Football news

Serse Cosmi said he was disappointed at being sacked as Palermo coach after just 36 days in charge.

Palermo dismissed Cosmi after Sunday’s 4-0 defeat at Catania and re-installed Delio Rossi as coach with seven Serie A games remaining.

“I am truly and profoundly bitter,” Cosmi said.

“I am so disappointed that I don’t feel like talking about it.”

Cosmi lost his first two games in charge but steered the team to a 1-0 win over Serie A leaders Milan before the international break.

“To the Palermo fans, I can only say how sorry I am for the defeat at Catania. I am in pain and I understand their disappointment,” Cosmi said.

Bale open to future move abroad

Tottenham winger Gareth Bale has not ruled out one day plying his trade in another country if a “great opportunity” was presented to him.

Bale has been catapulted into the limelight following some impressive performances this season. He seems to be willing to try his hand at playing abroad and told Spanish daily As: “You never know, but I’m not afraid to leave the country.

“If a great opportunity arises you need to seriously consider it.

“I left home at 15. If I leave the Premier League, I’ll learn another language, I’ll know other people. There aren’t more British players abroad because the league is very strong, but now yours (the Spanish league) has got Ronaldo and Messi.”

Galliani confident Gattuso will stay

Milan club administrator Adriano Galliani is confident veteran midfielder Gennaro Gattuso will honour his contract despite being linked with a move to Russia this summer.

Gattuso has been a reported target of Russian side Anzhi in recent months.

“I don’t think he will leave,” Galliani said.

“He has a contract with us for another season, and hence, he is not a free agent. Should a big offer arrive from the Russians, we will listen to it. However, I don’t think he will go there, I think he will remain with us.”

The 33-year-old Gattuso joined Milan in 1999.

Portugal’s Queiroz to coach Iran

Carlos Queiroz, of Portugal, has signed a contract to coach Iran through to the end of the 2014 World Cup, the ISNA news agency reported.

ISNA quoted Queiroz as saying: “I am here in Iran to help the team make it to the 2014 World Cup. This is my most important aim and I hope with everyone’s help we can make it.”

Queiroz takes over from Tehran-born US national Afshin Ghotbi, whose contract was not renewed after Iran were knocked out of the 2011 Asian Cup by South Korea.

The 57-year-old former Manchester United assistant boss was most recently coach of Portugal, whom he took to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Deschamps happy at Marseille

Marseille coach Didier Deschamps has ruled out leaving the club at the end of the season.

Some reports had suggested France’s World Cup-winning captain could be tempted away from the Stade Velodrome when the campaign ends, but he insists he is already planning for another term with Marseille.

“I’ve already started planning for next year, because that’s my job,” he said.

“All this speculation about who will move where makes me laugh. Today, I’m 100 per cent at Marseille, and will be tomorrow and the day after tomorrow.

“There’s really no reason for these rumours. I’ll draw my own conclusions at the end of the season depending on our position.”

FIFA confirms two candidacies

FIFA confirmed the candidacies of incumbent Sepp Blatter and Qatari Mohammed Bin Hammam for the FIFA presidency.

“The FIFA general secretariat received two candidatures for the FIFA presidency by the statutory deadline. The names of the candidates are: Joseph S. Blatter (Switzerland); Mohamed Bin Hammam (Qatar),” FIFA said in a statement.

“The election for the FIFA presidency will be held in Zurich, Switzerland, on June 1, 2011 within the framework of the 61st FIFA Congress.”

Blatter’s image has taken a knock recently after he refused to look into goal-line technology despite a series of refereeing errors at the World Cup.

Balotelli not for Milan – Berlusconi

Milan owner Silvio Berlusconi believes Mario Balotelli’s off-the-field “behaviour” will prevent him from putting on the Rossoneri shirt in the future.

The Manchester City striker has made headlines both on and off the pitch since joining the Blues from Inter last summer.

Berlusconi said: “There is a Milan style of behaviour that I don’t think is very close to that of Balotelli. Every now and then, he has a bit of a distraction.

“I don’t think his style really suits us.”

The 20-year-old Balotelli grew up a fan of Milan and has been linked with the Rossoneri outfit.

He was last month dropped from the Italy squad for breaking the national team’s code of conduct.