Gullit: Former Dutch international skipper Ruud Gullit was appointed yesterday coach of Russian Premier League club Terek Grozny, local media reported. The 48-year-old has previously coached English Premiership sides Chelsea and Newcastle United along with Dutch giants Feyenoord and MLS club Los Angeles Galaxy.
Floro Flores: Antonio Floro Flores has joined Genoa from Udinese until the end of the season, just a day after reports in the Italian press claimed he would join Juventus. Italian press had reported on Monday that the 27-year-old forward would join Juventus instead and that an official announcement would be made later in the day. Genoa have the option to buy the player outright at the end of the season.
Minute’s silence: Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) president Giovanni Petrucci has ordered a minute’s silence to be observed at all sporting venues this week in memory of an Italian soldier killed in Afghanistan. One soldier was killed yesterday and another was seriously wounded in Bala Murghab in northeastern Afghanistan, the Italian Defence Ministry said.
Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabia axed coach Nasser Al Johar after just two games on Tuesday and vowed to replace him with a high-profile international name after their dismal showing at the Asian Cup. The country also accepted the resignation of team manager Fahd Al-Misaibeeh and his staff, the Saudi state news agency SPA, monitored here, said. It followed the former regional powerhouse’s humiliating 5-0 defeat by Japan on Monday, which left them bottom of their group with three straight defeats and out of the tournament.
Woodgate: Jonathan Woodgate finally returned to action after a career-threatening groin injury as the Tottenham defender played in a training ground friendly against QPR yesterday. The 30-year-old former Real Madrid and Leeds centre-back, who has been out for 14 months, began to show signs of recovery by completing 45 minutes in the QPR friendly.
Catania: Catania have parted company with coach Marco Giampaolo after less than a season in charge. Giampaolo took over the Sicilian club’s reins before the start of this season after Sinisa Mihajlovic decided to join Fiorentina. But with Catania 15th in Serie A and just three points above the drop zone, the club has decided to act. A statement from the club said the split was by mutual consent.
Arles: French league tailenders Arles-Avignon moved to add some solidity to their porous defence on Monday by signing defender Gregory Lorenzi from Ligue 1 rivals Brest on loan till the end of the season. The 27-year-old is due to sign his contract on Tuesday and will be reunited with coach Faruk Hadzibegic, who he played under at Bastia.
Rugby Union: Captain Lewis Moody is likely to miss England’s first three Six Nations games after being ruled out for six weeks yesterday with a knee ligament injury. Moody limped off during the second half of his club Bath’s European Cup victory over Italian side Aironi last Saturday and the former Leicester flanker is set to miss England’s opening Six Nations games against Wales, Italy and France. England manager Martin Johnson has already lost lock Courtney Lawes and flanker Tom Croft from his initial Six Nations plans through injuries.
Rallying: Defending IRC champion Juho Hanninen, of Finland, and Norway’s Petter Solberg will headline the season-opening centenary Monte Carlo Rally which roars into gear today. Formerly part of the superior WRC circuit, the event which was first won by Frenchman Henri Rougier in a Turcat-Mery back in 1911, is now on the rival breakaway IRC circuit. Monaco-resident Solberg, the 2003 WRC champion, will be driving a Peugeot 207. Twelve other Peugeot 207s will compete as the French constructor look to emulate their 2009 podium sweep behind Sebastien Ogier.
Swimming: Olympic champion Federica Pellegrini will train in Paris with controversial French coach Philippe Lucas after agreeing terms with the Italian Swimming Federation. Two weeks ago the 200m freestyle champion from Beijing in 2008 announced that she was to hook up with former French rival Laure Manaudou’s ex-coach, a renowned disciplinarian. She initially claimed she would continue to train in Verona, although there is no Olympic sized 50m pool there and she has now decided to transfer to the French capital.
Cycling: Tasmanian Matthew Goss confirmed his overall victory pretensions by winning the opening stage of the Tour Down Under yesterday ahead of sprint rival and reigning champion Andre Greipel. Germany’s Greipel, who has won the overall title twice, finished in second place for his new team Omega-Pharma with Australian Robbie McEwen of RadioShack in third. It was Goss’s second win of the race, the Australian having also won the pre-race criterium over 51 km on Sunday which does not count towards the race standings.