FOOTBALL

Chelsea now part of Saha sweepstakes

LONDON: Louis Saha’s future at Fulham remained in doubt on Wednesday amid reports of a possible transfer to Manchester United or Chelsea.

The 25-year-old French striker wants to move to Old Trafford, but both clubs denied a reported 9-million-pound (US$16.47 million) deal was imminent.

In a new twist, Chelsea also expressed interest in signing Saha. And with the funds of Chelsea’s owner, Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, the Blues could drive the transfer price even higher.

Saha has his heart set on United.

“I am very happy now that we are about to complete the deal,’’ Saha was quoted as saying in the Daily Mail. “My dream of playing for United is close to being reality but first I have to complete a medical.’’

The Chelsea link was reported in the London Evening Standard. If Saha moves to Stamford Bridge it would take the club’s spending on just four forwards to around 60 million pounds (US$108 million) since last July.

Ravanelli returns to old stomping grounds

PERUGIA, Italy: Veteran striker Fabrizio Ravanelli joined his hometown club Perugia on Wednesday on a six-month contract and said his return home was a dream come true.

Hundreds of fans cheered the 35-year-old Italian forward as he began training with his new teammates at Stadio Renato Curi.

A former star of Juventus, Lazio and Marseille, Ravanelli had been without a club after Scottish team Dundee went into administration in November.

Ravanelli said he refused bids by other Serie A clubs to join the team with whom he began his soccer career 15 years ago in Italy’s third division.

“I had been long dreaming to end my career with my hometown team, in the city where I was born and where I plan to live with my family in the future,’’ Ravanelli said.

Parma shareholders name Bondi president

ROME: Enrico Bondi, the administrator drafted to save troubled Italian food giant Parmalat, was named president of Parma soccer club at a shareholders’ meeting on Wednesday,

Parma, which is nearly 100 per cent owned by Parmalat, has been without a president since Stefano Tanzi, the son of Parmalat’s founder, resigned last week.

Ex-Lazio director Luca Baraldi was named Parma’s chief executive at the same meeting.

Bondi’s most urgent task will be to find a buyer for club, which is teetering on the edge of bankruptcy having suffered losses of 77 million euros in the year to June 30, 2003.

Argentina routs Ecuador 5-2 in qualifier

LA SERENA, Chile: Defender Osmar Ferreyra scored two goals as Argentina beat Ecuador 5-2 in a South American Olympic qualifying soccer match.

Franklin Salas converted a penalty in just the second minute on Wednesday to give Ecuador an early lead. But Argentines Luis Gonzalez, Ferreyra and Leandro Gonzalez answered with goals in the sixth, 17th and 22nd minutes.

Jose Perlazza added another for Ecuador in the second half, but Ferreyra soon scored his second and Leandro Fernandez added a fifth for Argentina in the 75th minute.

Later Wednesday in a clash between two eliminated teams, Wilmer Guerrero also scored two goals as Peru beat Bolivia 3-2.

Argentina leads Group B with seven points, followed by Ecuador and Colombia with six each.

Marseille bids au revoir to Perrin

LONDON: Olympique Marseille sacked coach Alain Perrin on Wednesday, the Ligue 1 club announced.

Club president Christophe Bouchet stated on Marseille's website that Perrin, who took over in 2002, would be replaced by Jose Anigo, head coach of the club's youth academy and a former Marseille player.

Marseille is sixth in the league standings after winning 10 but losing eight of their 18 matches, the most recent being Saturday's 2-0 loss to AJ Auxerre.

RALLYING

McRae celebrates first Dakar win

LONDON: Britain’s former world rally champion Colin McRae chalked up his first Dakar win on Wednesday with a resounding victory in the 13th stage after a troubled week.

The Scot, driving a Nissan pickup in his debut Dakar, reached the final checkpoint of the 478-km stage between the Malian capital Bamako and Ayoun el Atrous 25 minutes faster than Mitsubishi’s defending champion Hiroshi Masuoka.

He was the first British driver to win a Dakar stage since Andrew Cowan for Mitsubishi in 1990 and he led a Nissan 1-2-3 with South African Giniel de Villiers second and Finland’s Ari Vatanen third.

France’s Stephane Peterhansel remained comfortably in the overall lead, one hour two minutes and 29 seconds ahead of teammate Masuoka with compatriot and former downhill skier Luc Alphand third in a BMW.

In the motorcycle category, Spain’s Nani Roma stayed ahead of his rivals after Frenchman David Fretigne took his third stage win.

BASKETBALL

Knicks name Wilkens new bench boss

NEW YORK: Don Chaney and his two top assistant coaches were fired by the New York Knicks, and Lenny Wilkens was hired as the team's new head coach on Wednesday.

"I think he's a perfect fit,'' team president Isiah Thomas said at a news conference at Madison Square Garden.

Wilkens is the NBA leader in career coaching victories.

Assistant Herb Williams was to coach the Knicks on Wednesday against the Orlando Magic. The Knicks are 15-24.

Assistants Brendan Malone and Lon Kruger were fired along with Chaney.

The changes came on a bizarre day, even by the Knicks' standards. Chaney put the team through its morning shootaround after reading in a newspaper that he would be replaced by former NBA coach and current TV analyst Mike Fratello.

(China Daily 01/16/2004 page1)