ROME Former AC Milan coach Fabio Capello returned to soccer after a year on the sidelines on Wednesday when he was confirmed as AS Roma's coach for next season. Capello will replace Czech Zdenek Zeman, who has coached the Serie A side for the past two seasons, guiding them to fourth and fifth in the first division. "We will release two statements later today.

One will confirm the sacking of Zeman while the other will confirm the appointment of Capello," Roma President Franco Sensi told reporters on the sidelines of a conference. "No one is to blame. It's just a consequence of the facts and of the passing of time." Capello had been rumoured to be in line for the job for several days but Zeman refused to rule out the possiblity he would be kept on at the Olympic Stadium. The Czech coach held talks with Sensi on Tuesday and said afterwards he would not resign and that the wealthy president and industrialist had not sacked him.

Capello's appointment propels one of Italy's most respected coaches back into the cauldron of top flight football after a year in which he has worked as a commentator and pundit for Italian television. (Reuter)