Milan - Inter Milan coach Jose Mourinho did not hide his bitterness after his side's dull performance against Genoa and threatened major changes Wednesday when the champions visit Fiorentina for a big mid-week tie.

A scoreless home draw against Genoa cost Inter the league lead with Udinese now on top on 17 points, ahead on goal difference over Inter and Napoli.

"The coach is always responsible, but the players must do what I say," Mourinho said.

"In the second half this did not always happen. Evidently, some players don't know me well enough. Maybe they'll begin to learn when I name the line-up on Tuesday."

Hamburg (dpa) - Germany captain Michael Ballack has apologised for a recent critical statement on coach Joachim Loew but Loew said on Sunday that the case was not yet closed.

London - Tottenham Hotspur confirmed Sunday the appointment of Harry Redknapp as manager after the bottom-ranked English Premier League club sacked Juande Ramos overnight.

Spurs also dismissed sporting director Damien Comolli and first team coaches Gus Poyet and Marcos Alvarez.

Redknapp leaves Portsmouth, with whom he had won the FA Cup last season.

Tottenham have endured an awful start to the season, taking just two points from their first eight games, and being beaten 2-0 by Udinese on Thursday in their first game in the UEFA Cup group stage.

In an interview with BBC radio, Redknapp revealed that it was on Friday morning that Spurs made their approach.

London- Champions Manchester United slipped up in their pursuit of Chelsea and Liverpool at the top of the English Premier League on Saturday when they were held to a 1-1 draw at Everton.

Darren Fletcher put United in front on 22 minutes but Marouane Fellaini headed the equalizer for Everton with just under half an hour to go to give the home side a share of the spoils.

The point means United remain fifth, still five points behind Chelsea and Liverpool, who play each other at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

London - Tottenham centre-back Jonathan Woodgate insisted Monday that manager Juande Ramos still has the full backing of the team despite their dreadful start to the season.

Johannesburg - FIFA president Joseph Blatter got into the swing of things Wednesday, clicking his heels in a little dance as he expressed satisfaction with South Africa's preparations for the 2010 World Cup.

"I am a happy man," Blatter said after visiting Ellis Park stadium in Johannesburg, one of two stadiums in the city being upgraded for the tournament.

Expressing his pleasure at being in South Africa, the head of football's world governing body said: "I prefer the rhythm of this country.

"You know in Zurich (FIFA headquarters) we are in the German part of Switzerland. This is boring, boring!"