Wolfsburg: Wolfsburg sacked coach Holger Fach and released manager Thomas Strunz yesterday, after an eight-match run without a win in the Bundesliga. Fach replaced Erik Gerets as coach before the start of the current season. Former Germany midfielder Strunz had held the manager's position since last January.

West Ham: West Ham have agreed to sign Israel striker Yaniv Katan from Maccabi Haifa on a three-and-a-half-year deal. The move is subject to Katan passing a medical and obtaining a work permit. No fee was disclosed. West Ham said they would not be able to register the 24-year-old until the transfer window opens on January 1.

Halilhodzic: A French industrial tribunal awarded former Paris SG coach Vahid Halilhodzic 3.5 million euros yesterday in compensation for his dismissal in February because of poor results. Halilhodzic, who now trains the Turkish club Trabzonspor, had claimed nine million euros from the French club for unfair dismissal. The Franco-Bosnian coach was not in court for the decision.

Tax bill: IFK Gothenburg will consider appealing against a tax bill of 11.8 million crowns ($1.5 million) related to the signing of two players, the Swedish first division club said yesterday. The demand from the Swedish tax office was for tax of three million crowns linked to the signing of Peter Ijeh from Malmo in late 2003 and for 8.8 million crowns connected with Stefan Selakovic's transfer from Dutch club Heerenveen.

Aiyegbeni: Nigeria and Middlesbrough striker Yakubu Aiyegbeni has been urged by his country's FA not to boycott next month's African Nations Cup finals. Aiyegbeni was quoted last weekend as saying he would not go to the Jan. 20-Feb. 10 finals in Egypt because he does not have a good relationship with Nigeria coach Austin Eguavoen.

In England: The Championship - QPR vs Coventry 0-1.