Loew: Germany coach Joachim Loew has admitted the national team could be facing a severe shortage of centre-forwards and left-sided defenders in the future. “In our national teams of under-21s, under-20s and under-19s, there’s no exceptional centre-forwards. It’s the same thing for left-sided defenders,” Loew told Kicker. “Those are the two positions where we have most problems in Germany.”
Kapo: France midfielder Olivier Kapo has joined Celtic on a short-term contract, the Scottish giants announced yesterday. The 30-year-old winger was a free agent after being released by Wigan. Kapo, whose move still depends on his receiving international clearance, told Celtic’s website: “Celtic is a wonderful club and I will be trying to get to my full power as soon as possible to work for Neil Lennon and the team.”
Healy: Sunderland striker David Healy has completed a 28-day loan deal to Championship club Doncaster. The 31-year-old Northern Ireland international has struggled to establish himself at the Stadium of Light since his arrival in July 2008, and has not appeared for the first team since January. Healy, who is his country’s leading all-time international goalscorer with 35, made 12 appearances on loan at Ipswich last season but has been pushed further down the pecking order on Wearside by the summer arrivals of Asamoah Gyan and loan signing Danny Welbeck.
Montolivo: Italy midfielder Riccardo Montolivo is to undergo surgery on his ankle on November 15 in Amsterdam, his club Fiorentina said yesterday. The Viola captain picked up the problem on World Cup duty in South Africa but has been playing with it ever since. Fiorentina said he will be available for their next three matches, after which he will need around 40 days recovery time.
Bielsa: Chile coach, Marcelo Bielsa, quit the post yesterday after the Chilean football federation (ANPF) failed to re-elect Harold Mayne-Nicholls as president. Spanish businessman Jorge Segovia, who is the president of the Union Espanola club and has the support of top flight clubs like Colo Colo and Universidad de Chile, was instead elected head of the ANPF by 28 votes to 22. Argentine Bielsa had earlier held a lengthy press conference to lend his support to Mayne-Nicholls.
Cycling: Ukrainian cyclist Yaroslav Popovych, a former team-mate of Lance Armstrong, testified for 90 minutes before a grand jury that is probing doping in the sport. Popovych’s lawyer, Ken Miller, told the Los Angeles Times that his client was forced to testify after being served while riding in a charity event put on by Armstrong in Texas. Investigators have been interviewing witnesses and collecting evidence in their probe of whether or not Armstrong took banned substances.
Surfing: An American county medical examiner has ruled out foul play in the death of former three-time world surfing champion Andy Irons. The cause of death was not immediately known, but the 32-year-old American withdrew from a surfing competition in Puerto Rico last weekend because of illness. Irons was found dead in a hotel room in Dallas, where he was on a layover en route to his home on the Hawaiian island of Kauai.
Basketball, NBA: Paul Pierce scored 12 of his 28 points in overtime to vault past the 20,000 points mark for his career as Boston defeated Milwaukee 105-102. Pierce became just the third Boston player to score 20,000 points while playing his entire career with the Celtics. “It was an emotional moment for me,” Pierce said. “You don’t see it too often where a player accomplishes that kind of feat playing with one team.”
Rugby Union: Rugby league convert Sonny Bill Williams will make his Test debut for the All Blacks against England after being named in a powerful New Zealand line-up . Williams was one of four changes from the side beaten by Australia in Hong Kong last weekend. Elsewhere, Hurricanes wing Hosea Gear replaces the injured Cory Jane on the wing, Blues scrum-half Alby Mathewson comes in for Jimmy Cowan and second row Sam Whitelock takes the place of Tom Donnelly in the pack.