Brian McClair was named Scottish FA’s performance director, reuniting him with former Manchester United team-mate and current Scotland manager Gordon Strachan.
The 51-year-old will leave United in May after a 25-year career at Old Trafford, where he was a player, youth coach and director of the youth academy.
Strachan, who played alongside McClair at United in the late 1980s, and previous national coaches Walter Smith and Andy Roxburgh were involved in the recruitment process.
McClair made 471 appearances for Manchester United between 1987 and 1998.
Luis Enrique backs full-back Alves
Barcelona coach Luis Enrique has given strong public backing to Dani Alves, suggesting he wants the full-back to remain at the club beyond the end of this season.
Alves is yet to agree an extension to his contract, which expires in June, raising the possibility the 31-year-old will leave the club he joined from Sevilla in July 2008.
Alves came under fire last week for reacting angrily when he was substituted in Tuesday’s victory at Manchester City but Luis Enrique had nothing but praise for him.
“In the decisions with the line-ups you can see the confidence I have in Dani Alves, a player of great quality and professionalism,” Luis Enrique said.
“Dani is one of the most upbeat lads we have and with a winner’s character.”
UEFA charges
UEFA has opened disciplinary proceedings against Inter, Celtic and Dynamo Kiev following crowd trouble at their Europa League matches last week.
Kiev have been charged over a pitch invasion by supporters who also set off fireworks during the last-32 second-leg game against French club Guingamp in Ukraine on Thursday.
Inter and Celtic were also charged after fans let off fireworks during their return match in Italy.
Arsenal profits rise
Arsenal remain a beacon of financial sobriety in the Premier League with an overall profit before tax of 11.1 million pounds in 2014 despite a record transfer outlay of more than 90 million pounds.
The club embarked on an unprecedented spending spree on players in the previous 12 months including the high-profile arrival of Chile forward Alexis Sanchez among a number of additions to the squad in the close season.
Yet their financial results for the six months ending Nov. 30 last year show turnover from football rose to 148.5 million from 135.9 million in 2013, while cash reserves jumped to 138.8 million, up 18.2 million.
Candreva boost
Lazio have been boosted by the news Antonio Candreva is fit for today’s trip to Sassuolo.
Candreva scored the winner in last weekend’s 2-1 triumph over Palermo, but hurt his right knee when he slid awkwardly into the perimetre fence while celebrating the goal.
The Italy international limped off injured, but tests have ruled out serious damage and the 27-year-old midfielder is set to start at Sassuolo.
“Fortunately it’s nothing serious,” Lazio coach Stefano Pioli told the Italian media when asked about Candreva.
“He just wanted to celebrate the goal with the fans.”
Candreva has scored four goals and set up seven more in 21 league appearances to help Lazio remain in contention for Champions League football next season.
Liverpool cleared of FFP breach
Premier League Liverpool and Czech club Sparta Prague have been cleared of breaching UEFA’s financial fair play rules, European soccer’s governing body said.
A UEFA statement said both clubs had been found “to have satisfied the break-even requirement and are no longer under investigation”.
Premier League Hull City, Israeli side Hapoel Tel-Aviv, Greek outfit Panathinaikos and Poland’s Ruch Chorzow, however, have agreed settlements of €200,000 for failing to comply with regulations.
Those four clubs will now be subject to ongoing monitoring, UEFA said.
Law-makers reject fourth sub proposal
Football’s rule-making body, the International Football Association Board (IFAB), rejected the idea of a fourth substitution in extra time yesterday but is considering dropping the one-match ban for so-called “triple punishments”.
The fourth substitute proposal did not get approval but will be referred back for further analysis because there were concerns it would lead to demands for an even greater number of substitutions during matches.
However, IFAB agreed that the triple punishment was too strong a sanction, and agreed in principle that the one-match ban could be dropped, pending further investigation.