Football: Beckenbauer to coach

FRANZ BECKENBAUER, the only man to win the World Cup as captain and coach, yesterday took over as coach of Bayern Munich, the club he captained to three successive European Cup triumphs in the 1970s.

Beckenbauer succeeded Erich Ribbeck, who resigned earlier in the day, saying that he had to take responsibility for the team's poor performance in the Uefa Cup when they were surprisingly beaten in the second round by Norwich City.

Bayern, who last won the Bundesliga in 1990, stand third with the league in in its winter break.

Marco van Basten, the injured Milan and Netherlands striker, said he hopes to return to action next March but warned he would not take part in the World Cup unless he had proved his fitness at club level. 'I must try to gradually return to playing, little by little, in March at least,' he said.

Roberto Baggio, the European Footballer of the Year, is negotiating a new contract with Juventus that will keep him with the Italian club until 1997.