Blatter: FIFA president Sepp Blatter took a swipe at Europe's soccer powerhouses yesterday for hogging the sport's talent. "There is kind of like a traffic jam of players in Europe," he said. "The big clubs with a lot of money they can afford to buy players - a lot of players, and the best players - and they have 25 players, 30 players in their list. But football is played by 11 players. Eleven. What are the others doing? Waiting? Recuperating?"
Iran reprieve: Iran will be allowed to compete in the Asian Games soccer tournament after FIFA provisionally lifted an international ban, organisers said yesterday. FIFA had suspended Iran, who won the Asian Games title in 1974, 1990, 1998 and 2002, from all international competition last Thursday because of what it cited as government interference in the sport.
Cesar fired: Gimnastic Tarragona sacked coach Luis Angel Cesar after the club lost 3-2 at home to Real Mallorca on Sunday, to slip to the foot of the Primera Liga table. The Catalan club won promotion to the top flight for the first time in 56 years at the end of last season. But they have only taken five points from the first 12 games of the campaign, and have the league's leakiest defence with 26 goals conceded. They were knocked out of the King's Cup by second division Valladolid.
Daum: A crowd of over 8,000 turned out to watch second division Cologne's first training session under new coach Christoph Daum. The 53-year-old began work at the club yesterday, his first job in Germany since a drugs scandal six years ago left him unable to take up the national team job. Daum has already brought a change of luck to Cologne. On Sunday, he was watching from the stands as they beat Greuther Fuerth 2-1 to record their first league win in two months.
Tevez: West Ham forward Carlos Tevez apologised yesterday for walking out on his team-mates after being substituted at the weekend. Tevez stormed out of Upton Park on Saturday after being taken off by manager Alan Pardew in their 1-0 win over Sheffield United. "I would just like to say that I left the ground in anger on Saturday, it was a spur of the moment decision which I regretted almost straight away," Tevez said.
Div. Three: Siggiewi vs Sirens 0-2; Pembroke vs Ta' Xbiex 6-0.
In Italy: Serie B - Frosinone vs Mantova 1-1. Serie C1 - Avellino vs Cavese 4-0.