In the world of smoke and mirrors, behind the spin and the secrecy, the lies and vested interests, the tangled webs of international diplomacy, or lack if it, the posturing, the blinkered views and denials, one thing is sure about the astonishing FIFA crisis and its large global ripples.
By Paul Nicholson
June 19 – Organisers of the 2015 Gold Cup to be played in the US starting July 7 are reporting ticket sales running at double the level of sales at the same for the 2013 championship. The news will be a relief for CONCACAF’s leaders as they battle to maintain confidence and the integrity of region’s showcase event for national teams.
By Jaroslaw Adamowski
June 19 – Romania’s football federation FRF has inked a contract with local telecommunications company Telekom Romania which will become the main sponsor of the country’s national team.
By Mark Baber
June 19 – Hugo Jinkis and his son Mariano Jinkis, amongst the 14 current and former FIFA officials and corporate executives wanted by US prosecutors on charges of conspiracy to commit the offenses of racketeering, wire fraud, and money laundering, have surrendered to Argentine authorities, whilst pledging to fight extradition to the United States.
By Mark Baber
June 19 – Despite concerns expressed in the Italian media that Sampdoria might be excluded from European competitions next season, the club has been included on UEFA’s list of participants for the 2015-16 competition.
By Andrew Warshaw
June 19 – No date has yet been fixed for elections to replace Sepp Blatter but already a second candidate has expressed interest in taking over as FIFA president. After former Brazil superstar Zico, Musa Bility (pictured), president of the Liberian Football Association, has said he is keen to be a contender.
“For the investor, a too-high purchase price for the stock of an excellent company can undo the effects of a subsequent decade of favorable business developments.” Warren Buffett
It’s hard to argue with any of the aphorisms spoken by the most successful investor in modern history. Warren Buffett has made himself a multi-billionaire, and lots of other people very rich too, with his seer’s ability to pick a stock through forensic financial analysis.
By Ben Nicholson
June 19 – The FIFA Women’s World Cup in Canada is breaking new ground and old records, indicating that the hoped-for rise in the global profile of the women’s game is becoming a reality.
By Matt Scott
June 19 – Nic Coward (pictured), the general secretary of the Premier League, is to step down in August following a senior-management reorganisation.
By Matt Scott
June 19 – Olympiacos’s owner Evangelos ‘Vangelis’ Marinakis must step down as president of the club after a seven-hour plea hearing at an Athens court on Thursday in which he was accused of running a racketeering and match-fixing ring in Greek football.
News that FIFA president Sepp ‘despot’ Blatter and Jerome ‘not me’ Valcke have lawyered up in the US with a couple of the most aggressive rottweilers available comes as no real surprise. Or does it? And does the fact that this is actually news tell us a bit more than perhaps the news leaker had intended.
By Mark Baber
June 18 – A poorly conceived marketing campaign for China’s World Cup qualifiers, which included a poster saying “don’t underestimate black skin, yellow skin, white skin Hong Kong” has led to accusations of racism, an apparent apology from the Chinese FA (CFA) and a sharpening of tensions between the mainland and Hong Kong fans.
By Mark Baber
June 18 – Amendments to the community empowerment bill, proposed by the Scottish Green party, were supported by members of the Scottish Parliament yesterday evening, opening the way for fan groups to buy their clubs if they fall into financial difficulties, and perhaps even to be granted a general “right to buy”.
By Paul Nicholson
June 18 – The Russians may be on target with their infrastructure build for the World Cup in 2018, but they look to be way off target with their preparation of a team for the home championship. Defeat against Austria in the Euro 2016 group qualifiers again raised doubts over whether Italian Fabio Capello is the right manager for the Russian team.
June 18 – Manchester City has gathered 30 young leaders from its global outreach programme for a week-long summit at the City Football Academy in Manchester.