 1 dead
LUANDA, Angola — Gunmen in an area plagued by separatist violence used machine guns to open fire Friday on a bus carrying Togo’s national soccer team to a tournament in this southwest African country, killing the driver and wounding at least nine people, including two players.
Some players said they wanted to pull out of the African Cup of Nations tournament following the violence, but an official in Angola said it would go ahead as planned.
Togo’s bus in a convoy from Congo was six miles across the border in Angola when it came under fire. The bus driver died in the 30-minute ambush, according to Togo captain Emmanuel Adebayor, who was not hurt.
"We were machine-gunned like dogs," Togo player Thomas Dossevi, who plays for French club Nantes, told Radio Monte Carlo. "They were armed to the teeth ... We spent 20 minutes underneath the seats of the bus."
The wounded were taken to a hospital in Cabinda, and Portugal’s state-run Lusa news agency said it received a communication from the region’s main separatist group, FLEC, claiming to have carried out the attack.
Human Rights Watch called the apparent rebel attack "shocking." The New York-based rights group said a 2006 peace agreement between Angola’s government and a faction of the separatist Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda was supposed to end conflict in the area, but "sporadic attacks on government forces and expatriate workers have continued."
In Togo, the government put the total number of injured at nine, and said the slain driver was Angolan.
Togo said it was dispatching a delegation to Pointe Noire in Congo, where the Togolese team was holed up.
Togo Football Federation vice president Gabriel Ameyi said the team should have flown to Angola instead of traveling by road. He said defender Serge Akakpo and backup goalkeeper Obilale Kossi were among those hurt.
FC Vaslui said on its Web site that the 22-year-old Akakpo, who joined the Romanian club from Auxerre last year, was hit by two bullets and lost a lot of blood but was now out of danger.
Midfielder Alaixys Romao felt Togo should not go ahead with the tournament.
"If we can boycott it, let’s do it," Romao told French TV channel Infosport. "It’s just not on for us to be shot at because of a football match. All I can think about is stopping this competition and going home."
Dossevi agreed: "We don’t want to play this African Cup of Nations," he told Infosport. "We’re thinking about our teammates — to be hit by bullets when you’ve come to play football is disgusting."
The 16-team African championship starts Sunday in Angola, with Togo due to play its opening match on Monday against Ghana in Cabinda.
Togo captain Adebayor told the BBC that a lot of players want to leave "because they have seen their death already."
The African Football Confederation (CAF) condemned the attack against the Togolese delegation and held an emergency meeting. A delegation of Angolan officials and a CAF delegation will go to Cabinda on Saturday, while the Angolan Prime Minister will meet CAF president Issa Hayatou "to take decisions to guarantee the smooth running of the competition."
FIFA also expressed "utmost sympathy" in a statement and said it expected a report from CAF.
A senior member of the local organizing committee, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the press, said the tournament would go ahead as planned. He said Ivory Coast, considered the top African team, arrived early Friday in Cabinda, where Togo was also to be based as part of Group B. Burkina Faso had been there since Jan. 2, and Ghana was the other group member.
Even if the tournament goes ahead, the attack was a major blow to host Angola.
Angola has been struggling to climb back from decades of violence, and its government was clearly banking on the tournament as a chance to show the world it was on the way to recovery. A building boom fueled by oil wealth has included new stadiums in Cabinda and three other cities for the tournament.
But Cabinda, Angola’s main oil-producing region, has been plagued by unrest. Human rights groups have accused the military of atrocities and claim government officials have embezzled millions of dollars in oil revenue. The government has denied the charges.
The simmering violence in Cabinda is separate from a larger civil war that broke out after independence from Portugal in 1975. An anti-colonial war had begun in the southern African country in the 1960s. Major fighting ended in 2002.
Before leaving for the tournament, Adebayor was asked by British journalists whether he had any reservations about playing in the politically unstable Cabinda region of Angola.
"We were born in Africa so we know what it’s about. Some people might be afraid which is normal, I can understand that. But I’m going back to Africa, to one of the countries on my continent, and I’m prepared for Cabinda. I will enjoy myself," the former Arsenal forward said.
English Premier League club Portsmouth, which has four players in Angola, said it was considering withdrawing its players.
"We have asked the (English) Football Association to ask FIFA how safe it is and to guarantee the safety of our players," Portsmouth spokesman Gary Double told The Associated Press. "Our players’ safety is paramount, and if that can’t be guaranteed the players should be sent home."
It was the second major gun attack on a sports team in less than a year. Several players were injured and six policemen were killed when gunmen opened fire on the Sri Lankan cricket team’s bus in Lahore, Pakistan, in March 2009.
The violence also comes five months before the World Cup in South Africa, the first to be held on the continent. The biggest concern leading to that 32-nation tournament has been the security situation in South Africa, a country with one of the world’s highest crime rates.
Togo, which played at the 2006 World Cup, did not qualify for this year’s tournament in South Africa.
Pompey: Africans should return if Angola unsafe
LONDON— Portsmouth wants its players at the African Cup of Nations brought back if their safety can't be guaranteed, while Manchester City is also seeking assurances after the Togo team bus was attacked on Friday.
But Premier League leader Chelsea, which has four players at the tournament, said it was confident that competition organizers could safeguard its players.
City striker Emmanuel Adebayor was on the Togo bus which came under machine gun fire as it was traveling to the tournament in Angola, though the player was uninjured.
Portsmouth has Nwankwo Kanu with Nigeria, Aruna Dindane with the Ivory Coast, and both Nadir Belhadj and Hassan Yebda in the Algeria squad.
"We have asked the (English) Football Association to ask FIFA how safe it is and to guarantee the safety of our players," Portsmouth spokesman Gary Double told The Associated Press. "Our players safety is paramount and if that can't be guaranteed the players should be sent home."
City, which also has captain Kolo Toure with the Ivory Coast, said on its Web site: "We are currently in talks with the Football Association over what may happen next."
"We are clearly concerned about the situation," City told the AP.
Chelsea has sent Ivory Coast forwards Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou, Nigeria midfielder John Obi Mikel and Ghana midfielder Michael Essien to the competition in Angola.
"We are sure that the national federations and authorities are taking every necessary security precautions to ensure the safety of players and playing staff," the club said.
-- Rob Harris
U.S. and Mexico soccer
Suazo moves to Zaragoza from Monterrey
MEXICO CITY — Chile international Humberto Suazo, who led Monterrey to Mexico's league title just a month ago, is transfering to Spanish club Zaragoza.
The 28-year-old striker said when the season ended that he wanted to move to Europe and did not expect to return to the Mexican club.
Monterrey said Friday Suazo will go to the Spanish team on loan, but Zaragoza will have an option to buy his contract when the deal ends on May 31. Spanish news reports said Monterrey was asking $10 million for his contract.
Charlie Davies visits U.S. soccer team
CARSON, Calif. — Injured forward Charlie Davies has visited the U.S. soccer team at its hotel near training camp as he recuperates from injuries sustained in a car crash last October.
The 23-year-old broke several bones, including two in his right leg, and injured his bladder last Oct. 13 during the accident in the Washington, D.C., area. The U.S. Soccer Federation said he planned to return to Delaware after Friday's visit to continue rehabilitation.
Davies, who played for Boston College, is expected to miss the World Cup because of his injuries. He is in his first season with France's Sochaux.
A group of American players from Major League Soccer and Scandinavian clubs on break is preparing for a Jan. 23 exhibition against Honduras in Carson.
Red Bulls sign Costa Rican defender Roy Miller
SECAUCUS, N.J. — Defender Roy Miller, a veteran of the Costa Rica national team, has signed with the New York Red Bulls.
The Major League Soccer team announced the deal Friday, noting that Miller will be added to its roster after he gets visa approval, passes a physical and the club receives his International Transfer Certificate.
The 25-year-old Miller was acquired from Norwegian Premier League club Rosenborg. He most recently was on loan to Orgryte in the Swedish first division.
Miller started his career with Cartagines in Costa Rica in 2001 before moving onto Norway's Bodo-Glimt in 2005. The defender earned 12 caps playing for the Costa Rica national team.
U.S. talking to El Salvador about exhibition
CHICAGO — The U.S. soccer team may play an exhibition at home against El Salvador on Feb. 24 as the Americans prepare for their sixth straight World Cup appearance.
The United States opens its 2010 schedule Jan. 23 against fellow World Cup qualifier Honduras in Carson, Calif., then meets the Netherlands in Amsterdam on March 3, the only day before May that clubs are required to release players to national teams.
The U.S. Soccer Federation said Friday that El Salvador was among several teams it was speaking with for a February match.
At the World Cup in South Africa, the U.S. opens against England on June 12, meets Slovenia six days later and closes the first round against Algeria on June 23.
U.S. women assemble experienced camp for Algarve Cup
CHICAGO — Abby Wambach, Lori Chalupny and Shannon Boxx are among the 26 players called into the United States’ 20-day training camp in California ahead of the Algarve Cup.
The U.S. will scrimmage North Korea twice during the Jan. 17-Feb. 4 camp in Carson.
Also in the group assembled by coach Pia Sundhage are Cat Whitehill (130 appearances for the U.S.), Heather O’Reilly (116) and Heather Mitts (104). Only Wambach, with 131, has more caps among called-up players.
Goalkeeper Jillian Loyden, the professional backup to U.S. starter Hope Solo, is making her first U.S. camp appearance.
The U.S. lost to Sweden on penalties in the final of the Portuguese tournament last year. The Americans will face Sweden, Sundhage’s home country, in the group stage.
AP source: Fox negotiating to buy Setanta USA
NEW YORK — Fox Sports International is negotiating a purchase of Setanta Sports USA or many of its soccer rights, according to a person familiar with the talks, a possible prelude to launching the company’s second all-soccer network in the United States.
Negotiations were ongoing and could be completed within days, the person said Friday, speaking on condition of anonymity because no announcement had been made.
Premier League games were dropped this week from the schedule on Setanta USA’s Web site, but on Friday two games were restored for the weekend: Arsenal vs. Everton on Saturday and West Ham vs. Wolverhampton on Sunday. The Web site EPL Talk, which first reported on the talks, said this week that a Fox company had obtained a trademark for the name "Fox Soccer Plus."
The deal being discussed would give Fox Sports International increased distribution of England’s Premier League, the most-watched soccer league worldwide. Fox Sports International. a division of News Corp., owns the U.S. broadcast rights through 2012-13 and televises matches on Fox Soccer Channel. It has been televising the Premier League in the U.S. since 1998 and sublicensees some of the games to Setanta USA and ESPN2, which is televising 48 matches this season.
Fox also owns U.S. rights to England’s Football Association Cup, Italy’s Serie A and the European Champions League, which it took over this season from ESPN. British Sky Broadcasting Group, another company affiliated with News Corp., dominates English Premier League rights.
Setanta USA has rights to the English League Championship, the English League Cup and several other soccer properties.
Fox Soccer Channel says it is about to starting to broadcast in high definition, although its unclear which cable systems will carry it.
-- Ronald Blum
World Cup
African teams eye next step: winning the World Cup
JOHANNESBURG — Now that an African country has won the right to host the World Cup, the next step is for one of the continent’s teams to win the trophy.
Whether that day will come on July 11 in South Africa is uncertain, but some certainly think the opportunity is there for the taking.
"When I say this people laugh, but I believe it," former Ghana great Abedi Pele said. "But here in Africa we will definitely have one team that will go far — and when I say go far, I mean as far as getting the trophy."
Including host South Africa, the continent will have six teams competing at the World Cup this year against traditional powers such as Brazil, Italy and Germany. But not all Africans think Cameroon, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Ghana and Algeria can win this time around.
Former African Player of the Year Patrick Mboma of Cameroon is skeptical because of the nature of African soccer management.
"You are forgetting that these players hail from African soccer federations, hence there is a lot of disorganization," Mboma said. "That’s why Africa will always fall short of glory."
Former England coach Steve McClaren, however, believes it’s just a matter of time before an African team succeeds on soccer’s biggest stage.
"In the future, an African team can win the World Cup," McClaren told The Associated Press. "Whether that will be World Cup 2010, it is hard to predict."
Five of Africa’s six World Cup qualifiers will get a chance to showcase their ability at this month’s African Cup of Nations in Angola. Players including Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba and midfielder Michael Essien, and Cameroon forward Samuel Eto’o will be representing their countries at the 16-team tournament. South Africa failed to qualify.
African teams have never before reached the semifinals at a World Cup, but Cameroon made the quarterfinals in 1990 and Senegal matched that in 2002.
But more than mere sporting glory, African soccer confederation president Issa Hayatou is looking at the World Cup in South Africa to help the continent achieve economic development.
"This World Cup will inspire hope and aspiration throughout Africa," Hayatou said.
-- Bruce Mutsvairo
League/Cup Previews
United not buying despite injury problems, slump
LONDON — Hampered by injury absentees and a humiliating FA Cup exit, Manchester United faces a tricky match at Birmingham in the Premier League on Saturday.
The cup loss to third-tier Leeds capped a patchy first half of the season for United, which remains second in the standings in its bid for a fourth straight Premier League title.
United's dip in form is reflected in its last 11 league results, compared with those of newly promoted Birmingham. Both sides have won seven, but while United has lost four, Birmingham is unbeaten after four draws.
Injuries are adding to United's problems, with Nemanja Vidic being ruled out for 10 days after tweaking a nerve in his leg and joining fellow center back Rio Ferdinand on the sidelines.
Manager Alex Ferguson insists there are funds available for reinforcements, but says he won't rush to make any signings in the January transfer window.
"I can't see any real diamonds," Ferguson said Friday. "We've got the money — there's no question about that. I just don't see that player that can make a difference to us in terms of value and availability."
Midfielder Ryan Giggs, a veteran of every Premier League campaign, remains confident United can lift a 19th English title, with United just two points behind leader Chelsea.
"It has always been the same. One defeat and it is a disaster. That is never going to change," Giggs said. "But we don't get carried away with that, just the same as we wouldn't get carried away if we had won 10 on the bounce.
"It is up to us to work hard and get back to winning ways because we are still in a strong position."
For its part, Birmingham can make club history Saturday by going 12 matches undefeated.
"It's always nice to break a record but at the end of the day we know at some stage we will lose a match," said manager Alex McLeish, whose eighth-place side is just three points behind the European places.
The match at St. Andrew's is set to survive Britain's coldest conditions for more than 30 years. But three other Saturday fixtures have fallen victim to the weather — Fulham vs. Portsmouth, Burnley vs. Stoke and Sunderland vs. Bolton — and Sunday's match between Liverpool and Tottenham has been postponed because of safety concerns over the icy roads and paths leading to Anfield.
Chelsea begins a run of league matches at Hull without four key African players. Top scorer Didier Drogba, along with fellow striker Salomon Kalou and midfielders Michael Essien and John Mikel Obi, will be absent for much of this month because of the African Cup of Nations.
Manager Carlo Ancelotti believes Nicolas Anelka, who has recovered from a hamstring injury, and 20-year-old forward Daniel Sturridge can help fill the void left by Drogba and Kalou.
"Anelka is a very important player for us," Ancelotti said. "He has shown he can play with Didier in attack and without him. He played the first three games in the Champions League without Didier and he did very well for us."
Arsenal had to call off its match against Bolton on Wednesday, but remains hopeful that Emirates Stadium can host Everton. Arsenal, which thrashed the Merseyside club 6-1 on the opening day of the season, is four points behind Chelsea with a game in hand but will be without injured captain Cesc Fabregas.
Everton striker Landon Donovan could make the first appearance of his 10-week loan from the Los Angeles Galaxy.
"He has had a month's holiday off the back-end of their season and to put him back in after five days' training is not really the right thing to do, but the needs are at this present time that we might need to do that," manager David Moyes said.
"It will be very difficult for any player coming from another country to deliver straight away but hopefully he can help us in some of the cups and the league. If it doesn't work for him then at least we've given it a go and tried it."
In Saturday's other scheduled match, sixth-place Aston Villa is at Wigan, while relegation-threatened sides West Ham and Wolverhampton are due to meet at Upton Park on Sunday.
Patrick Vieira could make his Manchester City debut on Monday against Blackburn after the France midfielder joined the fifth-place club in an initial six-month deal on Friday.
-- Rob Harris
Britain’s deep freeze hits Premier League games
LONDON — Britain’s cold weather disrupted the weekend Premier League schedule and forced five matches to be called off Friday by clubs concerned about icy roads and railway delays to stadiums.
Four matches scheduled for Saturday — leader Chelsea’s trip to Hull, Fulham against Portsmouth, Burnley against Stoke and Sunderland against Bolton — have been postponed.
Liverpool’s match against Tottenham on Sunday was called off because of icy conditions on the roads outside Anfield.
Wigan’s home game against Aston Villa is in doubt after the underground heating at the DW Stadium failed Friday. A field inspection will be held early Saturday.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger remains hopeful that Saturday’s home match against Everton will go ahead despite Emirates Stadium officials calling off the game with Bolton on Wednesday just 4 hours before kickoff.
While most fields are playable, there is widespread disruption on the railways and roads. But Wenger is unhappy at the caution exercised by clubs.
"It is the price we pay for living in a society where everybody wants 100 percent security," Wenger said. "Nobody accepts any risk any more and everybody is always guided by fear."
Wenger added that if a match is called off, the whole program should be rescheduled.
Six of the 10 League Championship matches were affected by the country’s coldest spell for more than 30 years. The freezing conditions have also wreaked havoc on the fourth round of the Scottish Cup, with the majority of the 16 matches called off.
Some horse racing in Britain has also been canceled.
Egypt eyes historic treble at African Cup
LUANDA, Angola — Having failed to qualify for the first World Cup on African soil, Egypt will have to settle for a chance to win an unprecedented third straight title at the African Cup of Nations.
Egypt, which hasn't played in a World Cup since 1990 and will miss this year's showcase in South Africa, won the continental title at home in 2006 and then again in Ghana two years ago.
"Winning a third successive title would be an unprecedented achievement," Egypt assistant coach Shawki Gharib said. "We might wait a 100 more years to have such a chance again, so we should be fully focused on doing our best in Angola."
At this year's tournament, which starts Sunday and runs until Jan. 31, the six-time champions will face strong competition from Ivory Coast and Cameroon.
Egypt has several experienced players, including Borussia Dortmund striker Mohamed Zidan. It will be without injured playmaker Mohamed Aboutrika and Mido, who was omitted from Shehata's squad.
Egypt opens against Nigeria on Tuesday in Group C. With John Obi Mikel and Taye Taiwo in the squad, Nigeria qualified for the World Cup at the expense of Tunisia and will be hoping to add a third continental title to victories in 1980 and 1994.
Of the six African teams that have qualified for the World Cup, only South Africa will be missing from the tournament in Angola. The other five — Algeria, Cameroon, Ghana, Ivory Coast and Nigeria — will all be among the favorites this month.
Ivory Coast is in Group B with Burkina Faso, Togo and Ghana. The Ivorians, who have not won the title since 1992, were also considered favorites two years ago but lost to Egypt in the semifinals.
"This generation has a responsibility," Ivory Coast coach Vahid Halilhodzic said. "They do not have to fail like the previous teams because they have learned from past mistakes. Today they have the arduous task of bringing glory to the land especially in the face of hope and expectancy."
Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba is confident his team can avoid the problems it faced last time in Ghana.
"We will treat every opponent with respect, humility and seriousness," the Chelsea star said. "There is no room for complacency like in Ghana. No game is won in advance."
Chelsea's Ghana midfielder Michael Essien, out with a hamstring injury since December, is still doubtful but the Black Stars will count on Asamoah Gyan and Andre Ayew — a member of the under-20 team that won last year's World Cup — to overcome their injury crisis.
Cameroon, which lost to Egypt in the 2008 final, will be looking for a fifth continental title and will face Gabon, Tunisia and Zambia in Group D. The Indomitable Lions were last in their qualifying group when former Paris Saint-Germain, Rangers and Lyon coach Paul Le Guen took over, stripping defender Rigobert Song of the captaincy and giving it to Inter Milan striker Samuel Eto'o.
Song will play in the African tournament for a record eighth time in a row.
Angola will be trying to become the 12th host country to lift the trophy since 1957. The Black Antelopes won't have an easy task after being drawn in a difficult Group A with Algeria, Mali and Malawi.
Angola will take on Mali in Sunday's tournament opener with striker Flavio and midfielder Stelvio doubtful after picking up injuries during friendly games.
"My main concern is to know if Flavio will be able to play," Angola coach Manuel Jose said. "With Stelvio, they are important members of our team because we don't have star players and we need all our key elements to make our team work."
-- Samuel Petrequin
Iraq clubs disqualified from AFC Cup
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — Iraqi clubs have been disqualified from the 2010 AFC Cup due to FIFA's ongoing suspension of the country's main football body.
Arbil and Al Najaf had been due to take part in qualifiers for the AFC Cup — the Asian Football Confederation's secondary club competition behind the Asian Champions League.
However, an AFC deadline had lapsed for the Iraq Football Association to resolve its difficulties with FIFA.
FIFA suspended the IFA in 2009 after it was taken over by the Iraq Olympic Committee, infringing a FIFA rule that national football bodies be independent of governments.
"It is with deep regret that Iraqi clubs cannot participate in the AFC Cup 2010," AFC president Mohamed Bin Hammam said in a statement.
"We, however, gave our best efforts in supporting the Iraq FA in trying to ensure that their teams played in the competition."
The removal of the two Iraqi clubs meant Qatar's Al Rayyan and Uzbekistan's Nasaf would not face qualifiers, and would progress directly to the group phase of the 2010 competition. The group stage had also been reduced from 32 to 31 teams, with Group B to have only three teams.
Al Rayyan will go into Group E along with Jordan's Al Wehdat, Bahrain's Riffa and Oman's Al Nahda. Nasaf will be in Group C against Libya's Al Ahed, Kuwait's Kazma and Syria's Al Jaish.
Elsewhere
Vieira joins Man City on initial 6-month deal
MANCHESTER, England — Patrick Vieira signed an initial six-month deal with Manchester City on Friday, which the departing Inter Milan midfielder hopes will boost his chances of making France's World Cup squad.
City has an option to extend the 33-year-old former Arsenal captain's deal by a further year if he proves he can still cut it in the Premier League.
Vieira says he can help fifth-place City achieve Abu Dhabi-based owner Sheikh Mansour's aim of a top-four finish to qualify for the Champions League — and more.
"At Arsenal one year we won the title from 15 points behind at Christmas. Everything is possible," Vieira said. "We should not be afraid to say that we are good enough to win the league because we are and as a team we should believe we can do it.
"We can achieve something really special here. I want to convince the City board and the City players and fans that I didn't come here just to spend six months."
The deal sees Vieira reunited with former Inter manager Roberto Mancini, who replaced Mark Hughes at City last month. Together, they won three Serie A titles at Inter.
"Patrick is a world-class midfielder with a winner's mentality and will fit into this group very well," Mancini said. "He knows me and my staff well, and importantly he also knows what the Premier League is all about. He will not need much time to settle in.
"Patrick is one of the great players of his era with almost every honor in the game against his name."
Vieira spent nine seasons at Arsenal, including the unbeaten title-winning campaign in 2004, before joining Juventus the following year.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger feels Vieira and City will make a "perfect marriage."
"Patrick needed to change clubs to play, so he could be competitive," said Wenger, who has been at Arsenal since 1996.
Vieira's spell at Juventus only lasted a year before a match-fixing scandal prompted his 2006 move to Inter, where he had fallen out of favor under Jose Mourinho, who replaced Mancini.
Mancini identified Vieira as the ball-winning midfielder to replace Michael Johnson, who is out for the rest of the season with a knee injury, and Vincent Kompany, who is being deployed as an emergency central defender.
Coach Coyle completes move to Bolton from Burnley
BOLTON, England — Owen Coyle finally took charge at Bolton on Friday after completing his move from Burnley to try and save the club from relegation.
The announcement was made three days after the former Bolton striker told Burnley he wanted to join its Lancashire Premier League neighbor, with the two clubs subsequently agreeing a compensation package.
While Coyle had guided Burnley to 14th in the table, after taking the club back to the top flight for the first time since 1976, Bolton is in the drop zone in 18th place.
"I look forward to the opportunity of bringing the good times back to the club for everyone," said Coyle, who had been Burnley manager since November 2007.
Bolton is a four-time FA Cup winner, but its last cup came in 1958.
The 43-year-old Coyle, who is replacing fired Gary Megson, played for Bolton between 1993-95 and was popular with the fans.
"Owen was our number one target and we are naturally delighted that he has returned to the football club as manager," Bolton chairman Phil Gartside. "He was an inspirational player who leads by example and a great motivator."
Coyle, who has reportedly signed a two-and-a-half-year contract, will have more than a week before his first match against Arsenal, as Saturday's trip to Sunderland has been postponed due to the freezing weather gripping England.
Dutch coach Wotte signs with Universitatea Craiova
BUCHAREST, Romania — Dutch coach Mark Wotte has signed an 18-month contract with Romania's Universitatea Craiova, promising to restore the club's fortunes.
Wotte signed the contract Thursday with Universitatea owner Adrian Mititelu in Craoiova, a city located in southern Romania, local newspapers reported. Mititelu said he wanted Wotte to stay longer than his contract, and he hoped he would attract Dutch players to the club.
Universitatea is currently in 14th place in the Romanian league.
Mititelu is quoted in Craiova daily Editie as saying that the team is in "a difficult position and we need to work together to bring it back to the forefront of Romanian football."
Wotte, 49, has managed RKC Waalwijk and was a coach at Southampton in 2009.
Liverpool closes in on striker Rodriguez
LIVERPOOL, England — Liverpool is closing in on signing Atletico Madrid striker Maxi Rodriguez in the January transfer window.
Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez said Friday that the deal is "more or less agreed" for the Argentina international.
Benitez says that "now it's for Atletico and the player to talk and see what happens."
The Premier League club is desperate for another striker, with its reliance on injury-prone Fernando Torres for goals seeing the Reds slump to seventh in the standings.
Andrea Dossena leaves Liverpool for Napoli
NAPLES, Italy — Defender Andrea Dossena joined Italian club Napoli on a four-year deal Friday from Liverpool.
Napoli, which is fourth in Serie A, paid €4.25 million ($6.13 million) to buy the Italy international, Liverpool said.
Since joining Liverpool in 2008, Dossena scored one goal in 18 Premier League games. He also appeared in eight Champions League matches.
Dossena has also played 10 times for Italy and wants to secure a spot in the Azzurri squad for this year's World Cup in South Africa.
Dossena previously played in Italy with Verona, Treviso and Udinese.
Liverpool agrees to sell Voronin to Dynamo Moscow
LIVERPOOL, England — Liverpool has agreed to sell striker Andriy Voronin to Dynamo Moscow.
The Premier League club said Friday that it has negotiated a €2-million fee with Dynamo, and the Ukraine international has agreed personal terms.
Liverpool expects the deal to be completed over the weekend.
Manager Rafa Benitez says he is selling Voronin, who was on loan at Hertha Berlin last season, because he cannot be guaranteed regular action.
Denmark coach Morten Olsen renews contract
COPENHAGEN — Denmark coach Morten Olsen says he is renewing his contact with the Danish football federation for another two years.
Olsen says he wants "to be in the spot where one's team is playing heroic."
Under the 60-year-old former international, Denmark has qualified for the World Cup in South Africa, the 2004 European Championship and the 2002 World Cup.
Olsen has been coaching Denmark since 2000 and is the first Dane to reach 100 national team matches both as a player and as a coach. He has now renewed his contract with the Danish Football Association four times.
Inter Milan to appeal Balotelli fine
MILAN — Inter Milan will appeal the $10,000 fine imposed by the Italian league against striker Mario Balotelli for mocking fans after racial taunts. Inter Milan announced the appeal Friday.
Balotelli, the son of Ghanian immigrants, applauded Chievo Verona supporters when he was substituted during Inter’s 1-0 win Wednesday. Balotelli scored the lone goal in the match and said he was bothered by boos from the crowd.
Inter was fined $21,500 for its fans’ racial abuse toward Chievo’s Brazilian midfielder Luciano and exploding fireworks. Chievo was not fined.
Christian Gentner to return to Stuttgart
STUTTGART, Germany — Midfielder Christian Gentner will return to Stuttgart when his contract with Wolfsburg expires at the end of the season.
Gentner left Stuttgart after the club won the Bundesliga title in 2007. At Wolfsburg, he won the championship last season and became a national team member. The 24-year-old midfielder has played four games for Germany.
The transfer was announced Friday by both clubs.
