Celta Vigo sign Brazilian striker Baiano
 
MADRID, July 22 (Reuters) - Promoted Celta Vigo have signed Brazilian striker Fernando Baiano on a three-year contract, the Primera Liga club said on Friday.

The 26-year-old Baiano joined Malaga on loan from Brazilians Sao Caetano in January and was the Spanish side's leading scorer with nine goals from 17 games.

Protracted negotiations led to Malaga, Celta and Galician rivals Deportivo Coruna competing for the player's services in the close season before he eventually agreed to join Fernando Vazquez's side.

Celta were relegated last year but returned to the top-flight after one season when they finished as runners-up to Cadiz in the second division.

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Georgian federation sack Giresse
 
July 22, 2005
TBILISI (AFP) - France's Alain Giresse was sacked as coach of the Georgia national team after the country's dismal performance in World Cup qualifying, the federation president Nodar Akhalkatsi said.

"Giresse has broken one of the main conditions of his contract - to clinch one of two top places in our qualifying group," Akhalkatsi said.

Giresse, 52, took over the Georgia national team in March 2004.

Georgia are currently sixth in Group Two with five points from seven matches, four points behind the fith-placed Albania.
 

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Brazilian coach Wortman joins Dynamo on one-year deal
 
MOSCOW, July 22 (Reuters) - Dynamo Moscow presented their new coach Ivo Wortman on Friday, hoping the Brazilian can turn around the fortunes of the Russian premier league club.

"I'm honoured to work with such a great European club and my aim is to make Dynamo even better and stronger," said Wortman, who signed a one-year contract on Friday.

The 55-year-old, who quit Brazilian club Juventude earlier this month, becomes the first top level coach from Latin America to work in Russia.
 
"I know that I'm the first Brazilian coach to come to Russia but hopefully my stay here will be a pleasant one," said Wortman who has extensive coaching experience at domestic and international level.

Dynamo's caretaker coach Andrei Kobelev, who had been in charge since former Russia manager Oleg Romantsev quit in mid-May, became Wortman's assistant.

On Friday Dynamo also unveiled four new signings, a pair of Nigerian internationals Joseph Enakarhire from Sporting Lisbon and Krylya Sovietov Samara's Patrick Ovie, Russia defender Denis Kolodin also from Samara and Porto goalkeeper Nuno.

Nuno's addition brings the number of Portuguese-speaking players at Dynamo to nine.

"It's always difficult to join the team in the middle of the season but at least, I shouldn't have any language barrier," Wortman said. "Our goal this season is to fight for the championship or at least for places in the UEFA Cup."

Dynamo have struggled since the start of the season despite their flamboyant owner Alexei Fedorychev spending almost $100 million on players since taking control of the club last year.

They are now in seventh place with 22 points from 16 matches and 16 points behind runaway leaders Lokomotiv Moscow following a 2-1 home defeat by Zenit St Petersburg on Sunday.
 
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Bordeaux sign Brazilian Menegazzo on loan
 
BORDEAUX, France, July 22 (Reuters) - Girondins Bordeaux have signed Brazilian Fernando Menegazzo from Italian Serie A club Siena on a one-year loan deal, the Ligue 1 side said on Friday.

A powerful defensive midfielder, Menegazzo is a former under-21 international who had been on loan at Serie B club Catania.

The 24-year-old is expected to play alongside French international Rio Mavuba in front of the Bordeaux defence.
 
 
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Desailly, Benarbia join Qatar Sports Club
 
DOHA, July 22 (Reuters) - Marcel Desailly, the former captain of France and Chelsea, has left Qatar champions Al Gharafa for first division rivals Qatar Sports Club (QSC).

The 37-year-old central defender scored six goals in 27 games to help Al Gharafa collect their fourth Qatar title last season.

Algerian midfielder Ali Benarbia, formerly of Manchester City, has also joined QSC from Qatar's Al Rayyan club.

"We are happy that these two fine players have agreed to join us. I think we now have a formidable line-up," said Sheikh Jassem bin Hamad Al Thani, QSC's director of football, on Friday.

Former Argentine World Cup strikers Claudio Caniggia and Gabriel Batistuta, who were playing for QSC and Al Arabi Sports Club respectively, announced their retirements towards the end of last season.

 
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Guus Hiddink factbox
 
SYDNEY, July 22 (Reuters) - Factbox on Guus Hiddink following his appointment as Australian national coach on Friday:

1946 - Born November 8 at Wisch, Netherlands

1967 - Begins professional playing career as a midfielder at De Graafschap

1970 - Joins PSV Eindhoven

1971 - Returns to De Graafschap

1976 - Begins two year spell in U.S with Washington Diplomats and San Jose Earthquakes.

1977 - Returns to the Netherlands where he spends three years at NEC Nijmegen

1981 - Completes playing career with a final year at De Graafschap

1982 - Begins coaching career at De Graafschap

1984 - Appointed assistant manager at PSV Eindhoven before becoming manager two years later.

1986-90 - PSV win Dutch league four times in a row and Dutch Cup three times.

1988 - Treble-winning year with European Cup and Dutch league and cup triumphs

1990 - Takes over as coach of Turkish club Fenerbahce.

1991 - Spends first of spells coaching in Spain with two years at Valencia.

1995 - Appointed Dutch national coach, leads the Netherlands to quarter-finals of Euro 96, followed by semi-finals of World Cup in France in 1998.

1998 - Returns to Spain to coach Real Madrid. Won World Club Cup but sacked in February 1999 after poor domestic form and after criticising the club's financial problems.

2000 - Spends one season at Real Betis

2001 - January - Becomes South Korea national coach.

2002 - Leads South Korea to semi-finals of World Cup, the best showing by an Asian team in the tournament's history.

2002 - Returns to Netherlands to manage PSV.

2005 - Guides PSV to League and Cup double and semi-finals of Champions League, where only late away goal in second leg against AC Milan halted their run.

- July 22 - named as new Australian coach, replacing Frank Farina.
 
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Robinho factbox
 
RIO DE JANEIRO, July 21 (Reuters) - Factbox on Brazilian forward Robinho, full name Robson de Souza, who is joining Real Madrid.

1984 - Born January 25, full name Robson de Souza, in Sao Vicente near Santos.

1996 - Discovered by Santos and wins a place in the club's junior divisions.
 
 
1999 - Pele sees Robinho taking part in a youth team training session and is reported as saying: "This lad takes me back to the start of my career."

2000 - Makes his professional debut for Santos at the age of 16 in a 3-1 win over arch-rivals Corinthians.

2002 - December: Santos beat Corinthians over the two-legged final to win the Brazilian championship. The most replayed moment of the tie is when Robinho performs seven successive stepovers as he provokes an opponent into giving away a penalty.

2003 - June: Santos reach the South American Libertadores Cup final for the first time in 40 years but lose to Argentina's Boca Juniors in the two-leg final.

2004 - January: Plays in the Brazil under-23 team which amazingly fails to qualify for the Athens Olympics after being edged out by unfancied Paraguay in the South American qualifying tournament.

September: Comes on as a substitute to make his first and so far only appearance for Brazil's senior team.

November: Robinho's mother Marina de Souza is kidnapped from a barbecue at a friend's house in Santos by two armed men. Robinho is sidelined by coach Vanderlei Luxemburgo.

December: Robinho's mother is released. Two days later, Robinho returns to the side and Santos beat Vasco da Gama 2-1 in their last game to clinch their second Brazilian championship in three years. Finishes as Santos joint top scorer with 21 goals.

January: Santos deny reports that Robinho will join Real Madrid. Santos president Marcelo Teixeira later advises Robinho to stay at Santos until the 2006 World Cup.

June: Part of Brazil squad for Confederations Cup. Turns in virtuoso performance in Brazil's 3-0 win over Greece scoring one, winning a penalty for a second, and ends up being voted Man of the Match.

June 29: Brazil beat Argentina 4-1 to win Confederations Cup. After the game Robinho says he wants to join Real Madrid.