Football news

Italy coach Marcello Lippi has ruled out a return to Juventus after the World Cup finals next year.

Lippi, who quit as Italy coach after their 2006 World Cup triumph but came back to the job in 2008, has never suggested he will stay on after the finals in South Africa.

He has been linked with a return to his former club next season, especially with current Juve coach Ciro Ferrara under pressure following a string of defeats.

"I don't know what I will do after the World Cup but I will not return to Juve, neither as coach nor director," he told La Gazzetta dello Sport, yesterday.

Nakamura considers Espanyol future

Japan's midfielder Shunsuke Nakamura, struggling to earn playing time at Espanyol, says he plans some soul-searching after missing two straight La Liga matches, Japanese media reported yesterday.

Espanyol beat Almeria 2-0 at home on Sunday when manager Mauricio Pochettino used three midfield substitutes, but not the 31-year-old Japanese dead-ball specialist who joined the Barcelona outfit from Celtic in June.

"It feels great to win," Nakamura told Japanese media after Espanyol ended a five-game losing streak.

But he added: "After seeing the substitutions I feel compelled to think about many things."

Essien gets Nations Cup nod

Chelsea midfielder Mickael Essien has been named in the Ghana team for next month's African Nations Cup but captain Stephen Appiah has been left out along with Sulley Muntari.

Essien, 29, limped off with a hamstring injury during Chelsea's 2-2 draw against APOEL Nicosia earlier this month, and is not certain to be in top form for the Janaury 10-31 tournament.

Like Essien and Gyan Asamoah, Inter midfielder Muntari refused to play in a friendly against Angola on November 18 but has been punished for disciplinary reasons after failing to pay a fine.

Appiah has not sufficiently recovered from a right leg injury and will miss the tournament for the second time after already missing the 2008 edition through injury.

Donovan wins US top award

Landon Donovan was named winner of the US Soccer Federation's male athlete of the year award yesterday after helping spark the Americans into next year's World Cup in South Africa.

The 27-year-old playmaker also won the award in 2003 and 2004 and his third honour matches the all-time mark held by goalkeeper Kasey Keller.

"It's a great accomplishment and a great award," Donovan said.

"I'm very proud of it and knowing that the fans vote on it, your team-mates vote on it, and your colleagues vote on it is very special to me."

Zidane glad head-butt was punished

Former French midfielder Zinedine Zidane is glad he was sent off for his head-butt in the 2006 World Cup final because he has not had to live with regret over escaping punishment.

Zidane received a red card for head-butting Italy defender Marco Materazzi in the 2006 final, the last match of his career, which Italy won 5-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw.

"It (the sending off) was a very good thing," the former Real Madrid and Juventus playmaker said.

"It's good that (Italian keeper Gianluigi) Buffon signalled what I had done to the referee because it was not pretty. I don't know how I could have lived with it had France become world champions and I had stayed on the pitch."

Van Bommel seeks new Bayern deal

Bayern Munich captain Mark van Bommel wants a new contract with the club next season and hinted he would like to end his career in Bavaria.

The 32-year-old's current deal expires in June, but he expects negotiations to start soon over a one-year extension.

"I have heard that negotiations will take place during our training camp in Dubai," he said. "There are many contracts running out so I am curious to see what happens.

"I still feel like I am at home in Munich. I had the opportunity to move last season on better conditions and with a longer term, but it is hard to turn your back on FC Bayern."

Hoeness appointed Wolfsburg director

Dieter Hoeness has been appointed managing director of VfL Wolfsburg in a bid to turn the tide during a troubled season for the Bundesliga champions, the club said.

Hoeness, younger brother of Bayern Munich president Uli, spent 13 years as Hertha Berlin manager before leaving in June.

Wolfsburg, surprise title winners last season, are eighth in the table and 11 points off the top.

"Hoeness will lay the foundations for a successful future," said chairman Francisco Javier Garcia Sanz.

"We were convinced we needed to expand our leading structure in order to establish ourselves on a long-term basis in the top spots of the Bundesliga."