Miroslav Blazevic to coach China Olympic football squad

BEIJING (AFP) - China named Croatia's Miroslav Blazevic the new head coach of its Olympic football team, state media reported.
The Chinese Football Association (CFA) is bringing Blazevic in after the team's poor performance at the Asian Games in Guangzhou last month, the official Xinhua news agency said on Saturday.
He replaces Chinese coach Sun Wei.
Blazevic signed a two-year contract with the CFA, which expires in December 2012, Xinhua said. Li Bing was named assistant coach.
Blazevic, 75, who coached Croatia to third place in the 1998 World Cup, led the Chinese Super League team Shanghai Shenhua to third place this year.
He resigned as Bosnia's national coach last year after the team failed to qualify for the 2010 World Cup.
China's media showered invective on the Olympic side last month, calling it the worst in the country's history as it suffered humiliating losses to arch-rivals Japan and South Korea.

China's fans had hoped a good run at the Asian Games would help turn the page on a corruption scandal that resulted in the arrests of two former heads of the Chinese Football Association and a bevy of lower-level officials.

Van der Vaart out of Blues clash

Rafael van der Vaart has been ruled out of Tottenham's clash with Chelsea on Sunday because of injury.

Van der Vaart has made a huge impact since making a summer move from Real Madrid, but fitness has been a problem.

He limped off early on in the 2-1 win over Liverpool on November 28 and has not featured since. He was said to be in contention for the midweek Champions League clash with Twente, but he remained on the sidelines and is still struggling with a hamstring injury.

Harry Redknapp had hoped to bring him back against Chelsea, but the midfielder has failed to respond to treatment and Spurs will go into the derby without one of their most potent creative forces.

Luka Modric, though, will be available again after recovering from the illness that kept him out of the draw with Twente.

First-team coach Joe Jordan said: "Luka's okay. He trained on Wednesday and it was just a safety precaution (at Twente) because he was feeling the effects of a bug."

Jordan also confirmed that Younes Kaboul would return to training and was in contention for inclusion on Sunday, but Niko Kranjcar and Jermaine Jenas are out.

"It's disappointing for JJ," Jordan said. "He's had a recurrence of his calf injury, so he's not in the running for Chelsea."

La Liga - Almunia plans Spain return

Arsenal goalkeeper Manuel Almunia is looking for a move back to Spain in the January transfer window, according to his agent.

Almunia has been out with an elbow injury since September, and previous understudyLukasz Fabianski has made a convincing case for claiming the number one jersey as his own in the Spaniard's absence.The 33-year-old managed 45 minutes of action in a reserve match in November, but is still recovering from the injury sustained when he saved a penalty in the 3-2 home defeat to West Brom.Almunia was at one time considering switching nationality after spending enough time in the Premier League to be eligible to play for England, but his agent Joseba Diaz has revealed his client now wishes to return to the country of his birth.Diaz told the Daily Mirror: "We have not finished negotiations (with Arsenal), but it is clear that Manuel wants to return to Spain."La Liga strugglers Malaga have been linked with a move for the former Albacete, Celta Vigo and Recreativo keeper.

Ronaldinho to join Liverpool?

Liverpool are the latest in a long list of clubs pursuing out of favour AC Milan playmaker Ronaldinho.

The thirty-year-old has been in the cold at AC Milan, as Massimiliano Allegri has preferred to start with compatriot Robinho.

The Brazilian's lack of appearances on the pitch could lead him to seek a move for greener pastures as promises of a new deal have since been put on the backburner by the Serie A giants.

According to Itasportpress, Liverpool are looking at snapping him up, in an interesting tactical move to pair him up with Fernando Torres.

Purchasing the Brazilian would also fit John Henry's tight budget, as his contract will run out in June this year, making him a free agent.

However, his €7.5 million per annum wage demands could prove to be a stumbling block for Hodgson, which would leave Los Angeles Galaxy chief contenders to add him to their roster that includes David Beckham