Football news

Japan have named former Milan and Juventus coach Alberto Zaccheroni as their new national football coach following their best-ever World Cup on foreign soil in South Africa.

The Japan Football Association announced the appointment yes-terday without giving any details, including the length of the contract.

It said it would hold a news conference in Tokyo today with the 57-year-old Italian.

Zaccheroni won the 1998-99 Serie A title with Milan and will be the sixth foreign manager of the national side, replacing Takeshi Okada who guided the Blue Samurai to the World Cup last-16 round in late June.

Genoa sign ‘YouTube’ sensation

Ambitious Serie A club Genoa yesterday completed the signing of striker Linus Hallenius from Hammarby. The 21-year-old is something of a YouTube sensation after scoring an incredible goal against Syrianska in the Swedish Second Division.

Hallenius was set to have a medical yesterday evening before signing his new contract with Genoa who started their new season with a 1-0 win at Udinese last weekend.

Reports in the Italian media said Genoa had apparently beaten the competition of Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich and Ajax for Hallenius’s signing.

No Tottenham approach for Young

Caretaker boss Kevin MacDonald said yesterday Aston Villa have received no bid or approach from Tottenham for Ashley Young.

Young gave another demon­stration of his importance to Villa by setting up the winner for namesake Luke Young in Sunday’s 1-0 home win over Everton.

MacDonald said: “We’ve not had any contact from Tottenham for Ashley Young, nothing at all. Clubs are going to be coming in for some of our top players.

“They have shown some great form at the start of this season. I would like to think the club wouldn’t sell them but who knows. If it was down to me, I wouldn’t sell them.”

Grant at ease over slow start

Avram Grant insists there is no need for West Ham to panic about their start to the season unless they fail to improve after “10-15 games”. The Hammers prop up the Premier League going into the international break following defeats in their opening three matches.

West Ham have never lost their first four league games but leaders Chelsea are their next opponents in just under a fortnight. However, Upton Park boss Grant is adamant even defeat to the champions would not spell disaster for his side.

“It’s only the beginning of the season, so we cannot make any conclusions after three weeks,” he said.

“We must wait for 10-15 games to see our direction. I can’t ever remember a team at our level having such tough fixtures at the beginning of the season.”

Southampton sack manager Pardew

Southampton fired manager Alan Pardew only 48 hours after the League One side dished out a 4-0 beating to Bristol Rovers.

The Saints had started the season as favourites to gain promotion to the Championship but are lying 14th in the table after the one win over Rovers from their first three matches.

A statement issued by the south coast club explained: “Following a review of the current status in and around the first team, the club has decided that, to achieve its well known targets, it is essential to make changes to the first team management and coaching.”

Dean Wilkins will serve as caretaker manager until a permanent replacement for Pardew is found, the club said.

Okaka staying at Roma – agent

The agent of Stefano Okaka has insisted his client will stay at Roma this campaign. Okaka, who spent the second half of last season on loan at Fulham, has been strongly linked with WBA, who are managed by Roberto di Matteo.

“I don’t know anything about West Brom’s interest,” said Okaka’s agent Domenico Scopelliti.

“Stefano will not move from Rome. He is happy with his current situation.”

Okaka came on as a second-half substitute in Roma’s goalless draw against Cesena on Saturday. The 21-year-old is under contract with the Serie A club until June 2012.

Dossena to coach champions St George

Ethiopian league champions Saint George have announced the appointment of Giuseppe Dossena as coach on a two-year contract.

Dossena, who has coached Ghana, signed the agreement with club president Abennet Gebremes-kel.

Saint George, the country’s oldest and most successful football club, are reigning champions of Ethiopia’s 18-team league and have been crowned champions seven times this decade.

Dossena, 52, will be tasked with turning around the team’s fortunes on the Africa continental level, where they have failed to sparkle despite their dominance in the domestic league.

A club player for Sampdoria, Udinese and Bologna, Dossena won 38 caps for Italy, and was a member of the 1982 World Cup winning squad.