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Football: European Clubs Back UEFA Cup Changes VOA Sports 5 Feb 2002 18:21 UTC 
Top European football clubs Tuesday gave their backing to proposals for an overhaul of the UEFA Cup with the introduction of a group phase from 2003.
After the annual club workshop at the headquarters of European football's governing body in Nyon, Switzerland, UEFA said the 73 teams supported replacing the current knockout format with eight groups of four clubs from the 2003-2004 season. The two top clubs would qualify from each group in the revised UEFA Cup to whittle the competition down to the last 16.
The group stage of 32 teams would be preceded by three knockout qualifying rounds. The proposals would have to be approved by Europe's football associations and the UEFA executive committee.
Leeds United and England under-21 midfielder Lee Bowyer was hit with a six-match ban and fined 10,000 pounds ($14,000), Tuesday, after being found guilty by the English Football Association of bringing the game into disrepute.
Bowyer's ban is for elbowing Liverpool's Gary McAllister in last year's 2-0 FA Cup defeat and of using foul and abusive language towards a referee during Leeds' Premiership win over Arsenal.
Liverpool football manager Gerard Houllier has insisted he will return as manager in a matter of weeks and dismissed claims he would return to the Premiership club in a different role.
The Frenchman, who has been recovering since October from major heart surgery, has had to contend with constant speculation that he is finished as manager of the Anfield club.
Former England football boss Graham Taylor was appointed manager of Aston Villa for the second time on Tuesday, ending the premier league's search for a new man in charge.
Taylor, who first managed Villa from 1987 to 1990 - when he left to replace Bobby Robson in the England job - takes over from John Gregory despite having announced his retirement from the game, last year, at first division Watford.
The jersey worn by football great Pele in Brazil's 1970 World Cup final victory will be auctioned next month, with an estimated price of at least $42,000.
The shirt, up for auction on March 27, was offered for sale by Italian international Roberto Rosato. He and Pele swapped jersey's at the end of Brazil's 4-1 victory at the Azteca Stadium on June 21, 1970. Pele scored the first goial of the match.
Some information for this report provided by AFP and AP.
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