Munich  - Turkey midfielder Hamit Altintop resumed training with Bayern Munich Friday after a three-month injury lay-off and could make a comeback before the Bundesliga's winter break.

Madrid - Fabio Cannavaro will be out of action for at least a week after pulling a muscle in his right thigh in Wednesday's Greece-Italy friendly.

Cannavaro, 35, will miss Real Madrid's home game against Recreativo Huelva on Saturday, as well as Tuesday's Champions League clash away to BATE Borisov.

Rostock, Germany - Former Germany international Dieter Eilts was Friday named as coach of Hansa Rostock, who are struggling in the second division following relegation last season.

The appointment comes just two weeks after Eilts was dismissed as coach of Germany's under-21 side.

Eilts replaces the dismissed Frank Pagelsdorf on a contract until the end of June 2010.

London, Nov 21 : A poll by residents of a Siberian city has named Roman Abramovich as their idea of an archetypal Englishman.

The owner of Chelsea Football Club pipped Winnie the Pooh, James Bond and Winston Churchill in the online poll to nab the first position.

Russia will be erecting its first statue of Roman Abramovich next month following the poll.

The poll was organised by the Siberian chapter of the Russian-British Cultural Association, a body set up in 2003 to foster a better understanding of each other''s countries, reports the Telegraph.

London, Nov 21 : Soccer rivals Rio Ferdinand and Ashley Cole are joining forces to produce a film.

Johannesburg - This weekend's Confederations Cup draw in Johannesburg will draw on the input of some of the world's most beautiful women, world football body FIFA announced Friday.

Eight contestants in the Miss World competition that takes place in South Africa in December will assist FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke in the draw to determine two groups for the eight-team championship.

"Hosting as prestigious an event as the Miss World competition again underlines South Africa's ability to stage major global events. And as for the beautiful contestants assisting me on Saturday, it's certainly a draw I will be looking forward to more than most," Valcke said in a statement.