Grobbelaar: Former Liverpool goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelaar has lost his second coaching job in South Africa's premier league this season after being asked to resign, his club Umtata Bush Bucks confirmed yesterday. Grobbelaar, 47, departs after a run of poor form by his struggling club who are bottom of the 16-team league and face a return to the first division one season after winning promotion. The Zimbabwean had only been at Bush Bucks since November, winning his first two matches in charge but then steering the team to victory in just one more of their next nine league matches.
Mido: Tottenham striker Mido has been recalled to the Egypt squad for this month's World Cup qualifier against Libya. Mido was axed by Egypt's former coach Marco Tardelli in September after saying he had a groin injury, then playing for his former club Roma within 24 hours of a World Cup qualifier against Cameroon. Mido apologised to the Egyptian FA last month.
Mostovoi: Russian midfielder Alexander Mostovoi has returned to soccer after an eight-month lay-off by signing for Spanish second division side Alaves. The Basque side said yesterday that the 36-year-old had agreed to play for the club for the rest of the season, but that there was an option to extend the deal for another year if they win promotion. Mostovoi said he was keen to get back on the pitch. "I'm pleased that the negotiations have gone well. I feel physically prepared and I'm looking forward to playing as soon as possible," he said.
Kidnapped: The mother of Brazilian soccer star Luis Fabiano, a striker for European champions Porto, was kidnapped yesterday in her hometown of Campinas, police said. It was the third time the mother of a Brazilian soccer player has been kidnapped over the last months. Last month, the mother of Sao Paulo striker Grafite, whose legal name is Edinaldo Batista Libanio, was held for a day before police rescued her with no ransom paid. The mother of Santos player Robinho was held 41 days before being released. Robinho, whose legal name is Robson de Souza, did pay ransom in that case but it was not known how much.
Glazer: US entrepreneur Malcolm Glazer will not submit a revised takeover proposal for Manchester United before the end of next week, people familiar with the matter said yesterday. The owner of the Tampa Bay Bucaneers American football team had hoped to get his £800 million revised business plan to United's board by the end of this week. "There are still quite a few things to set in place," one person close to the process said.
Division Three: Gudja vs Zejtun 2-1; Mgarr vs Kalkara 1-0.