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Beckham eager to play under new England manager

LONDON: David Beckham is eager to play under new England manager Fabio Capello - despite the stormy relationship the two shared at Real Madrid.

The 32-year-old midfielder has played 99 games for England and hopes to reach his century of appearances in England's friendly against Switzerland at Wembley Stadium on February 6.

"Fabio is one of the managers players look up to and want to manage them. I hope I'll be part of his plans,"Beckham told BBC Radio in an interview to be broadcast on Christmas Day. Excerpts were released by the BBC on Monday.

"I think he is a great appointment for England. Everyone wants someone leading you that has respect and success. He has definitely got that in his career."

Van Basten linked to Bayern job

MUNICH, Germany: Dutch coach Marco van Basten is poised to take over as boss of German giant Bayern Munich when Ottmar Hitzfeld's contract finishes in June next year, according to reports here.

German sports magazine Kicker says Hitzfeld is not expected to renew his contract at the end of the season and German-speaker Van Basten - who has coached the Dutch national side since 2004 - is the favorite to take over.

Hitzfeld has admitted he is interested in taking charge of the Swiss national team after next year's European Championships and has also been linked to succeed Italian coach Giovanni Trapattoni at Austrian side Salzburg.

Meanwhile, Werder Bremen's sports director Klaus Allofs has been linked to the club manager's role at Bayern with current incumbent Uli Hoeness set to step down in 2009.

Allofs is out of contract at Bremen in 2009.

Seeler warns Van der Vaart about Juventus switch

BERLIN: Hamburg's Dutch captain Rafael van der Vaart has been warned against a glamorous move to Italian giant Juventus by former German hero Uwe Seeler.

The Italians are reported to have offered 17 million euros ($24.5 million) for Van der Vaart, 24, with a five-year contract, but former Hamburg idol Uwe Seeler, 71, has warned him to think hard about his options.

"Rafael should think hard about moving to Juventus," Seeler, a three-time German Footballer of the Year, told German tabloid Bild.

"In Germany, you can make good money and have a comfortable career. I would not like to be in Rafael's shoes."

Seeler retired in 1978 having scored 43 goals in 72 internationals for West Germany and stayed loyal to Hamburg, turning down transfers to Spain and Italy.

Sprained finger to sideline Spurs' Ginobili

SAN ANTONIO, Texas: San Antonio's Manu Ginobili, nursing a sprained finger, will probably sit out Wednesday's National Basketball Association game against Chicago, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich told the San Antonio News-Express.

"He's probably going to miss a little bit of time," Popovich told the Express-News in a story posted on its website on Monday. "It's just a matter of how much."

Argentinian swingman Ginobili, the Spurs' top reserve, was hurt on Saturday in a game against the Los Angeles Clippers, when he aggravated an injury that occurred in a December 2 game against the Portland Trail Blazers.

"They X-rayed it and there is nothing new, but he's got a bad hand," Popovich said. "The ligaments are quite sore, and whatever happens to the ligaments has happened without tearing."

Steelers officially end injured RB Parker's season

PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania: The Pittsburgh Steelers placed running back Willie Parker on injured reserve on Monday with a broken right leg, formally ending his National Football League season.

Parker, the NFL's leading rusher going into week 15, was hurt in the team's second play from scrimmage in last Thursday's 41-24 victory over the St. Louis Rams.

Parker rushed for 1,316 yards and two touchdowns while making 23 receptions for 164 yards for Pittsburgh this season.

The Steelers secured the AFC North division title on Sunday, when the Cleveland Browns lost to the Cincinnati Bengals.

They will close the regular season against the Baltimore Ravens, and host a first-round playoff game the following week.

Najeh Davenport will likely assume the bulk of the playing time in Parker's absence.

(China Daily 12/26/2007 page23)