Former Italian international goalkeeper Dino Zoff yesterday succeeded Cesare Maldini as national coach following Italy's disappointing showing at the World Cup where they lost to France in the quarter-finals. The former Juventus star and international goalkeeper has signed a contract until July 31st, 2002.
The English Premier League yesterday rejected a claim by Aston Villa chairman Doug Ellis that games were set to be made available on pay-per-view television within the next six months.
Ellis was reported to have declared that between one and four matches a week could be made available on pay-per-view on a Sunday lunchtime by January as a pilot scheme.
But although the idea remains on the leading clubs' agendas, only two months ago Premiership chairmen rejected a proposal from Rupert Murdoch's BSkyB to start a controversial pay-per-view trial from September.
France will know the identity of their new coach at the start of next week with Roger Lemerre favourite to succeed World Cup-winning boss Aime Jacquet.
The new man in charge of `Les Bleus' will be unveiled at a news conference on Monday morning in Paris.
Former France defender Lemerre (57), has been Jacquet's assistant since January and is fancied for the post ahead of Jean Tigana.
Gianfranco Zola has taken a swipe at Chelsea's policy of rotating their strikers following the arrival of two more world class frontmen.
The Italian hit-man wants to play all the time for the Blues, rather than be used selectively by player-manager Gianluca Vialli.
And his objection to the system has sparked speculation that he might be on his way back to his home-town club, Serie A newcomers Cagliari.
The rotational system at Stamford Bridge was introduced by former boss Ruud Gullit, who picked two strikers from Zola, Vialli, Mark Hughes and Tore Andre Flo, and has been maintained by Vialli.
West Ham defender David Unsworth insists he will not ask manager Harry Redknapp for a move despite being linked with a return to the north of England. The 24-year-old, who joined the Hammers last season from Everton, has been a rumoured target for Aston Villa and personal problems in London may make a transfer attractive.
